Adobe InDesign has many options and advanced features, but its purpose is relatively straightforward compared to Photoshop and Illustrator: It’s very good at page layout. This is the software program used to lay out most print newspapers in the U.S., as well as books, newsletters, brochures, posters and some web design. If you’re trying to design a product with a lot of text, this is the software for you.
Here are a few basic steps and features that may be useful for page layout projects.
Almost all visual design makes use of a grid to keep the elements organized and proportional. Here’s how you can adjust the page margins, plus add columns and other guide lines.
You’ll need to add text boxes to your page with the Type tool, and you may also want to add shapes or frames to set aside space for images.
There are many options for your text, whether you’re going for a particular look or making small adjustments for readability. You can change the typeface, size, alignment, kerning, tracking, leading and other characteristics, then apply the same styles elsewhere with a single click by creating paragraph styles.
The setting for changing the number of text columns in a text box keeps moving around as Adobe updates the InDesign interface, so that’s a common issue! Here’s a very short video showing where you can always find the text columns setting under “Text Frame Options.”