Product Description

Designed for new and experienced InDesign users, as well as those who are migrating from other layout applications, InDesign CS3 Essential Training covers all the bases. From exploring each of its tools in depth to teaching layout principles and techniques, instructor David Blatner covers everything needed to use InDesign productively. He demystifies InDesign's powerful features, including converting QuarkXPress files, formatting characters and paragraphs, setting up style sheets for better productivity, and much more. Exercise files accompany the tutorial.

Topics Include:

• Getting to know the tools and menus
• Converting QuarkXPress files
• Managing sections, page numbers, and chapter numbers
• Importing and editing text
• Embedding links and graphics
• Editing frame and path shapes
• Formatting characters and paragraphs
• Designing and working with tables
• Exporting PDF, INX, JPG, and EPS files
• Packaging files for output

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #403387 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-02
• Binding: DVD-ROM

From the Publisher
Each lynda.com CD/DVD course offers hours of training movies that you watch on your computer. The movies are recorded in pixel-perfect quality, and include the authors' narration and movements as they teach the subject matter. Courses include the same project files that the instructors use, so you can follow along at your own pace. lynda.com tutorials are great for visual learners and people who like to learn by doing. Topics include software applications, workflow optimization, tips and techniques, and much more. Play, fast-forward, and rewind for easy learning.

About the Author
David Blatner is the author or co-author of 15 books, including Real World InDesign and Real World Photoshop. He is the co-host of the InDesignSecrets.com podcast and blog, and the editorial director of both InDesign Magazine and The InDesign Conference. Over half a million copies of his books are in print in 13 languages, and his free InDesign Secrets plug-in offers a "tip of the day" to thousands of users worldwide. He has spoken at conferences and workshops around North America, Europe, Australia, Japan, and South Africa.

Customer Reviews

Excellent Starting Point for Learning the Basics
I've been taking copious notes while watching this video series since Monday. David Blatner, who blogs on InDesignSecrets.com, is the host. His style is very straightforward as he teaches you both the basics of this program and tricks on how to maximize your time by using keyboard shortcuts, customizing your menus, adding special characters, importing text, etc.

The video on importing text is especially valuable to me because I have relied on the Place feature as well as the "Copy and Paste" method when importing text for my books. David explains why you should get out the copy and paste habit. He also explains how to import Word files so InDesign will format them correctly. This is a huge timesaver.

If you have 9 hours of straight time to sit in front of your monitor or TV, you can easily get through these video series in one sitting. But I recommend that you take your time because this program is complex. I've listed the truncated version of the table of contents to give you an idea of what you'll be learning. To see the full TOC, visit Lynda.com.

Table of contents

1. Introduction
2. Workspace
3. Getting to the Tools
4. Creating a Document
5. Managing Pages
6. Text
7. Graphics
8. Formatting Objects
9. Managing Objects
10. Transforming Objects
11. Character Formatting
12. Paragraph Formatting
13. Styles
14. Working with Tables
15. Color
16. Exporting
17. Printing
18. Conclusion
InDesign and InCopy overview
Where to go next
Goodbye

Is the DVD worth the price? It depends on how and where you're going to use it. If you're training primarily from home and have a good Internet connection, then I suggest you consider signing up for the basic subscription at Lynda.com because you'll not only get access to this basic course, but you'll have access to the other six at a fraction of the cost. Once you finish with this course, you'll want to move on to the others to learn more. If you don't have a good Internet connection or need to train others, the DVD is definitely worth getting.

For visual learners, this course is an excellent way of mastering the basics of Adobe InDesign.