use indesign to set up your final document
final trimmed sizes [measurement as you’re holding the final cut/folded object]
5.5” x 8.5” [half-size]
8.5” x 11” [full-size]
9” x 12”
note: if you want bleeds [where image/color/text runs off the edge of the page], you can make your page size a little smaller [example: 5” x 8”] and trim it down yourself.
indesign process
file > new document
set your doc width and height.
the number of pages must be divisible by 4.
if you check “facing pages” [recommended for this project], you can view your document spreads [when two facing pages are seen side-by-side], but indesign annoyingly puts the front cover and back cover all by itself.
you can add as many columns as you like, to give yourself a structure to work from.
set your margins to whatever you want. you can go back and adjust later.
do your thing in indesign!
use the “T” type tool to click and drag a text box, and start typing.
window > type & tables > character to pull up the character panel and control typography.
window > type & tables > paragraph to pull up the paragraph panel and control text alignment [left, middle, right, justified, etc]
file > place to import an image [.psd, .tif, .png, .jpg]
save early, save often!
make a folder for vis com 1. inside that, make a “project 1” folder and stick your zine in there so you don’t lose it on your messy desktop!
name it something sensible like “viscom1-project1-A”. you can name subsequent iterations B, C, D etc, to keep track of your versions and improvements over time, and go back if needed.
export your file as a pdf [print].
file > export
it will ask you to name your file again.
note: this is different from saving your file in the native indesign format.
click “save”. duh.
for the preset at the top, select “press quality”.
under pages, say “all”
export at “pages”. casey’s magic zine maker tool at the print center doesn’t want spreads!
don’t bother with the other options for now.
for documents with bleeds or non-standard-size docs:
first, make sure that in your document, the things that run off the page actually run beyond the edge of the indesign document. standard practice is to go at least 1/8” beyond the document edge.
file > export
do the stuff in the previous step: press quality, all pages, export as pages, etc.
click “marks and bleeds” on the left menu.
under “marks” click “crop marks”
export that sucker!
submit your project online to the print output center [located by the art store] at least 24 hours in advance of when you need it in hand. or you can take a flash drive there and fill out the form there.