Desktop publishingDesktop publishing (DTP) is the process of designingnewspapers, magazines, books, leaflets, booklets,and reports on a desktop computer. The industrythat produces these items is the publishingindustry. Designing the structure and format ofthe publication and the layout of each page is thejob of the graphic designer, while the process ofcreating the publication on paper is printing.

The history of printingUntil recently, publications were produced using alabour intensive, mechanical printing process. Atypesetter selected individual metal letters (types)and assembled lines of type on a 'composing stick'.The 'sticks' were arranged as text columns in agalley and the rows were spaced with strips of lead(hence the term leading). Once complete, the typewas inked and paper was pressed on top of thegalley. Over the years, the development of newprinting technologies such as rotary presses andoffset lithography (a high quality printing methodused in high volume publications such asnewspapers and magazines) has greatly improvedthe quality and speed of the printing process.

The introduction in the 1980s of powerful desktopcomputers and WIMP (Windows, Icons, Menus andPointing device) interfaces has revolutionised thedesign and preparation of documents forreproduction. Slow and costly manual typesettingprocesses have been replaced by fast, flexible DTPsoftware, which allows text and images to bequickly and easily imported and arranged to createexciting designs. Camera-ready artwork - used todevelop lithographic printing plates for high-vol-ume production- can be outputted directly fromthe computer. 'Plateless' digital printingtechnologies such as high-quality colour laserprinters make low-volume publications fast andeconomical to produce.

Benefits of DTPDTP provides a number of benefits topublishers and graphic designers:

• Design work and publication time is greatlyreduced as designers can createstandardized layouts to be used time andagain.

• Text and graphics can be imported from a varietyof sources and locations aroundthe world.

• Text and graphics can be positioned accuratelyusing grid and snap, scale, rotateand crop functions.

• The proposed layout can be sent electronically tothe editor or client for approvalprior to printing.

• Modifications can be made easily and quickly.• Once approved, the final layout can be sent forprinting electronically with little orno time wasted in pre-production.

The client also benefits from the designer's useof DTP software:

• The speed and quality of production areimportant to clients.• Designers can quickly produce high quality visualsfor presentation to the client.• Visuals can be sent for approval electronically,saving time.• The client's modifications can be made quicklyand easily.

DTP hardwareA typical DTP system would comprise a desktopcomputer (publishing companies use morepowerful computer workstations) and a range ofinput and output devices.

Figure 1 - DTP Hardware

For input, the following devices might be used:• a scanner to create electronic copies of existingtext and graphics• a digitising tablet to 'point and pick' from amenu or create pictures• a digital camera to take digital images for usein the publication.

For output:• a colour laser printer for proofing (checking)and short runs• an ultra high resolution monitor with alarge screen. Publishers will use screensthat display double page layouts actual size.

In addition, a modem provides both input andoutput for sending and receiving material fromremote locations.

DTP softwareDTP software has many features that enable thegraphic designer to create exciting page layouts.There are a large number of software packages onthe market, including:• image editing applications formanipulating digital photographs andscanned artwork

• drawing applications for producing highquality line-based illustrations• page layout applications forassembling text and images into finisheddocuments ready for printing.

These applications offer the followingimportant features.

Colour fillsColour fills provide background colours, texturesand fill effects that enhance publications and websites.

Colour editing toolsColour editing tools give the graphicdesigner the choice of thousands ofcolours, tints and shades. A colourmixing palette enables graphicdesigners to mix their own colours.

Effective use of colour is vital ingraphic design. It can be used tocommunicate a variety of moods todifferent target markets. Largecompanies have carefully chosencorporate colour schemes that helpidentify the organisation to the public,These appear on all of the company'spublications and websites.

Drawing toolsMany publications and websitesneed original artwork, which canrange From simple boxes with colourfills to very complex drawings.Drawing tools enable these graphicsto be produced and integrated intopage layouts.

Figure 3 - Editing & Drawing Tools

Figure 2 - Colour Fills

Cropped images can create a variety of shapesthat provide a contrast with the rectangularstructure of the page. A cropped graphic can bepositioned close to or within the body copy sothat the text can be wrapped around it.

Cropping gives the graphicdesigner a great range ofcreative options and can helpbring an article to life.

Picture and photo editing

Graphics play an important role in DTP. Theycan be used to illustrate an article or enliven alayout. Cropping images to reduce unwantedbackground or to remove the backgroundcompletely are common editing features.

Dave MacLeod on the thirdascent of Leo Houlding's1999 classic route

overlooking theNant Peris pass in NorthWales. After eight yearswithout a repeat.

was climbedthree times in threemonths in the spring andsummer of 2007.

Handle

Frame

Grids and guidelinesGrids and guidelines improve the accuracy ofpositioning and alignment of elements. Snap togrid and snap to guideline functions makeit easier to produce accurate layouts.

ColumnsA column structure can make a publicationor webpage easier to read. Columns also helpimprove alignment and page layout.

LayersLayers give the graphic designer more controlover the page layout. Headers and footers maybe stored on one layer and the body text onanother. The use of layers is especially useful inan international market where differentlanguages can be stored on separate layers andadded to different versions as required.

FramesText and pictures are contained in frames sothey can be moved around independently ofone another. This enables creative layouts to bedesigned. Handles allow selected frames to beresized and reshaped.

Examples of each font style are shown below.

Serif Fonts

Times

Garamond

Palatino

Sans Serif FontsArial

Tahoma

Verdana

Fun Fonts

Brush Script

ImpactStencil

Choice of font style is down to readability andthe target audience of the publication, it is bestnot to use too many fonts in a publication.

Headings, sub-headings and captions should bedifferent to your body copy fonts. When indoubt, use a sans serif font for headings andsub-headings and a serif font for body copy.

Headers and footersHeaders and footers run through the publicationand contain information that repeats from onepage to another, such as the publication's name,section headings, topic titles and page numbers.

TextText may be put to many different uses in apublication, and the different uses need differenttypographic treatments. Headings and titlesintroduce an article while subheadings break thearticle down into smaller chunks. Captions explaina photo or graphic and pull-quotes draw the readerinto an article. Headers and footers give additionalinformation about the publication or section. Themain body of text is called body type or body copy.

Typeface (font style)Fonts come in serif and sans serif styles. Serifsare the decorative features at the end of strokesof letters, numbers and symbols.

Serif fonts tend to create a formal, serious look.They are often used for body copy in newspapersand magazines.

Sans serif fonts lack the decorative featuresand tend to give a less formal, more modernlook.

Graphic designers can create contrast by using asans serif font for headings and a serif font forbody copy. There are modern fonts in script,handwriting and fun styles that should never beused in body copy. They are fine for invitations,compliments slips and cards where the text iskept to a minimum and the line spacing(leading) can be increased.

Text formatting

Text size is measured in points. Headings requirelarge, bold sizes. Body copy is smaller.

18 point bold text10 point regular text

Kerning is used to avoid unsightly gaps betweencertain pairs of characters, particularly those withsloping uprights and overhangs. Most fontscontain extra information, kerning tables thatDTP software can use to kern text automatically.

Bullet points are visual aids and are excellentwhen listing facts or items.

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Leading is the vertical space between lines.

Tracking uniformly alters the spacing betweenletters. For example, tighter tracking can help toincrease the mass or impact of a heading, whilelooser tracking might be used to expand a line oftext to fit the width of a text frame.

An indent creates a visual start to a new paragraph.

A drop capital signifies the start of an article andindents the body copy adjacent to the drop capital.

A drop capital signifies thestart of an article and indentsthe body copy adjacent to thedrop capital.

Text formatting ( )

Left-aligned text creates a visually strong lineand can make a document look more sophisticated.It is the most commonly used style. It looks lessformal than right alignment.

Left-aligned text creates a visually strongline and can make a document look moresophisticated. It is the most commonlyused style. It looks less formal than rightalignment.

Justified text creates clean vertical lines on bothsides. It gives text a strong visual shape and savesspace but it can create unwanted hyphenation andexaggerated word spacing.

Justified text creates clean vertical lines onboth sides. It gives text a strong visualshape and saves space but it can createunwanted hyphenation and exaggeratedword spacing.

Text wrapping allows text to be placed on thepage around a piece of artwork. The example hereshows a cropped image which has text wrappedround it.

Text wrapping allows text to be placed onthe pagearound apiece of art-work. Theexamplehere showsa croppedimagewhich has text wrapped round it.

A hanging indent uses a drop capital butindents the rest of the column underneath.

A hanging indent uses a drop capital but indents the rest of the column underneath.

Right-aligned text can look sophisticated andis often useful for captions and sub-headings. Itcan also provide alignment with a photograph orthe right-hand edge of a page.

Right-aligned text can look sophisticatedand is often useful for captions and sub-headings. It can also provide alignment

with a photograph or the right-hand edgeof a page.

Centred text creates a symmetrical column oftext but should be used sparingly. It can lookdull, it is difficult to read and lacks a strong visualline.

Centred text creates a symmetrical columnof text but should be used sparingly. It canlook dull, it is difficult to read and lacks a

strong visual line.

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