Desktop Publishing

Ethiopia, 568 BC Book of Darrow, 680 AD

La Operina da imparare di scrivere littera cancellarescha, 1522

Handbill, 1876

Art Nouveau, 1903 Type as art, 1918

What is desktop publishing?

Desktop publishing (abbreviated DTP) is the

creation of documents using page layout skills on a

personal computer.

Desktop publishing software can generate layouts and

produce typographic quality text and images comparable

to traditional typography and printing.

Publication system applications that combine text, graphics, animations, illustrations into a standard

formatting to create and produce publications

material

Why is Desktop Publishing Important?

Make documents look better, prettier.

Desktop publishing, used properly, enhances visual

communication and streamlines the process

of disseminating information

Tool that can enhance communication by

making it possible to quickly and efficiently produce printed and

electronic documents.

Graphic design vs. Desktop Publishing

Graphic design involves the creative process of coming

up with the concepts and ideas and arrangements for visually communicating a specific message.

Desktop publishing is the mechanical process that the designer and the non-designer use to turn their ideas for newsletters, brochures, ads, posters, greeting cards, and other projects into digital files for desktop or commercial printing. • While desktop publishing does require a certain amount of creativity,

it is more production-oriented than design-oriented.

WP vs. DTP: Similarities

Create, edit, store, & print documents /

publications

Character & paragraph formatting

Graphics & other objects - inline & text

wrap

NOTE: Top-of-the-line word processors of today can be used

to generate very good “DTP-Like”

publications, but...

WP vs. DTP: Differences

• Margins • Paragraphs

In Margins/ Columns

• Single Layered

Word Processing

•Page •Guides •Text Boxes •Multiple

Layered Objects

Desktop Publishing

History

• Type Processor One 1983 • Apple LaserWriter Printer & PageMaker 1985 • Adobe PostScript Fonts • Adobe Illustrator Mid-1980’s • QuarkXpress 1987 • Photoshop Introduced 1989

DTP Software

Adobe InDesign Adobe PageMaker

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Illustrator Adobe FrameMaker

Corel DRAW Corel Photo-Paint

Corel Ventura Microsoft Office Publisher

QuarkXPress

Serif PagePlus Deneba Canvas RagTime

8 Things to Consider (Before You Begin)

• Time • Audience • Reader Motivation • Method of Delivery • Image • Ease of Reading • Limitations • Feedback

How much time? • There are always

deadlines. • Get the job done on

time

• Get the job done and then tweak later if there is time.

Who is the audience?

– Age Group – Reading Level – Education Level – White-collar VS Blue-collar – Ethnic Background

Opps … • In the end, however,

the blunder didn't end up hurting KFC too badly:

• It's the No. 1 quick-service restaurant brand in China today, with more than 4,400 restaurants in more than 850 cities.

Why are they reading this?

• Personal Interest • Needing Information • Required Reading • Casual Browsing

How will they get this? • Direct Mail • Bulletin Board • Brochure Rack • Table or Counter • Person to Person

RGB & CMYK

What is our/their image?

Can I make the reader’s job easier?

Color Considerations

Are there limitations? • Always!

• Budget • Resources • Size (Dimensions & Number

Of Pages) • Medium • Time • Personal Preferences (Esp.

The Client’s)

Is feedback desired?

• contact information (address, phone, email, website) • coupons • forms • Surveys

Typography Legibility • Speed and ease with

which individual letters can be recognized

Readability • Likelihood that your

readers will pick up material, read it and take action

San-Serif vs. Serif Screen Print

Heading Heads: Minimum of 2 times larger than subheads Subheads: minimum of 2 pts larger than body copy

Heads: Minimum of 2 times larger than subheads Subheads: minimum of 2 pts larger than body copy

Body San-Serif Serif

Weight Bold Bold Captions Same size as body text 2 pts larger or 1 pt smaller

Serif vs. San Serif Text

How Many Typefaces?

• Just because you have 2500 typefaces ... You don’t have to use them all!!!! • One gives consistent look. Two complementary typefaces is common Three is the max! • More makes the publication to busy and confusing.

Layout Mistakes

Poor column spacing

Claustrophobic pages

Whispering headlines

Misaligned elements

Improperly positioned headlines

Too much copy

Rotated type Excessive hyphenation

Too many fonts & sizes

Unnecessary special effects

Double returns and

spaces

Hyphens for bullets

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In Review…

Focus on four basic design elements • Contrast • Repetition • Alignment • Proximity

It’s all subjective Simple changes make a HUGE

difference

Don’t make it harder than it has

to be