Desktop Publishing
What is it?
• Describes the process of producing a
document using a personal computer
• Not just about creating brochures and
flyers
• Products must be hard copy and able to
transfer to the Internet
How to create
amazing documents
• Audience
– Who is this document for?
– Describe changes you would make for
different types of audiences.
How to create
amazing documents
• Purpose
– What is the point?
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Inform
Advertise
Get advice
Meet a requirement
– What purpose do the images play?
• Each image must have a purpose
How to create
amazing documents
• Layout
– Thumbnail Sketches
• Quick sketches that allow you to “think” on paper
• Blocks of sections of the page for certain things
• Allows you to better visualize your document
Principles of Design
• Focal Point
– The place your eye sees first
– Larger is noticed before smaller
– Brightly colored text is noticed before black
text
– Images are noticed before text
• Pages without a focal point can be
confusing
Principles of Design
• After creating a focal point, the reader
must be encouraged to continue reading
• Flow
– The visual path created by arrangements of
elements within a page
– Z-pattern is most common
– Images, white space, and text will create the
flow
Principles of Design
• Layout
– Using a grid will help divide your page
• Rule of thirds
– A page that is designed in thirds is more
appealing
Text
Image
White space
Text
Image
Image White Image
Space
Text
Text
T
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Image
White
Space
Text
Text
White
Spac
e
White
Space
White
Space
Fonts
• Serif is divided into categories
– Oldstyle is used for long passages
– Modern has harsher strokes
– Slab serif fonts have little difference
between strokes
– Sans serif very even strokes, resulting in an
easier read
Special Fonts
•Decorative fonts are used for display
• Script fonts are designed to imitate handwriting
• Blackletter fonts are designed to look like early
hand-print font
• Monospace fonts resemble
spacing produced by a
typewriter
Font rules!
• The fewer fonts the better
• Making font bold or italic can help you
create sections or importance
•If you mix two typefaces, make them very different
Color
• Color scheme is the arrangement of colors
designed to create a particular response.
• Color wheels can help you select
complementary colors
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Black – classic, strong, powerful, mysterious, elegant
Blue – tranquil, peaceful, sad, dependable, cool, constant, quiet
Brown – wholesome, rich earthy, home-like, stable, rustic
Green – soothing, refreshing, healing, natural, fresh
Neutral – classic, quality, natural, timeless, quiet
Orange – Sharp, friendly, vital, hot, energizing, inviting
Pink – happy, sweet, romantic, youthful
Purple – elegant, eccentric, regal, spiritual, mysterious
Red – sexy, exciting, stimulating, provocative, dynamic
White – pure, bright, innocent, clean
Yellow – harmonious, warming, sunny, splendor