InDesign is a powerful publishing tool available from Adobe that allows users to easily and quickly create dynamic print publications. Many professional newspaper and magazine staffs across the globe rely on this product to create some of the most popular publications on earth. It can also be used to create digital publications, making it a versatile option for both professionals and home users alike. Mastering a sophisticated suite like InDesign takes a certain amount of effort and energy. Nevertheless, these simple tips will help beginners get their feet wet and start producing high-quality publications in no time.

1. Fit a Picture Anywhere

When creating a publication, there will often be moments where a photo or image needs to be placed in a constrained area. Rather than just dropping the full-size image on the screen, you can easily draw a graphic box that fits the parameters you are looking for. This box contains a small X and is found on the toolbar. You can then fit a picture inside the box you have created.

2. Add Page Numbers Automatically

Creating a publication with page numbers is a great way to help people to peruse the pages of your document. Of course, adding those page numbers manually can take a massive amount of time and energy. Instead of wasting your breath, you should learn to automatically add page numbers to your documents. Simply create a master page, navigating to “Type > Insert Special Character > Markers > Current Page Number” in the process. This will make subsequent pages display the correct information.

3. Round Images Perfectly

Sometimes adding a rounded image to your document is exactly what you need for the feel of your page. This can easily be done by using live corners. Simply draw a frame like you would for any other graphic, and click on the yellow box appearing in the top corner. This will create several more yellow boxes, all of which can easily be dragged horizontally to create rounded corners. To only create one rounded corner, hold down shift while you move the yellow box.

4. Altering Text Wrap

Text wrap can be an extremely useful tool when working to manipulate text around an image. Unfortunately, it can also be a hassle in moments where you need the text to instead lay over a graphic. You can easily ignore the default text wrap option by right-clicking the text frame, selecting “Text Frame Options,” and checking the “Ignore Text Wrap” box.

5. Copy Formats and Style

If you have already created an element that has the font, style, or color you want applied to other items on the page, you can use the Eyedropper to quickly copy those factors to a new object. Simply highlight the object you would like to change, click the eyedropper tool, and then click the original object whose style you need to emulate. This will easily apply the style across the second box, allowing the document to keep uniform features.

 Frederick is a blogger and Flash websites designer.