In this tutorial, we will make a highly customized “curated layout” – a layout that displays a rich amount of information in a way that is easily consumed and offers the viewer a number of ways to enter into the page. It’s a bit long but not very complicated. As an added bonus the copy contains some observations about editorial design.
Before we begin, you will need to install two families of fonts, Roboto and Playfair Display. For the layout we will use a variety of weights in order to maintain a sense of consistency while keeping the composition varied and playful. Download the Zip files and install all the styles of the fonts. You will also need to download this Zip file containing 4 images and open up this text file with the copy.
1. Create a new document, letter size. Make the document 2 pages with facing pages, change the number of columns to 9 with 0p0 for the gutter (there will be no space between columns) Change the margins to 4p6 (3/4″) for the top and 3p0 (1/2″) for the bottom, 4p6 for the inside and 3p0 for the outside.
2. In the pages panel, double click on Page 2 to make it the active page.
3. Go to the LAYOUT menu > CREATE GUIDES and make 4 Row Guides with 0p0 for the gutter and fit the Guides to the Margins.
We will not be sticking exclusively to these guides in the layout – it just gives us a sense of 4 equal vertical divisions on the page.
4. Create a new swatch. Go to the swatches panel and click on the menu (the three-line icon at the upper right) and click on New Color Swatch. Change to these values to make a warmer red Cyan=0, Magenta=95, Yellow=100, Black=0. Click on OK.
5. Create your first content frames. Use the Rectangular Content Frame tool to draw a frame beginning at the upper left corner of the margins, over to the 5th column and down to the middle guide.
With the frame still selected go to the measurements bar at the top of the screen (or the properties panel) and change the reference point to the upper left corner. In the Width box, at the end of the measurement, type -1p6 (you are telling InDesign to subtract 1/4″ from the overall width),
in the height box, at the end of the measurement type +1p0
6. With the frame selected, hold down the ALT/OPT key and drag a copy directly below the first frame.
In the measurements bar set the reference point to the top center and change the height to 9p4.
Add 1p8 to the Y position.
7. Create a copy of this content frame and drag it below.
Add 3p4 to the Y Position.
Stretch the bottom down to touch the bottom margin. In the measurements bar set the reference point to the center-right and change the width to 11p8.
8. On the right-hand side, create a content frame beginning from the 4th column and top guide and going up to the upper right-hand margin corner.
In the measurements bar set the reference point to the bottom center and change the height to 9p4.
Subtract 1p0 from the Y Position.
9. Use the Rectangular Content Frame tool to draw a frame inside the 4 columns to the right of your first frame within the second row.
In the measurements bar set the reference point to the center top and subtract 3p0 from the overall width.
Change the height to 12p6.
10. Use the Rectangular Content Frame tool to draw a frame inside the 4 columns to the right of your first frame within the third row.
In the measurements bar set, the reference point to the center bottom and change the height to 12p6.
Subtract 1p0 from the Y Position.
11. Drag a copy of the box from the second row down to the guide between the third and fourth rows.
In the measurements bar set, the reference point to the center top and change the height to 13p8.
12. Select the top-left frame and then go to the FILE menu > PLACE and select the Red Wing Blackbird.jpg. With the image in place select it with the White Arrow and change the scale percentage to 68%, drag the image up so that the bottom of the image aligns with the bottom of the frame.
13. Select the bottom right frame and go to the FILE menu > PLACE and select the Woodpecker.jpg. With the image in place select it with the White Arrow and change the scale percentage to 17%, drag the image up so that the top of the image aligns with the top of the frame.
14. Create a paragraph style for all body text. Go to the WINDOW menu > STYLES > PARAGRAPH STYLES and click on the Create New Style icon on the bottom. Name the style Body Text – Roboto Light 9/12. Go to the Basic Character Formats Tab and choose Font: Roboto, Style: Light, Size:9 and Leading:12. Under Indents and Spacing change the Alignment to Center. Under Hyphenation uncheck Hyphenate.
15. Create a character style to change discrete parts of the text to a bolder style. Go to the WINDOW menu > STYLES > CHARACTER STYLES and click on the Create New Style icon on the bottom. Name the style Regular Text and go to the Basic Character Formats and the only change will be to make the Font Style Regular. Click OK.
16. Open this text file and copy the first headline and paragraph (Lather, Rinse, Repeat.) Select the bottom left content frame (under the Red Wing Blackbird) with the Type tool and paste the text into the box. Select all the text and apply the Body Text Paragraph Style.
17. Copy the next three items in the text file including the number 2, the headline and paragraph. Select the content frame below the last with the type tool and paste in the copy. Select all the text and apply the Body Text Paragraph Style.
18. Copy the next headline (Lines, Lines etc..) and the following paragraph. Select the content frame in the upper right with the type tool paste in the copy. Select all the text and apply the Body Text Paragraph Style. Go to the OBJECT menu > TEXT FRAME OPTIONS and change the left and right indents to 1p6. Uncheck the chain link icon so that only the sides change.
19. Copy the next headline (Hello…) and the following paragraph. Select the next content frame below with the type tool paste in the copy. Select all the text and apply the Body Text Paragraph Style. Change the stroke of the Text frame to 3 pts and the color to Black.
Go to the OBJECT menu > TEXT FRAME OPTIONS and change the left and right indents to op9, change the top to 0p3.
20. Copy the next headline (welcome…) and the following paragraph. Select the next content frame below with the type tool and paste in the copy. Select all the text and apply the Body Text Paragraph Style. Go to the OBJECT menu > TEXT FRAME OPTIONS and change the left and right indents to 2p0.
21. Let’s format the headlines. Select Lather, Rinse, Repeat, change it to Font: Playfair Display, Style: Black Size: 20, Leading:24.
Select 2, change it to Font: Playfair Display, Style: Black Size:32. Baseline shift: 4pts. Change the color to our new red swatch.
Select Be Near Me, change it to Font: Roboto, Style: Regular Size:16 Leading: 32.
Select Lines, Lines…, change it to Font: Playfair Display, Style: Black Size:14.
Select Hello.., change it to Font: Roboto Condensed, Style: Bold Size:26 Leading: 30. In the Character menu change it to All Caps
Select Welcome.., change it to Font: Playfair Display, Style: Regular Size:16. In the Character menu change it to All Caps
22. Let’s finish up the text formatting by adding a horizontal rule separating the headlines and text. There is a built-in Paragraph Rules tool that we could use but the problem is that it doesn’t create a consistently sized line. In order to achieve this, we’ll create a line, copy it and put it in the body of text as an anchored object. Using the line tool, draw a horizontal line that is 4p0 long, the length can be adjusted in the Measurement bar or Properties panel, change the stroke color to Black and the weight to .25pts.
Select the line with the black arrow and cut it (CMD/CTRL+X). Highlight the space below the first headline (Lather…) and paste (CMD/CTRL + V) Hit the Return key if you lost the formatting. Highlight the anchored object (the line) and change the Baseline Shift to 3pts.
Copy the formatted line (CMD/CTRL+C) and paste it in between each headline and text body.
23. Draw some lines to break up the space. Using the line tool, draw a line that runs down the 5th column line from the top margin to the bottom of the bottom image. Leave the weight at 1 pt, change the color to Black and the style to Japanese Dots.
Draw a horizontal line to divide the 1st and 2nd items. Draw from the left margin to the right side of the 1st text box – allow InDesign to guide you as to the alignment. Leave the weight at 1 pt, change the color to Black and the style to Japanese Dots.
24. Let’s do the numbers. Getting a piece of text to center correctly inside a circular text frame is a little challenging in InDesign. To work around this, we will make two objects – a circle and a character that has been outlined. We’ll align them properly and then group them. Starting with number 1. First, find an empty space on your artboard, select the Ellipse Shape Tool and click on the screen, make a circle that is 9p4 wide and high. Change the fill to our new red swatch and the stroke to none.
Next, make a large text frame and type 1 in it, change it to Font: Playfair Display, Style: Black Italic Size:130.
Select the text frame with the Black Arrow and go to the TYPE menu > CREATE OUTLINES (this will allow us to align just the text shape and not the text frame with the circle) Select both the circle and the number and open the ALIGN panel from the WINDOW > OBJECTS & LAYOUT menu. Select both vertical and horizontal alignment.
Group the objects, OBJECT menu > GROUP and move to the bottom left corner of the top picture of the Red Wing Blackbird.
25. Select the Ellipse Shape Tool and click on the screen, make a circle that is 3p3 wide and high. Change the stroke to our new red swatch change the stroke width to 3 pts.
Next, make a text frame and type 3 in it, change it to Font: Roboto, Style: Black Size:28. Change the fill to our new red swatch and the stroke to none.
Select the text frame with the Black Arrow and go to the TYPE menu > CREATE OUTLINES. Select both the circle and the number and open the ALIGN panel from the WINDOW > OBJECTS & LAYOUT menu. Select both vertical and horizontal alignment.
Group the objects, OBJECT menu > GROUP and center it above the Lines, Lines…headline
26. Select the Ellipse Shape Tool and click on the screen, make a circle that is 3p0 wide and high. Change the fill to our new red swatch and the stroke to none.
Next, make a text frame and type 4 in it, change it to Font: Playfair Display, Style: Black Italic Size:28.
Select the text frame with the Black Arrow and go to the TYPE menu > CREATE OUTLINES. Select both the circle and the number and open the ALIGN panel from the WINDOW > OBJECTS & LAYOUT menu. Select both vertical and horizontal alignment. Change the fill color of the number to Paper.
Group the objects, OBJECT menu > GROUP and place it above and to the right of the Hello headline.
27. Select the ellipse shape tool and click on the screen, make a circle that is 1p10 wide and high. Change the stroke to our new red swatch change the stroke width to 1 pts.
Next, make a text frame and type 5 in it, change it to Font: Roboto, Style: Medium, Size:16. Change the fill color to our new red swatch.
Select the text frame with the Black Arrow and go to the TYPE menu > CREATE OUTLINES. Select both the circle and the number and open the ALIGN panel from the WINDOW > OBJECTS & LAYOUT menu. Select both vertical and horizontal alignment.
Group the objects, OBJECT menu > GROUP and center it above Welcome… headline.
28. Create a large content frame at the bottom left of the page. Starting at the bottom left corner and overlapping the first and second paragraphs.
Go to the FILE menu > PLACE and select the Common King Fisher.PSD. The image is too large so it needs to be scaled down, select the image with the White Arrow and go to the scale percentage and change both Horizontal and Vertical to 27%. Using the White Arrow, move the bird slightly so that the bottom of his beak points to the number 2. Using the Black Arrow adjust the bottom of the frame so that it aligns with the image on the right
29. Create a rectangular content frame 6p2 wide by 7p8 high at the top right of the page. Align it next to the number 3 and above the text box.
Go to the FILE menu > PLACE and select the Oriole.PSD. With the frame selected go to the OBJECT menu > FITTING > FIT CONTENT PROPORTIONALLY
30. Using the pen tool, draw a line along the right-hand margin and then along the bottom margin. Change the stroke color to Black and the weight to .5 pts.
With the White Arrow, select only the horizontal portion of the line by clicking on it once and using the arrow keys, move the line down 6 clicks.
31. Read through the content, select phrases or ideas that you think are most important and apply the Regular Character Style to them to make them stand out to the reader.
If you made it this far, congratulations! Below is the final layout.
