15+ Best

Desktop
Publishing
Resources and
Beginner Tips
by Tara Hornor12 Dec 2011
Length:MediumLanguages:
Communication
Desktop publishing has become a critical business
skill today, and the use of the Internet means that
creation of print content is no longer the only
consideration.

Now the documents you create likely have to be

displayed in both print and on the web.
This article looks at how to determine the right
tools for the job, as well as resources for getting the
best possible desktop publishing results (such as
where to find the best free desktop publishing
fonts).

No matter what the final format, never forget that

quality content is the primary goal, and following a
proven desktop publishing process will result in
higher quality results.

It's easy to get distracted with the technical side of

desktop publishing layouts. The real key is to
communicate your information effectively. No
matter how well-designed, how great the layout,
and how clever the typography selection if you
don't get the important information to the right
people, nothing else matters.

Jump into this article and learn desktop publishing

tips that will give your work the professional edge.

What's the Final Format?

Where will the documents you are creating be used
in their final format? Is it a physical newsletter you
will mail out? Is it an online catalog? What about
an article to be published on a corporate website?
In some cases your content will be published in
several formats. For example, a newsletter may be
sent by both email and mail.

For documents delivered entirely via the Internet,

consider developing the document in an HTML
editor like Adobe Dreamweaver or the
free PageBreezesoftware. You can write HTML
documents in Microsoft Word, but the final results
can be inconsistent they will look great in
Internet Explorer (a Microsoft product) but may not
look right in Firefox or Chrome.

For documents to be delivered in printed form, you

have more decision-making to do. Text-based
documents without a great deal of graphics can be
developed in something like Microsoft Word. As
soon as you have a lot of graphics, you should
consider a more robust software tool like Adobe
InDesignwhich gives you complete control of the
final document.

For documents delivered in multiple formats, you

should develop in whatever package you are most
comfortable and transfer the content to the
appropriate software for final development. For
example, if you are writing a newsletter that you
will send in the mail, as an email, and posted on the
company website; you should focus first on writing
quality content and transfer that content to each
software package as needed.

You might write the document in Microsoft Word

and transfer the content to InDesign for the mailer,
to Dreamweaver for the email, and to WordPress
for the company website.

Graphic Considerations
A standard approach to desktop
publishing is to always have high
resolution files on hand so you can use
them for either print or web.
Any images photos and graphics used in your
content will have specific requirements based on
the final format.

Printed materials should include graphics that are at

least 300 dpi to ensure that the images look clear,
clean, and crisp in print. But the Internet has
different standards: images are generally only 72
dpi because this is fine for display on computer
screens and the smaller file sizes download faster.

A standard approach to desktop publishing is to

always have high resolution files on hand so you
can use them for either print or web. Places to get
quality graphics abound. You can purchase photos
and stock graphics on marketplaces, or search for
free sources.
Just make sure to check the usage rights and
restrictions on these materials (especially free
material) as some graphic designers and
photographers limit the use of their images to
personal use only. If you do want to use their work
for commercial purposes (and the usage rights don't
indicate commercial usage), then you need to
contact them first and get permission, or not use the
stock.

PhotoDune and GraphicRiver - the ultimate

sources for photos and graphics.
Stock.xchng - 99% photograpy, but an
excellent source of free images.
DeviantArt - all kinds of graphics, but not
always appropriate to browse at work.
However, if you're looking for edgy designs,
start here.

Layout Basics: Content

How you layout your content is critical to helping
the reader grasp the intent and purpose of the
document. The most important and obvious piece
of content on the page is the title. This tells the
reader in a nutshell what they're reading. A subtitle
can help set expectations further.

The next most important content on your page after

the title are the headers. Headers help organize the
content logically and visually for the reader. If they
are only interested in a part of the content, headers
help them find it quickly. For example, let's say
you plan to send a newsletter to company
employees. One of the sections of the newsletter is
a calendar of events in bulletpoint by date. Put a
heading over this section like "Upcoming Events"
to help readers find this information quickly on the
page.

The actual body text in your document is the next

most important content. This is where the reader
finally drills into the details of the content. Topic
sentences, bold and underlined passages, and italics
are visual cues you can give your readers to help
them find important details. Just remember to use
stylized fonts, such as bold, with care. Too many
colors and styles can make your body text
unreadable.

Other content layout considerations could be

elements like prices, callouts (important quotes),
and sidebar items for contact information and the
like. When in doubt, look up other people's work to
test your layout or to get new ideas.

Formatting the Layout

A grid can help you keep information organized
and consistent from page to page. Two and three-
column grids are the most popular for catalogs,
newsletters, and similar documents; but you will
need to decide the amount of columns based on the
look you desire, as well as the amount of content
and pages you will produce.
Minimalism is quite a popular trend
these days.
When deciding on columns and layout, keep in
mind the ever-important white space the empty
space around text and images that can be any color
depending on your background. Leave enough
white space so that the page looks balanced and
clean; today, the more white space, the better.
Minimalism is quite a popular trend these days.

Boxes and borders also help to set apart extra or

important information. However, too many of these
design elements will make your layout look
cluttered, so limit them to only one or two per
spread.

If your document will be printed, be sure to ask

your printer for guidelines. For bound and folded
documents, take inner margins into consideration
as well as outer. Every printer has their own
standards, but usually you will want to keep text
within 1/8 inch of the trim line.
If you place any images along the edge or across
the entire background, such as may occur with a
postcard design, be sure to allow for bleed. Most
printers require you to extend the background color
and images at least 1/4 inch past the trim line.

Color Requirements
Designing in color is almost always a must today,
especially since the cost of full color printing is
often just as affordable as black and white printing,
depending on which printing company you use.

As with most other design elements, keep the

amount of colors to a minimum. Usually, two or
three different colors are all that you need in any
design. You may want to make sure these colors
are consistent with your brand colors.

Color can be somewhat annoying to deal with if

your document is one that you will publish both on
the web and in print. The web uses RGB colors,
while print uses CMYK colors. There's quite a bit
of technicality behind these two color schemes, but
you only need to know that you will have to
produce the right color version for the right format.
Thankfully, most design programs will convert a
document's color scheme from RGB to CMYK or
vice versa for you. Keep in mind that the colors
will not be exact when converted, but they will be
close.

If your program, however, doesn't convert for you,

just use a free color converter such
as Web.forrett.com, which allows you to manually
enter each individual color. Or you could use one
that converts all colors at the same time, such as
with RGB2CMYK.org.

Need some color scheme generators? The

following are the best found on the web:

Kuler - Directly from Adobe, this one allows

you to browse through more color themes than
you could ever use.
 ColorSchemer - Enter an RGB color to see a
handful of colors that blend well.
Whatsitscolor - Upload any image to see the
color scheme generated from it.
ColourLovers - This is a highly respected
online color community with lots of color
resources.

Font and Typography

A common mistake when starting out with desktop
publishing is the inappropriate use of fonts and
typography. Following a few rules will make sure
that you get professional looking results that are
readable across multiple formats.

1. 10-12 point font is generally the smallest you

want to go for lengthy body text (which are
more than 2-3 sentences).
2. Use sans serif fonts for headings and titles.
These are easy to read in large print with short
 phrases: Arial and Helvetica are the most
common examples.
3. Use serif fonts for body text: Times New
Roman is the most common example.
4. Try not to use script fonts at all unless part of a
special graphic like a signature, title, or brand.
5. Avoid using more than 2-3 fonts on a single
page. Titles and headings are one font, body
text a second, and special cases for a title or
signature for a third font.
The rules of desktop publishing and design are
really guidelines or standards rather than rules.
They exist so that the process of working with
documents runs smoothly and that the designs
keep print readers and website viewers in mind.
THE RULES OF DESKTOP PUBLISHING AND DESIGN

Use Only One Space After

Punctuation. One space at the end of a
sentence is the proper choice for typeset
material. This is because if you use two spaces,
which is standard when typing a letter, the
digital line of type may break between the two
spaces and throw off the alignment.
 Don't Use Double-Hard Returns After
Paragraphs. With modern word processors
and page layout applications, it is possible to
precisely control the amount of space between
paragraphs. Skipping a line isn't necessary
and it usually adds too much space to a layout.
Use Fewer Fonts. A generally accepted
practice is to limit the number of different
typefaces to three or four.
Use Ragged-Right or Fully Justified
Text Appropriately. If a client insists that
fully justified text is better than left-aligned
text, convince them they are wrong. Unless
you are working with narrow columns in a
newspaper or newsletter format, just go with
left-aligned text. That way you don't end up
with lines with extra white space placed
between words and individual letters by the
software as it attempts to make every line
exactly the same length.
Use Centered Text Sparingly. When in
doubt, don't center it. Of course, there are
occasions when doing anything other than
centered would look funny, such as on most
traditional invitations.
 Balance Line Length With Type Size. If
the desired size of type and the line length
used in the page layout are incompatible, one
of them needs to change. Don't use your
largest type on your shortest line.
Use All Caps Sparingly and Only With
the Right Fonts. In print and on the web,
shouting is never worse than when it is done
with all-capped decorative or script typefaces.
Even if you use a traditional font, reading all
caps is more difficult than reading uppercase
and lowercase text.
Use Frames, Boxes and Borders With a
Purpose. A frame loses its ability to
emphasize blocks of text if every other block
on the page is boxed. Use the elements
sparingly to be effective.
Use Less Clip Art. Use clip art with
moderation and with purpose. Using a lot of
clip art can look dated.
Use More White Space. White space
provides visual breathing room for the eye. It
is a classic design element. When used
properly, white space guides the reader's eyes
when you want them to go.
 Know Your Audience. Design for the
people you are trying to reach. If you edit a
publication for seniors, don't use tiny type. If
your audience consists of photographers, use
only the best images.
These rules are guidelines. In most cases, they
help you improve your documents. However,
don't feel you have to follow them blindly.
Sometimes a departure from these guidelines is
productive, but it should be deliberate.
Use Fewer Fonts for Cleaner Designs
Consistency and readability are important to good
design, and too many font changes can distract
and confuse the reader. Make your font choices
carefully and consider how many typefaces will be
seen together. Long multipage publications, such
as magazines, can often support a greater variety
of typefaces. For brochures, ads and other short
documents, limit font families to one, two or
three.
WHAT IS A FONT FAMILY?

Font families usually include a regular, italic, bold

and bold italic version of the font.
For example, Times New Roman, a popular serif
font that appears in many newspapers, usually
ships with Times New Roman, Times New Roman
Italic, Times New Roman Bold and Times New
Roman Bold Italic. Font families are multitaskers
designed to function together as one font. Some
type families even include light, condensed and
heavy versions.
Display fonts that are designed specifically for
headlines and titles don't always have italic, bold
and bold italic versions. Some of them don't even
have lowercase characters. However, they excel at
what they are designed for.
PICKING A NUMBER OF FONTS

A generally accepted design practice is to limit the

number of different fonts to three or four. That
doesn't mean you can't use more but be sure you
have a good reason to do so. No hard and fast rule
says you can't use five, six or even 20 different
fonts in one document, but it may end up running
off its intended audience unless the document is
skillfully designed.
TIPS FOR CHOOSING AND USING FONTS

Be consistent in your design. Using a different

font for every headline, for example, is
confusing and gives your design a cluttered
look. You can usually get away with using
more fonts in long documents with many
different design elements (such
as newsletters or magazines) where only two
to three different fonts appear on any one
page spread.
Select a font family for body copy and use
bold, italics and different sizes of the font
family for captions, subheadings and other
design elements. Traditional wisdom says serif
fonts are easier on the eye in print, while sans
serif fonts are better for web use.
Choose a second display font for headlines or
titles.
Depending on the design, you might use a
third font for initial caps, pull-quotes or
graphic treatments. You might add a fourth
font for page numbers or as a secondary body
font for sidebars.
Don't make sudden typeface changes within a
paragraph. Use the same typeface for body
 copy, using the bold or italics of the font to
add small amounts of emphasis.
If greater emphasis is required, create a pull-
quote, set the copy in the margin, or create
a sidebar using a different font to completely
set the information apart.
Don't be afraid to mix serif and sans serif
fonts. They complement one another.
Using fonts from the same font family is a safe
bet; they were created to work together. Look
for families that include different weights
(light, bold, extra bold) and styles (condensed,
expanded) in addition to the normal bold and
italic variations.
Use Ragged Right or Full Justification
Appropriately
Rules of Desktop Publishing for Text Alignment

If someone insists that fully justified text is better

than left-aligned text, tell them they are wrong. If
someone else tells you that left-aligned text is
better than justified text, tell them they are wrong.
If they are both wrong, then what's
right? Alignment is only a small piece of the
puzzle. What works for one design might be totally
inappropriate for another layout. As with all
layouts, it depends on the purpose of the piece,
the audience and its expectations, the fonts, the
margins and white space, and other elements on
the page.
The most appropriate choice is the alignment that
works for that particular design.
ABOUT FULLY-JUSTIFIED TEXT

Often considered more formal, less friendly

than left-aligned text.
Usually allows for more characters per line,
packing more into the same amount of space
(than the same text set left-aligned).
May require extra attention to word
and character spacing and hyphenation to
avoid unsightly rivers of white space running
through the text.
May be more familiar to readers in some types
of publications, such as books and
newspapers.
Some people are naturally drawn to the
"neatness" of text that lines up perfectly on the
left and right.
Traditionally many books, newsletters, and
newspapers use full-justification as a means of
packing as much information onto the page as
possible to cut down on the number of pages
needed. While the alignment was chosen out of
necessity, it has become so familiar to us that
those same types of publications set in left-aligned
text would look odd, even unpleasant.
You may find that fully-justified text is a necessity
either due to space constraints or expectations of
the audience. If possible though, try to break up
dense blocks of texts with ample sub headings,
margins, or graphics.
ABOUT LEFT-ALIGNED TEXT

Often considered more informal, friendlier

than justified text.
The ragged right edge adds an element of
white space.
May require extra attention to hyphenation to
keep right margin from being too ragged.
Generally, type set left-aligned is easier to
work with (i.e. requires less time, attention,
and tweaking from the designer to make it
look good).
The four examples (based on actual published
materials) in the supporting illustrations for text
alignment demonstrate the use of alignment.
No matter what alignment you use, remember to
pay close attention to hyphenation and
word/character spacing as well to ensure that
your text is as readable as possible.
There will undoubtedly be well-meaning friends,
business associates, clients, and others who will
question your choices. Be prepared to explain why
you chose the alignment you did and be prepared
to change it (and make necessary adjustments to
keep it looking good) if the person with final
approval still insists on something different.
The Bottom Line: There is no right or wrong
way to align text. Use the alignment that makes
the most sense for the design and that effectively
communicates your message.
Using All Caps With the Right Fonts
Tips for Setting Type in All Capital Letters

"Right and wrong do not exist in graphic

design. There is only effective and non-
effective communication." - Peter Bil'ak,
typeface designer
Typing in all caps in an email is akin to shouting.
In print and web design, setting text in all capital
letters to draw attention to an element is fine as
long as you use the right font.
There are times when words set in all capital
letters are necessary and acceptable.
Just pay close attention to the fonts you use.
Acronyms, such as NASA, and abbreviations such
as USA and RSVP generally appear in all
caps within body copy. Acronyms and
abbreviations within paragraphs are just a few
letters set in all caps and are usually easy to
read. Long headlines and entire paragraphs set in
all caps are difficult to read. They slow the reader
down.
THE BEST FONTS FOR ALL CAPS

For legibility when using all caps in text or titles,

stick with the same basic sans serif or serif
typefaces that you use for setting text. These fonts
are designed for legibility at a small size and are
easily readable when used in headlines and titles.
Because using all-caps is a common way to set
headlines, many fonts are specifically designed for
use in all-capsthey don't even offer lower case
letters. Some of the many all-cap fonts useful for
headlines and titles are:
Aldous Vertical
Diablo Regular
Chic
Eagle Bond
Yearbook
Felix Titling Regular
Steelworks Book
Capital Pro Regular
THE WRONG FONTS FOR ALL CAPS

Don't use an elaborate decorative, illustrative or

script font in all capitals. Just don't. This usage is
difficult to read at best and illegible at
worst. Readability is the guiding factor when
using any font in your print designs.
Type that is set in all caps using a script or
elaborate decorative font almost always fails the
readability test.
Newsletter mastheads occasionally use simple
decorative Old-English style fonts in all caps.
However, it is best to save decorative all caps for
logo designs or graphic text that is meant to grab
attention by its appearance, not its actual text
message.
TIPS FOR USING ALL-CAPS

Avoid setting almost any script typeface in all

capsRSVP is a common culprit here.
Stay away from Blackletter fonts with their
elaborate thick and thin lines. They aren't
legible in all caps either.
Avoid using fonts with pronounced serifs,
swashes or other decorative elements for all
caps.
Short headlines set in all caps are much better
than long headlines set in all caps. Use all caps
in moderation.
Mastheads and other text that serve as graphic
embellishments can be successfully set with
all capitals that are more decorative than
typical body text. Pay close attention to the
spacing of the letters for optimal legibility.
Use titling fonts. These fonts are specifically
designed for all-cap headlines and titles.
Pay careful attention to kerning (the space
between letters) when setting any headlines,
including those in all caps, to avoid unsightly
gaps between pairs of letters.
Graphic Design Basics
Good graphic design is no accident

Graphic design is the process and art of

combining text and graphics to communicate an
effective message in the design of websites, logos,
graphics, brochures, newsletters, posters, signs
and any other type of visual communication.
Designers achieve their goals by combining the
elements and principles of graphic design.
BASIC ELEMENTS OF GRAPHIC DESIGN

In addition to the obvious elementsimages and

typegraphic design elements include lines,
shapes, texture, value, size and color.
Graphic designers for print and web pages use
some or all of these elements to generate effective
designs. The goal is usually to attract the viewers
attention, sometimes to motivate them to take a
specific action.

Lines - Lines are the most basic of the design

elements. Lines can be straight, curved, thick,
 thin, solid and not- solid. They are used to
connect two points, separate sections of a
design or focus the user's eye on an element. A
jagged line conveys emotion, a line that ends
in an arrow forces the viewer's eye to look in a
specific direction. A line that meanders among
several elements guides the viewer from one
element to the next and on to the next.
Shapes - The basic geometric shapes are
squares, circles and triangles. They are used as
boxes or borders on a design or as solid
shapes for decorative purposes. Shapes are
also icons, symbols and dingbats. Shapes add
interest to a design.
Texture - Visual texture is created with
certain graphics techniques to draw attention
to an element on a page or to serve as a
background on a web design. Texture
increases the overall visual appearance and
draws attention. Texture can be added to type,
images and other elements.
Color - Color is an obvious element that is
used to attract attention and to represent
emotion and mood. Red presents strength,
anger or passion, for example, while blue
invokes peace and security.
 Value - Value refers to how dark or light an
area of the design looks. Value creates
contrast and emphasis.
Size - The size of an element in a graphic
design is an indication of its importance. A
large size indicates the most important
information and draws the viewer's attention.
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF GRAPHIC DESIGN

The elements of graphic design combine with the

principles of alignment, balance, repetition,
proximity, contrast and space to create effective
page compositions.
Principles of graphic design address ways in
which a graphic designer can assemble the
individual elements into a cohesive whole.
Designers draw the viewer's attention to an
important element by placing the important
element in the place where the eye naturally falls.
Other classic principles of design include:
Balance - Most good graphic designs achieve
visual balance by using symmetrical,
asymmetrical or radial symmetry about a
visual center. In symmetrical balance, both
side of a page layout are the same in weight,
shape, lines and other elements. Asymmetrical
 balance occurs when the two sides of a website
aren't the same but they have similar
elements. Radial symmetry places elements in
a circular pattern. Although it is popular in
print layouts, radial symmetry isn't see n
much on websites because the circular
placements are difficult to achieve. Note:
Occasionally, a graphic designer will
intentionally produce an unbalanced design,
usually in an effort to focus attention on a
single element.
Alignment - Alignment refers to lining up
the elements of a design along the top,
bottom, center or sides of the elements. The
aligned elements aren't necessarily of the
same type. They are frequently aligned along
the left edge of the layout. Different size
photos appear as a unit when they are aligned
across the top or the bottom.
Repetition - Repetition duplicates the
characteristics of similar elements to
contribute to design consistency. Repetition
can also create rhythm in a design. A series of
bulleted points of interest in the same color,
type and size for a complete unit.
 Proximity - Proximity maintains a
relationship between items that go together.
The elements don't have to be positioned
closely together but they should be connected
visually.
Contrast -Contrast occurs with the
juxtaposition of opposing elementsbig
versus small or dark versus light, for example.
Using contrast can highlight important
elements of the design. Contrast is easily
achieved with color, but it can also occur with
texture, type and graphic elements.
Space - Space is the part of a design that is
left blank. It includes empty space that is
intentionally placed within the design and also
margins and gutters between other elements,
which are usually referred to as passive space.
Space in a design adds emphasis to an area of
the design because the eye is strongly drawn
to the part of the design that is not empty.
Both positive and negative space should be
considered in graphic design.

Learning How to Do Desktop Publishing

The Desktop Document Step-by-Step

Learning how to do desktop publishing involves

mastering desktop publishing tasks that fall into 6
areas: design, setup, text, images, file preparation,
and printing.
Suggested Prerequisites
FAQ: What is the difference between graphic
design and desktop publishing?
12 Rules of Desktop Publishing
Additional Resources for Learning Desktop
Publishing
Glossary / Mini-Tutorials
The Desktop Document
Although presented step-by-step, learning and
doing desktop publishing is not an entirely linear
progression.
You'll find yourself going back and forth many
times between tasks and between each phase both
while learning desktop publishing and when
creating desktop published documents.
1.
Prior to the actual creation of the document is
 the design phase. This is an on-going process
but initially it involves determining the basic
form of the document. The design phase of
desktop publishing can involve:
Document format decisions

Conceptualization

Color selection

Font selection

Image selection
DESIGN TUTORIALS

2.Document Setup Phase

This is where the desktop publishing really
begins. Document setup tasks could include:
Template selection

Page size and margins setup

Columns or grid setup

Master pages setup

Color palette customization

Paragraph styles setup

DOCUMENT SETUP TUTORIALS

3. Text Phase
The text can take many forms. It may be
supplied to the desktop publisher by a client
or supervisor or the desktop publisher may
create their own text. Text can be created in a
word processor or directly in the desktop
 publishing application. Text-related tasks of
desktop publishing fall into two categories:
Text aquisitionText acquisition is the

method by which text is created (such as

typing in a word processor) and imported
into a desktop publishing application.
Text composition

Text composition consists of many

individual tasks regarding where and how
text is arranged on the page and how the
text is formated, including spacing,
hyphenation, and type styles. Composing
type is one of the most involved steps in
learning how to do desktop publishing.
TEXT TUTORIALS

1. Images Phase
Image selection and preparation may occur at
any point during document creation. Working
with images in desktop publishing can
involve:
Image aquisitionImage aquistion may

be from scanning or by acquiring digital

clip art or photos.
Image creation & editing

Image conversion
 Image placement
Image placement refers to the method of
bringing images into a desktop publishng
application.
IMAGES TUTORIALS

1. File Preparation Phase

After the document looks the way the desktop
publisher wants it to look, it's time to make
sure that it will print the way it is supposed to
print. This phase is also known as the prepress
phase. Prepress or file preparation may
include some or all of these tasks:
Proofing

Font embedding

Trapping

Color specs verification

Imposition

Packaging of digital file

FILE PREPARATION TUTORIALS

2.Printing & Finishing Phase

After the document is designed and the file
prepared for printing, the last step in desktop
publishing is the actual printing, along with
any finishing touches required. These tasks
could be part of the printing and finishing
phase:
 Print to desktop printer
or
Delivery of digital file to service
bureau or printer
Finishing (Varnish, Trim, Fold...)
Distribution of finished document
PRINTING & FINISHING TUTORIALS

How to Do Desktop Publishing > Basic Desktop Publishing > The Desktop
Document

Pick Your Path to Desktop Publishing

Choose Software: Desktop Publishing and

Design Software

Training, Careers in Desktop

Education, Jobs:
In the Classroom:
Make Something:
Use Templates:
Text Composition
Publishing
Back to School With
Desktop Publishing
Things to Make for the
Holidays
Templates for Print and
Web Publishing
ext composition deals specifically with how text is
entered and arranged on a printed page or a page
designed to be viewed on the internet. It involves
entering the text, manipulating its placement and
altering its visual appearance.
Text composition goes hand-in-hand with page
layout, in which you apply the principles of
design to the placement of and interaction
between text and images. Although text
composition originally referred to print design,
the application of styles in the use of HTML and
CSS to format text for the web is also text
composition.
TEXT COMPOSITION FOR PRINT DESIGNS

Text can be entered in a word processing program

and copied as needed or entered directly into page
layout software. Wherever it is entered,
formatting the text takes place in the page layout
software. Some of the tasks that come into play in
text formatting for print include:
Choosing a font. Thousands of serif and sans
serif fonts are available to graphic designers,
as well as many script and novelty fonts. Long
text passages are usually more readable in
a serif font, while sans serif fonts have a
 reputation for being more casual and modern.
More is not necessarily better in fonts. Most
designs benefit from using only one or two
font families. Too many different fonts can
cause a cluttered appearance.
Setting text alignment. Alignment refers to
whether the text forms a straight edge at the
left margin (flush left), at right margin (flush
right) or at both margins (justified) or is
centered.
Choosing font sizes. Body copy should be easy
to read. Usually that calls for a font size of 12
or 14 points, although the optimal size varies
with the font. Display text and headlines can
be any size that works for the design. Large-
size type draws the viewer's eye, so it is usually
used on an important element of the design.
Making text bold or using italics. Bold type
andto a lesser extentitalics add emphasis
to text. Bold headlines are commonly used to
grab attention.
Adjusting how much space to put between
lines of text, which is called leading. It can be
increased or decreased to create the desired
effect. Advanced spacingoptions include the
 ability to alter the spacing between individual
sets of characters, between words, columns or
between all the characters of a font.
Using typographical embellishments such
as drop caps and ornaments.
Removing awkward line breaks such
as widows and orphans from the text.
TEXT COMPOSITION FOR WEB PAGES

While images receive most of the attention in a

website design, text plays an important role too.
Most of the same decisions and actions a graphic
designer takes for the printed page apply to a web
page, but how they are applied differs. Some of the
advanced spacing adjustments are not achievable
on web pages. The biggest challenge a web
designer has is to design a page that looks the
same on every viewer's computer.
Font Stacks. Web designers don't have as much
control over the appearance of the type on their
web pages as print designers have. Web designers
may assign a single font to the body of the page.
However, if the viewer doesn't have that font, a
different font is substituted, which can completely
change the look of the page. To get around this,
web designers who work with Cascading Style
Sheets assign a font stack to each page. A font
stack lists the first preferred font and then as
many preferred substitute fonts as are acceptable
to the designer. The viewer's computer attempts
to use the fonts in the order specified.
Web Safe Fonts. Web safe fonts are a collection
of standard fonts that are already loaded on most
computers. Including web safe fonts in a font
stack is a safe backup that displays a web page the
way the designer intended. The most common
web safe fonts include:
Arial and Arial Black
Tahoma
Trebucket MS
Verdana
Courier and Courier New
Georgia
Times and Times New Roman
Browser Safe Colors. Just as it is safest to use
web safe fonts, it makes sense to use browser safe
colors.
There are 216 web safe colors available to graphic
designers.
Supplies for Desktop Publishing
By definition, you need desktop publishing
software to do desktop publishing. And even that
comes in many flavors. After that, your supplies
depend on what you're trying to do.
This list isn't exhaustive but covers much of what
you may use for most desktop publishing projects.
But don't be daunted by the length. Many of these
items are primarily used by professional graphic
designers. The casual home user or small business
person may never have a need for things like
swatch books or even scanners.
After the first item, these supplies are in no
specific order.
DESKTOP PUBLISHING SUPPLIES

Primary Software: We won't go in-depth

here. If you want to know more about the
types of software used in desktop publishing,
including page layout, graphics, and even
word processing software explore Desktop
Publishing and Design Software. And yes,
before the software you need the computer.
Secondary Software: Programs for
organizing fonts and graphics as well as color
calibration software and even time
management software are just some of the
 many optional utilities used in desktop
publishing. Organizational software is most
important when you have huge font or image
collections. Color calibration software is
essential for high-end professional graphic
design but useful for others as well although
not near as critical.
Printer: Theoretically you could do desktop
publishing without having a printer. If you do
only Web design then you'll care more about
how your work looks on screen than in print.
You could create digital files and take them
elsewhere for printing. But even if all your
final projects are done with commercial
printing, a desktop printer lets you print
drafts and comps and digital proofs.
Fonts: Your computer and your software may
come with a selection of fonts but chances are
you'll want even more.
Images: Images include graphics you create,
pictures you take, images you acquire from
clip art collections. Some software may come
with enough images to suit your needs, but
like fonts, you'll probably want to acquire
more, more, more. Don't overlook dingbat
 fonts as a way to expand your image
collection.
Paper: Unless everything you do is on the
Web, you'll probably need paper. From
printing drafts and proofs of the paper for the
finished print project, desktop publishing uses
lots of paper.
Scanner: You can survive just fine without a
scanner. But they do come in handy when you
have non-digital photographs and other
printed material you want to get onto your
computer.
Swatch Books: Printed color guides, such as
those from PANTONE, are most useful to
print designers. When precise color matching
is needed they become almost mandatory but
it is possible to work without them.
Rulers, Gauges: Tools for precision
measurements (beyond on screen or in-
software rulers) may not be necessary for all
types of desktop publishing, but they can be
useful. Some all-in-one tools, such as
the Galaxy Gauge ruler include multiple
measurement systems, charts, and tables.
Templates: For getting started fast and for
helping beginners create better
 compositions, templates for print and the web
are a great tool. Some software comes with
templates and many others can be purchased
or found for free online.
Additional Hardware: Dual
monitors, graphics tablets, and digital
cameras can enhance your desktop publishing
experience, but they aren't mandatory. An
extra hard drive just for all those fonts and
images isn't a bad idea either. A portable hard
drive or a USB flash drive are useful for
working on files in multiple locations, such as
on a desktop computer as well as from your
laptop.
Portfolio Case: A simple binder may suffice
but for more professional presentations it can
be good to have a nice portfolio case to
showcase your work.
Books, Magazines: You could learn
everything you need to know about desktop
publishing and your software from electronic
manuals and Web sites. However, there's is a
wealth of information found in books and
magazines on graphic design, typography,
freelance design, digital photography, and
every other aspect of desktop publishing. A
well-stocked library at your fingertips is highly
recommended.