The world began going paperless as soon as the internet became a thing for everyday people. The transition was slow. When it first came out, paper was still what most people preferred to use, it was still the easiest method as the internet was still new, spotty, and a complicated thing to use, and everyone knew how to use paper. As times have progressed, the internet has made paper outdated and become a faster, easier option than other options, and that includes the process of desktop publishing. Desktop Publishing is a complicated skill to master and is usually done with the use of Microsoft Word, a computer program used by most of the population. But there are several tips and tricks that make mastering Desktop Publishing at least a bit easier to learn.
Be Flexible and Willing to Learn
The first and foremost thing to remember when you are learning how to use Desktop Publishing is to be flexible and open-minded to learning what the bid specifications are for the project you are working on. It is important to always check with your sales representative or manager and find out exactly what they are looking for in their project. Look at previous projects they have done and take cues to get a sense of their style. Most importantly, make sure you follow any styles and guidelines that corporate requires in their projects. This will give you a template to work with as well as any personal preferences they may have.
Be Dependable
Being consistent with your work is what will breed trust between you and the organizations you work for. As far as the standards you set for yourself, you need to have templates that are an example of the work you do. Include everything you know how to do such as fonts, headers and footers, colors, and anything else you know how to do. Also make sure you are adding the look and feel that is normal for your project. Things like covers, screw posts, binders, etc. This gives your future prospective hires a basis for what you can bring to the table.
Number Automation Does Not Work in Desktop Publishing
Using available tools that make completing projects faster, but it is not always recommended to use automation tools just to make the work go by faster. If you are completing a project by yourself, it is easier to use auto-numbering, but if you are working with a large team it is recommended to manually number your document. This is because there are so many different operating systems that could affect the final product- if everyone used different systems or versions of Word the finished product could end up being scattered and unorganized.
Format The Layout
Using grids can help keep the information in your current project organized and uniform throughout the entirety of the project until the finished product. Learning how to use your space properly is how you will catch the attention of the people you are working for. Knowing the current trends in formatting, for example, minimalist is the biggest trend right now, is how your potential clients will know that you are invested in staying on top of everything new and exciting when it comes to digital publishing.
How to Design in Color
Almost every client or boss there is, is going to require that you know how to design in color. This is in large part because printing anything in color is now the same price as printing in black and white. That being said, you do need to learn how to design in color properly because too many colors can look busy and unprofessional: typically two to three colors is the perfect amount for any design. It is important to learn how to produce the right colors version for whatever format your project will be published on as colors are different between the web and in print. Learning ho those colors translate between one another is imperative. If your digital publishing program does not automatically convert the colors for you, which some of them do, you can make use of several websites which allow you to enter the conversion of each color manually one at a time or all at once.
Desktop publishing can be seriously challenging especially if you have never done it before. The most important thing to remember is that you are trying to communicate a story, you just have to learn how to do so properly.