Planning: Learning how to use Adobe InDesign pt 2

 Intro

Hey everyone! Currently, I’m still in the planning phase of my athletic magazine portfolio project and the layouts needed to have more punch to convey the intensity of an athlete’s journey better. 

Earlier this week, I learned how to create a magazine using Adobe InDesign, and today I took three tutorials on Adobe InDesign and they have changed my approach to visual storytelling concerning my "Road to Glory After Injury" theme. 

Below is a list of the new tools I added to my tool kit:

What I’ve learned

Learning the different typography effects and their impact on your content was the first major takeaway from this project. I created five different high-impact typography styles: contemporary color block in the text, surreal diagonal or angled text and so on. I also learned how to curve headlines using the Type on a Path tool and how to curve headlines with the scissors tool so they feel more dynamic and "in motion." 

Another useful technique was creating complex typography effects by using outlines, drop shadows, and outer glows to create headlines that really stand out from the rest of the page.

I invested time to learn more about gradients. I thought that gradients were very easy, but I learned how to maximize my use of the Gradient Tool (G) by dragging it to establish precise stop and end points so that I had complete control, rather than just applying a default swatch.

I learned that I have the ability to create gradients by adding color stops in addition to moving the mid-point diamond in order to achieve more of a blended look. Finally, I learned how to save my new gradients as swatches in order to maintain the branding for my magazine.

Finally, I researched thematic colorization of images. This research has completely changed my approach to using images in my project. By creating a shape over the base image and working with blending modes like "Color" & "Luminosity," I am now able to "tint" an image to fit a certain mood.

Analysis:

I've learned a lot about design by watching these tutorials. Before watching the tutorials, my layouts were very traditional, but after seeing how diagonal guides can be used for typography, I decided to change my design direction to a more modern, high-energy aesthetic. When creating my project which has a strong focus on the gritty nature of injuries and how people can recover from them, using the standard horizontal text just wasn't cutting it.  

The way that I can use image coloration is helping me feel that I am on the right path. My colors will be desaturated or "cool" color tints for the sections where I show the injury and "rehab" phases, and will transition into high-vibrancy gradients when I show the "glory" and "comeback" phases, so that the visual and text can tell the same story. 

The majority of the examples shown in these videos have demonstrated that you do not always need to go to Photoshop or Illustrator to create effects that look as though they were produced by a professional designer; InDesign provides much of these effects natively.

Reflection: What’s Next?

So, what comes next? Now that I have these technical skills, and we are nearing the production phase, I’m moving into planning the style guide for my magazine.

Stay tuned for more updates as this portfolio piece starts to come together!