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Tip #1 05/09/2014
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Shifting colour swatches Have you ever created a colour in InDesign but wanted a lighter or darker version of it?
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Fig. 1
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Fig. 2
Fig. 3
If you create the colour in the Colour panel (Fig. 1) or in the Swatch Options dialog box (Fig. 2), and you want to make a lighter or darker version of the colour simply hold Shift + drag one of the sliders to the left or right. This makes all the sliders move proportionally together (Fig. 3). This also works in Illustrator, but not in Photoshop.
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Tip #2 11/09/2014
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Resizing layers the smart way If there’s a slight chance that you’ll upsize a layer that you previously downsized, then you need to use Smart Objects.
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Fig. 1. The Smart Object layer upsized without losing any quality.
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Fig. 2. Photoshop comp.
Fig. 3. An Image pasted from InDesign and converted to a Smart Object.
If you’re producing any kind of comp in Photoshop try working with Smart Objects. By converting a layer to a Smart Object embeds the current state of the layer into the document (Fig. 3). It can be resized, warped and transformed any way you want (Fig. 4). If you decide to enlarge the layer or transform it again, the Smart Object calls upon the original embedded information and doesn’t become pixelated when upsized (Fig. 1).
Fig. 4. A Smart Object layer can be scaled right down or transformed and warped.
Two ways to make a Smart Object. Either import an image using the File menu and Place command or you can CTRL+Click on the layer that you want to make into a Smart Object and select ‘Convert to Smart Object’.
Another plus with transforming a Smart Object is that the handles on the bounding box always stay with the corners of the original. So it makes adjusting perspectives easy.
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Tip #3 18/09/2014
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The easy way to cut corners Live Corners allow you to apply corner effects to rectangular frames by clicking and dragging the little yellow square controls near the corner. Fig. 1
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Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
When you have a rectangle selected, click on the yellow box (Fig. 1) or press 4 on your keyboard. This brings up the yellow diamonds at each corner (Fig. 2). Drag any yellow diamond to set the corner radius for all four. (Fig. 3). A display at your cursor shows the corner radius. You can also Shift-drag on one of the yellow diamonds to adjust just that corner radius (Fig. 4).
Fig. 5
And Option/Alt-clicking a yellow diamond will cycle through the corner effects (Fig. 5).
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Tip #4 25/09/2014
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Scaling to specific sizes To scale an object (text frame, graphic frame, path, or a group) to an exact width or height, what percentage do you type in the X% or Y% fields of the Control panel to scale to that size?
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One way to scale to a specific size is to replace the ‘100%’ value in one of the X% or Y% fields (Fig. 1) with an absolute value, i.e. the size you want to scale too instead of a percentage. Constrain proportions first by clicking the chain icon.
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For example, if you have an A3 Poster (Fig. 2) and you need to reduce the artwork to 200mm wide, just click Cmd+A (Select All), Cmd+G (Group) and type 200mm in the Y% field (Fig. 3). InDesign will scale all the objects in the group down to size.
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
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Tip #5 02/10/2014
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An easy and quick ‘Tilde’ trick You know the ‘Tilde’ character? It’s the ‘~’ character that you never use. This is an interesting way to use it in Illustrator.
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Firstly you need to find the ‘~’ key on your keyboard, it’s in different places on different keyboards. Then select any of the shape tools from the tool palette in Illustrator (Fig 1). Next holding the ‘~’ key drag the cursor around the canvas to create a pattern. Each different shape tool creates a different looking ‘spirograph’ style pattern. It also works with the line tool.
Fig. 1
Combine the ‘~’+Alt and the shapes are centred. Or, hold ‘~’ and begin to drag the mouse and then add Shift+Cmd to get another permutation. You can also hold ‘~’, and whilst dragging hold Spacebar.
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Tip #6 10/09/2014
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Gridify images on the fly A quick way to create a tidy grid on a page, from a folder of images, PDFs or InDesign pages. Fig. 1
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InDesign’s Gridify feature makes this job easy. From your InDesign page go to the File Menu > Place or Cmd+D. Select everything you wish to appear in the grid (Fig. 2). It can be a mixture of images, multi-page PDFs and InDesign documents. The Show Import Options (Fig. 3) should be unticked if you’re placing just image files but ticked if you’re placing a multi-page document. Click Open. If it was ticked, you need to select Pages > All or add a Range in the dialogue box (Fig. 4). Then click OK. This loads the cursor with the selected images and pages. Click and drag to define the height and width of the grid. As you drag use the Arrow Keys to define the number of rows and columns for the grid. Using Cmd+Arrow Keys alters the gutter widths between the grid. When you’re happy let go of the mouse and the images populate the grid (Fig. 1).
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
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Tip #7 23/10/2014
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Lining and proportional numerals If you are using an OpenType Pro font, then you may have the choice of several different numeral styles.
Fig. 1
Tabular Lining Proportional Lining Proportional Oldstyle Tabular Oldstyle
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Some OpenType Pro fonts have different numeral styles such as Tabular Lining, Proportional Lining, Proportional Oldstyle, and Tabular Oldstyle (Fig. 1). Each of the examples in (Fig. 1) is the same font and has the same kerning and tracking, just a different numeral style. The first distinction is the style of the numeral. The Oldstyle numerals have descenders and ascenders. Where as the Lining style numerals, are at the Cap Height of the text.
Fig. 2
Tabular
Proportional
Fig. 3
In addition to the style, is whether they are Tabular or Proportional (Fig. 2). If they are Tabular (regardless of whether they are Oldstyle or Lining), each numeral has the same width. Ideal for tables and if you want your numerals to line up and create tidy columns. This OpenType feature can be accessed in either the Character Panel or defined in a Paragraph Style (Fig. 3).
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Tip #8 31/10/2014
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Align table numbers on the decimal Ever need to align numbers in a table based on their decimal points? NUMBERS 1
NUMBERS 2
NUMBERS 3
TOTAL
£535.48
£385.29
£422.35
£1,343.12
£611.99
£478.32
£1,139.39
£2,229.70
£1,540.24
£12,921.34
£4,945.80
£19,407.38
£40,292.35
£10,594.25
£5,214.78
£56,101.38
£23,394.46
£26,118.23
£1,980.98
£51,493.67
£1.11
£8.88
£12.36
£22.35
Fig. 1
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Aligning numbers in a table based on their decimal points is easily done (Fig. 1). Even though you usually don’t have any tabs in a table cell, you can still align text based on a specific character, like a decimal point in a number.
Fig. 2
First, make sure the text is left-aligned in the paragraph options (Fig. 2). Next, select the table cells or columns that hold the numbers. Then, even though you haven’t typed any tabs, choose Type > Tabs to open up the tab options. Choose the ‘align on decimal’ tab stop and click on the ruler to set the position (Fig. 3).
Fig. 3
The numbers will then automatically align on the decimals points.
You can also combine Tip #7 with this tip. Simply define a Paragraph Style called ‘Cell text’ using ‘Tabular Lining’ type from Tip #7 and include the ‘align on decimal’ info from this tip. Then create a Cell Style and add in the ‘Cell text’ paragraph style. Quick and perfectly aligned text in every table.
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Tip #9 6/11/2014
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Bird’s eye view in Photoshop Here’s a way to quickly adjust the zoom level and navigate around an image.
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Fig. 1
Fig. 2
If you’re zoomed in on an image (Fig. 1) and need to quickly zoom out to view the image as a whole or to navigate to another part of the image then the ‘Bird’s Eye View’ feature is a great shortcut.
If ‘Bird’s Eye View’ isn’t working, there may be a few reasons why:
When zoomed in on an image hold down the ‘H’ key and click and drag with your mouse. The view temporarily zooms out to a bird’s eye view of the entire image (Fig. 2).
• Your computer may not support this feature, it uses OpenGL. • Your shortcut key for the ‘Hand Tool’ may not be set to ‘H’. Edit your keyboard shortcuts to correct this problem. Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts.
You can then drag and reposition the rectangle that appears around the cursor. When you let go, you’ll zoom back in to the level you were working at.
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Tip #10 14/11/2014
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Having a little stroke in the corner An easy way to add a stroke to just the corners of a frame. Fig. 1
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Fig. 2
Fig. 3
To make a corner-only stroke, choose Stroke Styles from the Stroke panel flyout menu. In the dialogue window (Fig. 1) click New. In the New Stroke Style dialogue box (Fig. 2) set ‘Type’ to ‘Dash’. Set the ‘Pattern Length’ to something larger than the largest frame needed, up to about (3500 mm). Set the ‘Length’ of the dash to be the size that the corner needs be, such as 20mm. Set the ‘Corners’ to ‘Adjust Gaps’, click OK to save the stroke. To apply it to a frame, select it from the stroke style drop down list on the Stroke panels (Fig. 3).
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