Essential Graphic Production Techniques

Learn the basic techniques of successful graphic design production using Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator.

Introduction

• Learning essential graphic production techniques

1. The Basics

• The right tool for the right job
• Typical workflows
• Know your file formats: Print
• Know your file formats: Web

2. Pixels and Vectors

• Pixels vs. vectors
• Scalability and resolution
• Viewing pixels
• Sizing an image for print in Photoshop
• Sizing an image for web in Photoshop
• PPI, DPI, and LPI: What’s the difference?
• Effective PPI
• Upsampling
• Understanding anti-aliasing
• Photoshop Smart Objects
• Vectorizing and rasterizing
• Outlining Type

3. Understanding Color

• Color models: RGB, CMYK, Lab, HSB, Hex, Pantone
• Photoshop color modes
• RGB vs. CMYK
• Color management
• Converting to CMYK
• Converting to grayscale
• Converting to indexed color
• Converting to bitmap
• Exploring color harmonies
• Tints, shades, and opacity: What’s the difference?
• Harnessing the power of Illustrator’s Recolor Artwork
• Using spot colors in InDesign and Illustrator
• Using spot colors in Photoshop

4. Choosing and Formatting Type

• Typographic terms you need to know
• Font formats
• Sourcing type
• Font classification

5. Managing Assets

• Linking graphics in InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop
• Packaging documents in InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop
• Using Creative Cloud Libraries
• Managing assets and files with Bridge

6. Preparing Images

• Prepping images overview
• Cropping
• Tonal correction in Photoshop
• Color correction in Photoshop
• Removing dust spots and blemishes in Photoshop
• Image sharpening in Photoshop
• Creating an image cut out
• Exporting images and assets for the Web

7. Creating a Print-Ready PDF

• Preflighting a document
• PDF standards
• Bleed guides and crop marks
• PDF job options

Conclusion

• Next steps