InDesign MasterClass from Udemy

The aim of this course is to teach you to use InDesign like a creative professional. Learn all of the best practises for working in InDesign so you feel 100% confident in creating new work, always know which tool or feature to use, and never waste time doing things the long way.

This course is up-to-date with all the new features introduced in 2024.

Adobe InDesign is one of the three core applications created by Adobe and will prove to be an essential tool in all sorts of design projects. Which is why it’s a must know for any Graphic Designer and mastering the software in and out will be extremely valuable when it comes to creating commercial work.

More about Adobe InDesign:

InDesign is the industry-leading page design and layout design application which allows you to work across desktop and mobile devices.
It’s ability to handle long documents with dozens or even hundreds of high resolution images without any lag or compromise on quality is unrivaled by any piece of software.
InDesign’s real strength lies in its immensely detailed typographic features, which allow users to refine the copy they work with to the smallest details.

“Even before finishing the course, I was able to work and earn on three projects using InDesign. Martin is a great teacher, I recommend this for a total newbie who wants to become a professional. It's EASY. ” Paul Avan

A closer look at what you will learn:

First of we will start with the basics, so you feel totally at ease with the interface, settings preferences and creating documents.
The next three chapters are all about introducing you to all of the brilliant tools and features in InDesign. Including Image & Text Frames, using Pages, choosing Fonts and Formatting Text.
Then we move onto creating layouts, drawing, how to work with Swatches, Effects, Blend Modes, Grids and more.
Once you know how to design a layout you can start to learn about compositional techniques, this is where the course presents a unique learning opportunity.
The more complex features in InDesign are explained in the final three chapters of the course, so by then you will already be extremely familiar and comfortable with the tools/interface and feel confident and ready to master the more advanced techniques. These chapters include Mastering Styles, Advanced Text Features and Handling Assets and much more.

“This is awesome. I've been using InDesign for a few years now, but am largely self-taught. This course is filling in the gaps of my knowledge and connecting the dots brilliantly. ” Keeley Stitt

This course includes:

81+ Videos (10 hours of total playtime)
Interactive quizzes testing what you learnt in each chapter
Downloadable working files including an in-depth Workbook with interactive exercises
Course content updated with the latest 2024 new features
All future updates to InDesign will be included in this course for no extra payment
Estimated finish time: 25 hours (including finishing all exercises and quizzes)
Preparation guide for the official Adobe Certified Associate exam: Print & digital media publication using Adobe InDesign
Completion certificate upon finishing the entire course

Martin is an Adobe Certified Instructor – voted as one of the Top 10 Adobe instructors in the world – with years of experience teaching in classrooms, seminars and webinars. He also worked professionally in the creative industry for over 10 years on a wide range of projects for clients such as Disney, Accenture, Mattel, etc. The examples and techniques in this course have been selected and refined to offer the most efficient and enjoyable way to master Adobe InDesign.

Who will find it useful:

Perfect for anyone looking to start or develop their career in the creative industry.
Complete beginners will be able to master the software from the very beginning to the most advanced features.
Self-taught users and existing professionals can use the course to take their skills and knowledge to the next level, refine their workflows and learn to do everything the right way.
Existing and more experienced users of InDesign may also discover hidden gems and workflows or catch up with all the new features released in 2024.

“Thoroughly enjoyed my experience with this course and thought that it was very well laid out. For instance, Martin puts a few of the more challenging subject matters pretty far into the course, so that you've already built confidence with all of the basics and even a few simpler but advanced techniques. Plus, Martin also reiterates a lot of previous lessons throughout new ones just calling attention back to them and reusing so everything sinks in very nicely and becomes part of your workflow.” Jessica Hinckle

Skills you will gain:

Creating everything from printed books to brochures, magazines, eBooks and interactive online PDFs.
Designing engaging page layouts for both print and digital publications quickly and efficiently at the highest professional standard.
Mastering the complex typographic features and the ability to work efficiently with long documents like catalogs and books.
Work with and manipulate a huge variety of creative assets including images, text, simple illustration.

Ready to master Adobe InDesign? Start today by enrolling on this course.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Learn indesign from the start the way a professional would use it.
Test your knowledge with quizzes at the end of each chapter.
Practice everything you learn with provided exercise files.
Learn useful keyboard shortcuts and best practices.
Advanced automation techniques like grep and data merge
Working with text and image frames
Creative page layouts and compositions

Mastering character and paragraph styles
Typographic and typesetting techniques
Creating table of contents
Working with books and long documents
Print and digital publishing
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Learn indesign from the start the way a professional would use it.
Test your knowledge with quizzes at the end of each chapter.
Practice everything you learn with provided exercise files.
Learn useful keyboard shortcuts and best practices.
Advanced automation techniques like grep and data merge
Working with text and image frames
Creative page layouts and compositions
Mastering character and paragraph styles
Typographic and typesetting techniques
Creating table of contents
Working with books and long documents
Print and digital publishing
Show more
Show less

Syllabus

Introduction

Why learn InDesign?

How to study?

Getting an Adobe Certification

Basics

Interface

Navigation

Creating a document

Preferences

Adobe Bridge

Exercise Files

Basics Test

Working with Frames

Image Frames

Placing Images

Links panel

Resolution of images

Techniques with Image frames

Text frames

Importing text

Text frame options

Working with Frames Test

Working with Pages

Working with pages

Advanced page techniques

Master pages

Master pages techniques

Working with Pages Test

Formatting Text

Choosing fonts

Character formatting

Paragraph formatting 1

Paragraph formatting 2

Formatting Text Test

Designing the Layout

Lines and Rules

Drawing Shapes

Drawing Tools

Working with Swatches

Special Swatches

Working with Effects

Blend Modes

Grids and Guides

Align and Distribute

Designing the layout Test

Compositional Techniques

Working with Layers

Text Wrap

Advanced Text Wrap techniques

Masking techniques

Anchored and Inline Images

Compositional Tips

Compostional Techniques Test

Mastering Styles

Introduction to Styles

Paragraph Styles

Object Styles

Next Styles

Nested Styles

Working with Styles

Mastering Styles Test

Advanced Text Features

Find/Change and GREP

Fixing common typographic mistakes

Bulleted and Numbered Lists

Multi-level Lists

Footnotes and Captions

Working with Tabs

Creating Tables

Formatting Tables

Data Merge

Advanced Text Features Test

Handling Assets

InDesign Snippets

InDesign Libraries

Creating Templates

Content Collector/Placer Tool

Sharing assets with CC Libraries

Handling Assets Test

Long Documents

Creating Table of Contents

Table of Contents settings

Text Variables and Markers

Smart Text Reflow

Creating a Book file

Fixing copy and exporting book

Long documents Test

Preparing for Print

Proofing Colors

Flatterner Preview

Proofing copy

Exporting a PDF

Saving a Package

Preparing for Print Test

Interactive Document Formats

Creating EPUBs

Interactive PDFs

Publish Online CC

Interactive Documents Formats Test

New Features in CC 2018

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Teaches professional practices, methodologies, and tools

Suitable for beginners seeking a comprehensive introduction to InDesign

Provides real-world context and practical exercises

Covers advanced techniques and features relevant to professional designers

Includes interactive materials and downloadable exercise files for practice

Instructor has years of experience and expertise in design and InDesign

Reviews summary

Indesign: well-explained concepts

According to students, InDesign MasterClass is well-explained. Students have found the concepts easy to understand. However, students have also noticed typos in the quizzes and videos. Some exercise files are also missing.

Concepts are explained well.

"Amazing! Everything was well explained."

Some exercise files are missing.

"In the exercise files, I never found the adventure_magazine_print.indd and new features.indd."

There are typos in quizzes and videos.

"However, change the many typos in the quizzes and videos e.g. Ctrl is misspelled as Ctrl."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in InDesign MasterClass with these activities:

Brush up on Understanding Design Principles

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Warming up your knowledge of design principles will provide you with a stronger foundation and make it easier to grasp the more advanced InDesign techniques taught in this course.

Browse courses on Design Principles

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Review your notes or textbooks on design principles.
Look up online resources or articles that provide a concise overview of design principles.
Spend some time experimenting with different design elements in a practice file or on a piece of paper.

Attend Adobe's Online InDesign Workshop Series

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Attend an online InDesign workshop organized by Adobe to supplement your course learning and stay updated on the latest design trends and techniques.

Browse courses on Adobe InDesign

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Register for and attend the workshops.
Actively participate in the workshops by asking questions and engaging with the instructors.
Take notes and gather resources shared during the workshops.

Read “InDesign Type: Professional Typography with Adobe InDesign” by Nigel French

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This book delves deep into the intricacies of typography in InDesign, which will greatly enhance your ability to master the typographic features and techniques taught in this course.

View Type Project Book, The: Typographic projects to... on Amazon

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Read through the chapters that cover topics relevant to the InDesign course, such as character and paragraph styles, text formatting, and typography best practices.
Take notes or highlight important concepts for future reference.
Complete any exercises or examples provided in the book to practice your skills.

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Follow tutorials on Advanced Page Layout Techniques

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Seeking out and following tutorials will strengthen your design skills and solidify the concepts taught during the course, ultimately deepening your understanding of advanced page layout techniques.

Browse courses on Page Layout

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Search for tutorials that focus on advanced page layout techniques in InDesign.
Select tutorials that cover specific techniques you want to improve, such as working with grids, creating multi-column layouts, or using advanced typography features.
Follow the steps in the tutorials carefully and practice the techniques in your own designs.

Practice Working with Styles and Effects

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Regular practice with styles and effects will solidify your skills and strengthen your understanding of their capabilities.

Browse courses on Styles

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Create a new InDesign document and experiment with different character and paragraph styles.
Apply various effects to text and objects, such as drop shadows, glows, and bevels.
Create and manage object styles to streamline your workflow.

Redesign an Existing Publication

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Applying your skills to redesign an existing publication will provide a practical and well-rounded learning experience.

Browse courses on Layout Design

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Choose an existing publication, such as a magazine, brochure, or website.
Analyze the publication's design, including its layout, typography, and imagery.
Redesign the publication using the skills and techniques learned in the InDesign course, making improvements to its visual appeal, readability, and overall impact.

Develop a Digital Magazine Layout

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Creating a digital magazine layout will synthesize the skills and techniques taught throughout the course, providing a comprehensive and rewarding learning experience.

Browse courses on Digital Publishing

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Plan and design the layout of your digital magazine, including the cover, table of contents, articles, and advertisements.
Use InDesign's features to create interactive elements, such as hyperlinks, videos, and animations.
Export your magazine in a digital format, such as PDF or EPUB, and publish it online.

Career center

Learners who complete InDesign MasterClass will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Graphic designer

As a Graphic Designer, you will use your expertise in design to communicate ideas and messages through visual content. Creating engaging visual concepts and impressive layouts for a variety of media, including print and digital formats, are everyday tasks for professionals in this field. InDesign provides a robust platform for any Graphic Designer hoping to execute their vision. It is an industry-standard application used by experts in the field to create brochures, magazines, eBooks, and online PDFs, to name a few. Understanding how to use InDesign is key for any Graphic Designer who wishes to excel in their career.

See salaries and explore the career path for Graphic designer

Layout Artist

A Layout Artist is responsible for taking written content and images and arranging them in a visually appealing way. This role involves working with text, images, and other elements to create layouts for magazines, newspapers, brochures, and other publications. InDesign is one of the most popular layout programs available, and it is essential for any Layout Artist to master its features. This course will provide you with a comprehensive overview of InDesign, from the basics to advanced techniques, so that you can create professional-quality layouts.

See salaries and explore the career path for Layout Artist

Publication Designer

Publication Designers create and design magazines, newspapers, books, and other publications. They work with writers, editors, and other creatives to develop the overall look and feel of a publication. InDesign is a powerful tool that can help Publication Designers create high-quality publications. This course will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to use InDesign effectively, so that you can create visually appealing and engaging publications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Publication Designer

Art Director

An Art Director is responsible for overseeing the visual aspects of a project, including the design, layout, and typography. They work with clients, designers, and other creatives to ensure that the final product meets the client's needs and vision. InDesign is a key tool for Art Directors, as it allows them to create and manage complex layouts and designs. This course will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to use InDesign effectively, so that you can create visually appealing and effective marketing materials.

See salaries and explore the career path for Art Director

Marketing Designer

A Marketing Designer is responsible for creating visual content that promotes a product or service. They work with marketing teams to develop and implement marketing campaigns that target specific audiences. InDesign is a powerful tool that can help Marketing Designers create high-quality marketing collateral, such as brochures, flyers, and social media graphics. This course will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to use InDesign effectively, so that you can create visually appealing and effective marketing materials.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Designer

User Experience (UX) Designer

A UX Designer is responsible for designing the user interface and user experience of a product or service. They work with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders to create products that are easy to use and enjoyable to interact with. InDesign may be useful for creating mockups and prototypes of user interfaces.

See salaries and explore the career path for User Experience (UX) Designer

Web Designer

A Web Designer is responsible for designing and developing websites. They work with clients to understand their needs and vision, and then create websites that are visually appealing, functional, and easy to use. InDesign may be useful for creating mockups and prototypes of website designs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Designer

Product Designer

A Product Designer is responsible for designing physical and digital products. They work with engineers, marketers, and other stakeholders to create products that are both useful and desirable. InDesign may be useful for creating mockups and prototypes of product designs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Designer

Animator

An Animator creates animations for film, television, video games, and other media. They work with directors, producers, and other creatives to develop and produce animated content. InDesign may be useful for creating storyboards and animatics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Animator

Illustrator

An Illustrator creates visual content for a variety of purposes, including books, magazines, websites, and advertisements. They work with clients to understand their needs and vision, and then create illustrations that are visually appealing and communicate the desired message. InDesign is a powerful tool that can help Illustrators create high-quality illustrations for both print and digital media.

See salaries and explore the career path for Illustrator

Photographer

A Photographer captures images for a variety of purposes, including photojournalism, portraiture, and commercial photography. They work with clients to understand their needs and vision, and then create images that are visually appealing and communicate the desired message. InDesign may be useful for creating photo layouts and photo albums.

See salaries and explore the career path for Photographer

Video Editor

A Video Editor creates and edits videos for a variety of purposes, including film, television, and web. They work with directors, producers, and other creatives to develop and produce video content. InDesign may be useful for creating storyboards and animatics for video projects.

See salaries and explore the career path for Video Editor

Writer

A Writer creates written content for a variety of purposes, including articles, books, scripts, and speeches. They work with editors, publishers, and other creatives to develop and produce written content. InDesign may be useful for creating layouts and templates for written content.

See salaries and explore the career path for Writer

Editor

An Editor reviews, revises, and edits written content for a variety of purposes, including articles, books, scripts, and speeches. They work with writers, publishers, and other creatives to develop and produce high-quality written content. InDesign may be useful for creating layouts and templates for written content.

See salaries and explore the career path for Editor

Publisher

A Publisher is responsible for the production and distribution of books, magazines, and other publications. They work with authors, editors, and other creatives to develop and produce high-quality publications. InDesign is a powerful tool that can help Publishers create and manage complex layouts and designs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Publisher