Making Master Pages

Adobe InDesign allows you to make one or more Master Pages, and then apply these layout to your individual pages. This makes it easier to focus in the content in each page without having to recreate a repeated motif or page structure over and over. It can also automate things like page numbering for you.

Here's how to create a Master Page:

1. Open the Pages panel (Window > Pages)
2. Double-click on the text which reads, "A-Master"
3. In the 2-page spread which appears in the image window, lay out the text, graphics and other design elements which are to be repeated on every page.
   • It is assumed that your document will have a left-hand page and right-hand page, and that these two will differ slightly (usually to account for a gutter where the binding takes place.)
   • For example, your page numbers (Type > Insert Special Character > Markers > Current Page Number) may occur on the bottom-left corner of left-hand pages and on the bottom-right corner of right-hand pages.
   • A-Master is automatically applied to pages added to the document.
4. You may create additional master pages:
   1. Click on the panel menu
   2. Choose New Master...
   3. Identify a prefix, a name, and number of pages in the master; if the Master is based on an existing Master, select it from the dropdown
   4. Click OK
   5. Design your Master
5. To apply a new master (e.g. B-Master) to individual pages
   1. Select the pages you want to apply the master to
   2. Right-click on the selection
   3. Choose Apply Master to Pages...
   4. Use the dropdown to select the desired Master
   5. Click OK
   6. You can also use this technique to apply [None] as the master

Styles

You can use Styles to create consistent design treatments and typography throughout your document. Each of these types of styles has its own panel:

• Character Styles - applies styling to text in terms of font, size, color, leading, etc.
• Paragraph Styles - applies styling to text in terms of spacing, indents, tabs, hyphenation, etc.
• Object Styles - applies styling to frames and other drawn objects, such as stroke color, fill color, corner roundness, etc.
• Tables Styles - applies styling to table layout, such as borders, spacing, and row/column treatments
• Cell Styles - applies styling to table cells, such as text, stroke, and fills

Paragraph Styles

1. Use the Paragraph Styles panel (Window > Styles > Paragraph Styles) to create styling for the paragraphs:
   1. In the Paragraph Styles panel, double-click on the word Normal to access the Styles options.
   2. Rename Normal as Paragraph Text.
   3. Make sure the Preview check box is selected.
   4. Select among the categories shown on the left. In particular, set the Basic Character Formats.
   5. Set specific styles on the right. In particular, set the Font Family, Style, and Size.
   6. Click on the Indents and Spacing category, and set the First Line Indent to 1p6.
   7. Click OK.
2. Use the Paragraph Styles panel to create styling for a Title:
   1. Select the title text.
   2. In the Paragraph Styles panel, click on the Create new style button.
   3. Double-click next to the name of the new listed style Paragraph Style 1.
   4. Rename the style Title.
   5. Set the font styles for your title.
   6. Remove the First Line Indent (set to 0p0).
   7. Set the Spacing After (in Indents and Spacing) to 1p0.
   8. Click OK.
3. Repeat step 2 for Heading 1 with new styling.

Swatches

You may want to store your spot colors, or color themes, in the Swatches panel. Colors can be added to the Swatches panel in a number of ways. Here is one way:

1. Click on the panel menu and choose New Color Swatch...
2. Select the Color Type (Process or Spot)
3. Select the Color Mode (e.g. CMYK or Pantone Process Coated)
4. Identify the specific color in the bottom half of the dialog box
5. Click OK (or Add if you want to add the color and leave the dialog box open for additional color creations)

Flow Text within a Shape

This is useful for making call-out boxes.

1. In a blank area (perhaps off to the side of the layout), draw a shape using one of the shape tools (Rectangle tool, Ellipse tool or Polygon tool.)
2. With the Selection tool, right-click on the shape and select Content > Text.
3. Click inside the shape with the Text tool.
   • Type your text, or paste text which has already been copied to the clipboard.
   • You can also place text (File > Place.)
4. Move the shape into place and use the Text Wrap panel to adjust its interaction with other items.