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Everything You Need to Know About Print Design and its Many Faces

July 19th, 2024
girl working on graphic on a tablet

 

Print Design Basics: Styles and Techniques

In a world increasingly dominated by digital screens, the power of a well-crafted print design can still be undeniable. From eye-catching brochures to captivating magazines, print media continues to hold a special place in the hearts (and hands) of many. But what exactly is "print design," and how does it differ from its digital cousin?

Print Design: Beyond the Page

Print design, the brainchild of skilled print designers, encompasses the creation of visual communication for physical, tangible mediums. This includes everything from flyers and posters to packaging design and even captivating trade show booths. Unlike digital graphic design, which caters to online experiences, print design focuses on crafting visuals that resonate with viewers in a physical space.

The Influence of Print: Why It Is Still Important

Even though digital marketing now controls the majority of the advertising business, print design still has certain advantages. The tangibility of a well-designed brochure or magazine allows viewers to engage with the content in a more intimate way compared to scrolling through a website. Print also fosters a sense of permanence, making it ideal for conveying important information or showcasing a brand’s story in a detailed format.

Mastering the Craft: Essential Print Design Skills

Jump-starting Your Print Design Projects

Before diving headfirst into design elements, take a moment to consider the following:

  • The Printing Medium: What material will your design be printed on? Paper, billboard, or something else entirely?

  • Final Dimensions: What size will the final printed piece be?

  • Printing Format: Will it be a single page, a book, or a magazine spread?

  • Print Specifications: How many colours can be printed? What resolution is required?

Setting Up Your InDesign Document for Success

  • Template vs. Scratch: Choose between starting from scratch and using an expertly created template.

  • Page Dimensions: In the New page dialogue, specify the width and height of your page.

  • Spreads: Select Facing Pages for documents like magazines or books that require spreads.

  • Bleed and Trim: If your design reaches the edge of the page, set bleed and trim to ensure a clean, printed edge, even with slight paper misalignment.

  • Page Management: Use the Pages panel to add, remove, or reorder pages within your document.

  • Content Organization: Adjust margins, columns, and custom guides to properly align your content.

  • Master Pages: Create master pages for consistent page elements like page numbers.

Essentials Continued:

  • Image Selection: When incorporating images and graphics, keep this in mind: Images (raster) are composed of pixels and may not scale well. Logos (vector) can be resized without losing quality. Ensure raster images (JPG, PSD, TIF, PNG) have the correct resolution for printing (typically 300 PPI).

  • Colour Creativity: InDesign supports CMYK (printing inks) and spot colours (licensed) for print designs. Create colour swatches in the Swatches panel and find inspiration with Adobe Colour Themes.

  • Text Appeal: Choose the perfect font and format your text using InDesign’s typography features. Take advantage of the high-quality font library from Adobe Fonts (included with your Adobe Creative Cloud membership).

  • Printing Your Design: Export your final design in formats like PDF or print directly from InDesign.

Understanding the print design creation process, including specific formats and guidelines, will streamline your journey from start to finish.