2021 Event details
Dec 16, 2021
InDesign Digital Publishing Essentials
Pacific Time
3:45-4:00 p.m. — Networking
4:00-5:45 p.m. — Presentation
Whether you’re creating menus or adding page navigation, using InDesign digital publishing and interactivity tools doesn’t have to be difficult. However, it does require attention to detail. Join Angelo as he goes over his essential tips and tricks when working on digital publishing projects for web or ePub. In this presentation, Angelo will demonstrate how to use object states, buttons, forms, animation and timing to create a digital catalog layout.
About the Presenter
Angelo Montilla is a visual designer, instructor, and YouTube content creator based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He has 20 years experience as a graphic designer and specializes in print/editorial design, interactive design, digital publishing and branding design.
Since 2018, Angelo has run Montilla Design, where he offers design services as well as design tutorials and lessons. Angelo’s design career has seen him make stops at the Windsor Star, St. Clair College and the University of Windsor. Angelo, who was a speaker at Adobe MAX 2021, also has a growing community on YouTube, where he creates design tutorial content, with a focus on InDesign.
Nov 18, 2021
Designing Black Futures
Pacific Time
3:45-4:00 p.m. — Networking
4:00-5:45 p.m. — Presentation
Crafted using InDesign, Black Futures combines original artwork, essays, roundtable discussions, one-on-one interviews, poetry, and other forms of expression to pay tribute to the myriad modes of communication that have been championed by Black creatives from the height of the AIDS crisis into the speculative future.
The design is a compendium organized with multiple ways of accessing the variety of entries. From indices to physical hyperlinks, the book flows in a non-linear yet interconnected fashion.
In constructing the book, the authors asked: “What does it mean to be Black and alive right now?” In its final form, the book includes a luscious set of recipes, archival tweets and more from over 100 contributors that tells the story of the radical, imaginative, and resilient world that emerging and renowned Black artists are producing today.
And in designing the book, over the three-year process, the designers asked: “How do we construct a non-linear experience to hold the various type of content to encompass the vastness of Blackness in InDesign?
About the Presenter
Jon(athan) Key is an artist, designer, and writer originally from Seale, Alabama. After receiving his BFA from Rhode Island School of Design, Jon began his design career at Grey Advertising in New York City before moving on to work with HBO, Nickelodeon, and The Public Theater. Now he is co-founder of the Brooklyn–based design studio Morcos Key with Wael Morcos.
As an educator, Jon has taught at Maryland Institute College of Art, Parsons School of Design, and currently teaches at Cooper Union. Jon is also a co-founder and design director of Codify Art, a multidisciplinary collective dedicated to creating, producing, supporting, and showcasing work by artists of color, particularly women, queer, and trans artists of color.
Jon was selected for Forbes 30 under 30 Art and Style list for 2020 and was the Frank Staton Chair in Graphic Design at Cooper Union 2018-2019. His work has been featured in Jeffery Deitch Gallery, the Armory Show, The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Atlantic.
Oct 21, 2021
data merge with indesign
Pacific Time
3:45-4:00 p.m. — Networking
4:00-5:45 p.m. — Presentation
You’re probably familiar with the word processing mail merge function that allows you to send personalized letters to a number of people. In this presentation, Joe Mathia will explain how to use InDesign's somewhat similar Data Merge function, a capability built into InDesign straight out of the box. Learn how to create personalized letters, envelopes, mailing labels, even catalogs with images.
But as powerful as the InDesign Data Merge function is, it has limitations. Joe will describe those limitations, and show how InData and InCatalog, two plugins from Em Software, expand the boundaries, taking InDesign automation to new levels. For instance, InData’s English-like scripting language, allows you to build conditional rules, including or excluding fields based on the presence or content of other fields, including one or more graphics per entry based on picture availability, etc.
About the Presenter
Joe Mathia, Senior Developer at AvatarDPS, has been creating automated print workflows using the Em Software tools and other plugins and scripting languages since 1999. He has also been the chief support and applications engineer at Em Software since 2009. A classical and jazz pianist with advanced degrees in performance and pedagogy, Joe has been teaching piano at all levels, from beginner through graduate-level for over 45 years
Sep 16, 2021
nigel french: ask him anything
Pacific Time
3:45-4:00 p.m. — Networking
4:00-5:45 p.m. — Presentation
The September LAIDUG has no predetermined subject. Instead, we’re giving you a chance to pose questions about anything at all to world-renown InDesign expert Nigel French. Well, anything as long as it’s related to InDesign. (Let’s not put him on the hook for merging general relativity and quantum mechanics or the whereabouts of Jimmy Hoffa.)
To keep things organized, we ask that you submit questions in advance particularly if they are complex, or deal with issues that might involve some research. On meeting day, you’ll still be able to ask questions from the floor. But there will also be some ground rules, the most important of which is that no member hog the floor. It’s okay to disagree, suggest how you would do something, or even ask an unknowable question. But after a respectful among of time, we’ll move along to the next question.
Nigel is not only one of LAIDUG’s most popular presenters, but he has appeared more times than any other speaker. And he gets a particular thank you for agreeing to helm a meeting in which he has no idea what will be thrown at him.
About the Presenter
Nigel French is a veteran graphic designer, photographer, and design teacher who has used design software since the early days of desktop publishing. His books include InDesign Type (Adobe Press, now in its 4th Edition) and Photoshop Unmasked. Since 2005, he has freelanced for LinkedIn Learning and has recorded 50+ titles for its online training library. He is an Adobe Community Professional and regular speaker at CreativePro Week and Adobe MAX, and he writes regularly for InDesign Magazine.
Aug 19, 2021
INTRODUCTION TO COLOR MANAGEMENT
Pacific Time
3:45-4:00 p.m. — Networking
4:00-5:45 p.m. — Presentation
Managing color is critical for both print and online jobs. In this session, David Creamer will introduce you to the proper procedures necessary to be able to “trust” what you see on your monitor and what comes out of your printer. Find out why color management can start as soon as a project begins—including before even takes a photo or selects a color.
This session will cover:
The logic of profiling
Which devices need profiling
Color spaces and which to use
Setting up InDesign and other Adobe software
Viewing your settings
About the Presenter
David Creamer of IDEAS is an Adobe Certified Instructor and Expert since 1994. IDEAS provides training on the Adobe Creative Cloud and the Adobe Technical Communication Suite. Creamer brings a rare combination of traditional and digital knowledge in publishing, graphics, and production to IDEAS’ customers. He has been an award-winning art and production director of multiple publications, including Modern Drummer and The Gourmet Retailer magazine—and has designed/produced hundreds of media projects for print, web, and video.
July 15, 2021
HOW TO DO THINGS IN INDESIGN THAT YOU SHOULD REALLY DO IN ILLUSTRATOR
Pacific Time
3:45-4:00 p.m. — Networking
4:00-5:45 p.m. — Presentation
As the ol’ adage says, “If your only tool is a hammer—everything starts to look like a nail.” But hey—it happens! We fall in love with a favorite tool and we try to make it do everything. Who hasn’t? So what if you like to balance your bank account—using InDesign? It just so happens that InDesign is a pretty amazing tool. In some ways, it’s the swiss army knife of the whole Creative Cloud. And while conventional wisdom (and even objective reality) may tell us that another tool like Illustrator might be better suited to a particular task—who are we to negate the creative self-expression of our inner child? Forget about best practices or straight up efficiency—we want to do it our way, dang it. With InDesign! Chana Messer will show you how.
Last month, in case you missed it, Khara Plicanic showed what InDesign can do if you wake up one morning and just aren't feeling Photoshop. Check back soon for the Zoom recording.
About the Presenter
Chana Messer has been teaching at the university level for 30+ years in the fields of Fine Art and Digital Imaging. She currently teaches at the USC Annenberg School of Communication and School of Cinematic Arts. In addition to lecturing, Chana is a contributor to various platforms as a writer and tech editor and has been invited by Adobe to present at events such as MacWorld, AIGA, HOW, Adobe MAX, and other events in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Chicago, New York, and Tel Aviv. She is an Adobe Subject Matter Expert, Adobe Certified Instructor, Adobe Education Leader, Adobe Community Professional, and an Adobe User Group Manager. Chana is also the owner of Mac in Art, a boutique design company in Los Angeles, where she is an exhibiting artist.
Behance: @chanaart
Instagram: @chana53, @artworkbychana
Twitter: @chanam
June 17, 2021
HOW TO DO THINGS IN INDESIGN THAT YOU SHOULD REALLY DO IN PHOTOSHOP
Pacific Time
3:45-4:00 p.m. — Networking
4:00-5:45 p.m. — Presentation
About the Presenter
A camera-slinging design geek and Photoshop nerd, Khara Plicanic is a natural born teacher who’s been sharing inspiration and know-how with fellow creatives for more than 15 years—delighting learners around the world on platforms including CreativeLive, Adobe Max, and Brit+Co. When she’s not making futile attempts at reclaiming hard drive space or searching the sofa cushions for a runaway Wacom pen, Khara can be found plotting her next craft endeavor, catching up with her favorite late-night hosts, or trying to remember where she left her phone. Find her at KharaPlicanic.com or on Instagram at @kplicanic.
May 20, 2021
USING INDESIGN SCRIPTS TO GET CREATIVE
Pacific Time
3:45-4:00 p.m. — Networking
4:00-5:45 p.m. — Presentation
For most of us, InDesign is our go-to app for creativity. It’s such a powerhouse of design and yet we are all guilty of sometimes spending too much time on some tasks when a simple script would help us. In this session, graphic designer and author of How Do I Do That In InDesign, Dave Clayton, will walk through some of his favorite scripts that, when used together, help you become more creative in your work. Together we’ll look at where to find cool scripts, simple installation and application.
This is a session suitable for beginners and intermediate users, if you’ve never used scripts before, then this is a great introduction for you, if you have, then you may learn some new ones. Dave recently taught a short session on scripts for Adobe Max 2020 and in this session we’ll expand on that with some new, creative scripts.
A PDF of the above info will be made available for all attendees.
About the Presenter
Dave Clayton is a UK-based graphic designer and creative specialist with over 30 years of design and marketing experience. With a great passion for all things design, Dave particularly loves working in InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator. Dave is also the author of How Do I Do That in InDesign, part of the successful series of "How Do I…" books by Scott Kelby. Dave’s main day to day role is Training and Community Manager for Astute Graphics, creators of professional plugins for Adobe Illustrator.
Dave is also a KelbyOne instructor with six design classes on their platform as well as being a Photoshop World Instructor for four years, teaching graphic design and InDesign in particular. He also writes a regular feature called "Photoshop for Designers" for KelbyOne’s Photoshop User magazine. Additionally, Dave is the co-host of the popular photography and design podcast, He Shoots, He Draws. Dave is also an Adobe MAX instructor and can be often found at various international graphic design conferences learning, networking, and teaching.
April 15, 2021
Image Capture for InDesign: From Scanners to Cameras
Pacific Time
3:45-4:00 p.m. — Networking
4:00-5:45 p.m. — Presentation
From the first cave paintings through to film photography, images were something that you mostly looked at. Getting an image into a computer is a fairly recent need.
Interestingly, there was a digital image before there was a digital camera. This came from the first image scanner invented in the late 1950s (a drum scanner) with the intent of converting an image into something that a computer could work with. By the 1990s flatbed scanners were being developed which were much easier to use (and cost much less than drum scanners). This coincided with the WYSIWYG platform that Apple was developing making it easier for Mac users to add actual photographs to their MacWrite documents.
Simply, to get an image (sketch, photo, drawing, etc., into a computer, you need to digitize, or capture, that image. This can be done with either a camera or a scanner. The camera can do it faster, the scanner can do it better. Which one you end up using depends on your needs, expectations, time, and what you are willing to accept.
Gary presents how to:
Where and how it is best to go for speed (e.g., getting the greatest quantity of images captured in a given time)
or for quality of the image both in resolution and appearance (either of which require a lot more time per image).
Gary also discusses:
The “truth” of scanner’s real resolution capabilities.
Show’s his process for photographing slides (and the type of equipment he recommends).
How to deal with scanning images that have texture
How to scan documents to obtain the best OCR.
You will learn:
The best ways to retrieve elements from a Library to use them in your designs
How to store repetitive text in Libraries and link it to your layouts
How to back up Libraries for safekeeping
… and much more
About the Presenter
Although retired now, for over 40 years Gary Coyne was a scientific glassblower. That is, he made, and often designed, glassware for scientific research (the kinds of things you see in the background of science fiction movies, but Gary made his items for actual research, not the movies). Gary spent the last 32 years of his career in the Chemistry Department at CSULA.
When the Mac came out in 1986 Gary quickly became a Mac nerd and became the Chemistry Depts, Go-To guy for the professors and staff who needed help on their Macs. When Apple released their scanner in 1988, Gary bought one and has owned a scanner ever since.
In the late ‘90s Gary was using and beta testing GoLive Cyberstudio. When Adobe bought that program, Gary followed and became a beta tester for Adobe GoLive. Soon he was beta testing many other applications such as Photoshop, Acrobat Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom, and other applications.
Now retired, Gary spends his days woodworking, biking, and spending too much time on his computer and scanner.
March 18, 2021
10 Tips for Creative Cloud Libraries
Pacific Time
3:45-4:00 p.m. — Networking
4:00-5:45 p.m. — Presentation
Creative Cloud Libraries enable all kinds of productivity and creativity benefits. But unless you know some key techniques, working with them can be awkward and confusing. This session covered 10 key techniques to help you use Creative Cloud Libraries efficiently in your day to day design work.
You will learn:
The best ways to retrieve elements from a Library to use them in your designs
How to store repetitive text in Libraries and link it to your layouts
How to back up Libraries for safekeeping
… and much more
About the Presenter
Keith Gilbert is a design consultant, developer, educator, speaker, and author. His work has taken him throughout North America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. During his 35+ year career his clients have included Adobe, Apple, Target, Oracle, and the United Nations. He is the author of several popular titles for LinkedIn Learning, Adobe Press, and CreativePro. Find him at gilbertconsulting.com and on Twitter at @gilbertconsult
February 17-18, 2021
Adding Interactivity to InDesign Documents
Session 1
The first session focused on the interactive features built into InDesign straight out of the box. They include animation, video, buttons and object states.
Session 2
The second session focused on additional interactive features available when InDesign is used together with the acclaimed in5 plug-in. Learn how to create responsive layouts, pop-ups, 3D flip cards and page curls.
About the Presenter
Justin Putney is a perpetual learning machine. He is the self-taught designer and programmer who runs Ajar Productions, a software company that helps designers and publishers reach a larger audience. Through his company, Justin brings developer tools and know-how to visual thinkers—helping his customers publish interactive sites and apps using Adobe InDesign. Justin is a frequent speaker and has been an author with LinkedIn Learning.com and Adobe Press. He’s an avid trail runner and likes to run bare-chested with those silly toe shoes (yes, even on rocks).
January 21, 2021
Story Editor or InCopy (or Both)
Pacific Time
3:45-4:00 p.m. — Networking
4:00-5:45 p.m. — Presentation
Story Editor is a feature of InDesign that displays the text of an InDesign document without any major formatting. It can be used to get to a precise location in a text stream when complex formatting such as footnotes, text anchors, embedded graphics, etc. make it difficult. InCopy, on the other hand, is a separate text editor for writers and editors to create or edit text that already is in, or will eventually make its way to, InDesign. They can be used separately or together.
In this presentation, David Creamer introduced both Story Editor and InCopy, and described how InDesign and InCopy can be used together for an efficient workflow with editors.
Topics covered:
Introduction to Story Editor
Introduction to InCopy
Getting your InDesign document ready for InCopy
Getting InCopy for your editors
Where to share your files
Creating Assignments
Using Track Changes
Updating text and layouts
Other methods for working with editors
About the Presenter
David Creamer of IDEAS is an Adobe Certified Instructor and Expert since 1994. IDEAS provides training on the Adobe Creative Cloud and the Adobe Technical Communication Suite. Creamer brings a rare combination of traditional and digital knowledge in publishing, graphics, and production to IDEAS’ customers. He has been an award-winning art and production director of multiple publications, including Modern Drummer and The Gourmet Retailer magazine—and has designed/produced hundreds of media projects for print, web, and video.