Typographic Features in Adobe Express for InDesign Users
Andrea Batts-Latson
Fort George G. Meade, Maryland
Virtual
January 18, 2024
3:30-4:00 p.m. Pacific — Networking
4:00-5:45 p.m. Pacific — Presentation
Andrea Batts-Latson, a seasoned design professional, showcased the dynamic and user-friendly capabilities of Adobe Express, an invaluable tool for designers at all levels, including those accustomed to the robust features of InDesign.
Andrea guided us through the intuitive, template-driven design approach of Adobe Express. She demonstrated how you can significantly reduce the time spent on layout adjustments, allowing for rapid content creation. She explored an extensive library of stock images and assets, and demonstrate how Adobe Express works with speed and efficiency. Andrea highlighted the platform's user-friendly text and typography tools, perfect for a range of projects from social media graphics to flyers and simple posters.
In her presentation, Andrea showcased how AI-driven tools within the platform streamline the design process, assisting in tasks like automatic color palette adjustments, image resizing, and layout suggestions. This AI integration makes design more intuitive and accessible, especially for those with time constraints, showcasing Adobe Express as a smart, efficient design partner.
While acknowledging the sophistication of InDesign for more complex projects, Andrea illustrated how Adobe Express is not a replacement, but a complement to it. She demonstrated its effectiveness for quick drafts, mock-ups, and designs requiring a faster turnaround, positioning Adobe Express as a tool that enhances your efficiency, particularly for less intricate tasks.
About the Presenter
Andrea Batts-Latson
Andrea Batts-Latson, based in Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, is a renowned Instructional System Specialist at the Defense Information School. Her exceptional work has earned her multiple accolades, including the third DINFOS Civilian of the Quarter, DINFOS 2015 Civilian of the Year, and DINFOS Visual Communications Department Instructor of the Year awards.
Beginning her tenure at DINFOS in 2011, Andrea has been instrumental as an instructor for intermediate Digital Multimedia and the Navy Basic Mass Communications Specialist Course. In addition to her role at DINFOS, she is an adjunct professor at Frederick Community College, where she expertly designs, develops, and teaches graphic and web design courses. Her commitment to education extends to volunteering to teach HTML5 and CSS3 web animation classes at her local public library.
As the CEO of BattyLatty Designs, Andrea showcases her vast design expertise. She holds prestigious titles such as Adobe Education Leader, Adobe Education Trainer, Adobe Community Professional, Adobe Creative Educator, and Adobe Campus Leader. Her proficiency in Adobe products is extensive, covering InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator, and includes a specialist certification in Adobe Experience Design (XD) for interactive multimedia web applications.
Her design work has significantly influenced federal and military communication campaigns and is featured in online digital art libraries and various instructional materials across print, video, social media, and multimedia platforms.
Additionally, Andrea is a respected conference speaker, contributing her insights and experiences to a wider audience. She recently served as one of the reviewers for the “Adobe Illustrator Revealed” textbook, a collaborative publication by Cengage & National Geographic Learning. Her diverse roles highlight her as a key figure in graphic and web design education, with a significant impact on both academic and professional communities.
