As you work through the assignments in this book, you will:

• Manage InDesign’s powerful user interface, which offers multiple ways to view and work on files, including the new Tabbed and Tiled view options
• Use Smart Objects, guides, and measurement functions on objects you create within the InDesign environment, as well as components you place (import) from external applications
• Import external objects and combine text and graphic components to create eye-catching designs commonly used to produce posters and book covers
• Use templates, character styles, and paragraph styles — invaluable time-saving features that streamline the workflow and speed development
• Learn to calculate and apply correct bindery (cutting and folding) specifications for single-page, multi-page, and multi-panel documents
• Build documents with facing pages, multiple sections, and numbered lists; work with special characters and glyphs
• Use layers to generate multiple versions of the same document — establish a workflow for dealing with multiple imported images
• Learn the importance of preflighting — the process that ensures the accurate reproduction of digital artwork on physical media
• Master the skills necessary to create large documents such as this book –manage multiple files, generate tables of contents and indices, and more

Completing the eight step-by-step projects and eight Portfolio Builders in this book will ensure readers are ready to meet the demands of today’s fast-paced workplaces. By combining assigned, hands-on exercises with self-paced, self-directed projects, readers learn the necessary skills for pursuing a career in graphics design — while developing a robust portfolio that’s certain to impress potential employers.