This week we got an assignment with 10 different tasks to organize texts using Indesign, which helps me have a better understanding about different editing concepts.
Here is the pdf of all tasks (the instructions of each task is under each picture below)
CONSTRAINTS
- Use the Myriad Pro type family (make sure to download and install the entire family; open type format preferred, i.e. .otf),
• Use flush-left alignment only (no centering, right-align),
• Do not exceed the margins when setting your text,
• The original text content is the starting point to which you will apply the specific variables in each part of the assignment — you may only modify the variables specified and nothing else,
• You may not change or edit the content in any way.
After analyzing this piece of text, I identify that there’re four main parts:
1) the title of the event with its date and host;
2) presentations with details;
3) panel discussion with detailed information;
4) registration and contact information.
Task 1. Leading
- I first identify group of information and use leading to separate different parts. This is my first time using InDesign and I stumbled on the leading function — I thought it was similar as Word’s spacing that I could select multiple sentences and modify leading in between but I was wrong — I ended up changing the leading for each sentences one by one.
Task 2. Horizontal Shift or Indentation
- I made the first part in the center to draw attention, but I am not sure if this centered text will make the whole page seem imbalanced;
- I leave presentation and panel and the last registration section not indented to highlight them. I indented the time once and indented the topic and people’s name twice to make the whole information clearer.
- When editing this post, I realized that I have accidentally deleted ‘P’ for ‘Please.’ I should be more careful and detail-oriented.
Task 3. Weight
- I only change the title of the first three parts and the whole last part (since I think these 3 sentences are equally important, there’s no topic to conclude them all) to the type of Myriad Pro Bold and leave the rest the same.
Task 4. Color
- At first I thought about using NYU purple but the color is a bit dark, which doesn’t create enough contrast for me and I really want titles and sub-titles to pop out. So I ended up choosing the color magenta — a shade of pink to really differentiate the titles and detailed content. This choice also shows how I understand the information structure of this piece.
Task 5. Leading + Size
- I combined what I did for leading and size independently then modify the leadings since the change of type size will interrupt the original leading balance.
- For type size, the main NYU title I used 29pt. Then for presentations, panel discussion I chose 23pt. For two lines under the main title and the 4th part, i.e. the last three lines, I used 16pt. For the rest of the details under presentations and panel discussion, I used 14pt.
Task 6. Leading + Horizontal Shift\Indentation
- I basically modify the leading based on the indentation version I did before. One thing I am not sure is the leading between the second line (date) and the NYU title (I set it as 40pt) since I think the date and host are important information too, maybe it can be a bit more closer but I don’t want the gap to be too small.
- The leading between part 1 & 2 and part 2 & 3 are both 45pt. The leading between part 3 & 4 is 50pt. The leading between those 3 details is 18pt and the leading between the subtitle and detailed info is 22pt. The leading within part 4 is 25pt.
Task 7. Leading + Weight
- I keep the leading I arranged before and added weight based on that version.
- I gave weight to the titles of the first three parts and for the fourth part I gave weights to the key information — “free,” the website and email address. I was hesitant if I should highlighted the verbs “register” and “contact” but then I chose the detailed information since I think those are more important than the action verbs.
Task 8. Weight + Color
- This time I used the color modification for task 4 and changed the weights of different parts.
- Two weights I used are bold and regular for Myriad Pro. I added weights for the whole first part and added weights to the key words and information for the fourth part.
Task 9. Leading + Size + Weight + Color
- I edited this piece based on task 8 — but with leading and size in play, I changed some colors. I made the first part all colored magenta and added weights to the whole fourth parts with only key information colored, while before I was able to change the leading, the fourth part was all magenta. Now thanks to leading, I don’t need two parts to have total different colors to separate from each other anymore.
Task 10. All Variables
- With more freedom to edit the text, I changed some colored texts back to black — such as the subtitle “presentations” and “panel discussion.” I gave magenta only to part 1 & 4. I compared my final version with the version of colored subtitles but I prefer them not colored because they are already sized up and bold to stand out.
- I also added weights to the time and italicized the content within part 2&3 except the time (since it already has more weight)part 4 since I think those are all important information.
I have to say I am frustrated about the editing of Medium, the published version does not look the same as how I edited it :( I originally had explanations on the right side of the picture and that way the pictures are smaller to see (like task 10) but after publishing it, the text all squeezed up together and won’t show next to each page accordingly. I also hope we could edit the size of pictures like Notion. I enjoyed editing this piece and I look forward to seeing how my classmates make their choices during class!
