Expert: Candice Anderson - 11/22/2007

Question
Hi I am making a small booklet/magazine (about 12 a5 pages both sides) and
am looking for a few tips. I have literally only had indesign a few hours but
unfortunately I don't have very long till the deadline (about a month) so I
need to get to grips with it fast. I also have photoshop 7.0 and have learnt
how to clip a path (is that what its called?) over onto indesign but I have a few
questions.

Does the box around the image clipped stay when printing, or is it a guide?
And how come when i move the image outside the box it seems to
disappear?

Can you explain the bleed to me, do I really need one?

Is there anyway of setting a background (just a nice colour) that wont look
pixelated when printed?

And can I create a nice border for my pages?

Finally, I am intending on getting it printed professionally, how will I need to
submit the document? Will it do just to number the pages?

Thanks SOOOOO much!
xxx

Answer
Does the box around the image clipped stay when printing, or is it a guide?:

Not sure what you're talking about. Explain further

And how come when i move the image outside the box it seems to disappear?

Because that box is your actual document.
You move the images outside of the box (or canvas), you basically are taking it out of the document.

Can you explain the bleed to me, do I really need one?

Yes - if you want to have art go to the ends of your page. You need to make your art work go outside the box by about .125 inches outside of the canvas. That way when the printer cuts your book out, that gives room for screwups.

(if you don't want to have the art work go to the ends of the page, then no.)

Is there anyway of setting a background (just a nice colour) that wont look pixelated when printed?

Make a square that's the color you want big enough to fit your canvas. Solid colors will never be pixelated (did I understand that right?)

And can I create a nice border for my pages?
Yes

Finally, I am intending on getting it printed professionally, how will I need to
submit the document?  

Ask your printer. There are many ways to do it. Usually, they want a .pdf (file, export, pdf)

Will it do just to number the pages?

Will what do?

SBefore you do anything else, I STRONGLY suggest getting an Indesign book. My favorite is Adobe Indesign, Classroom in a book. There are many many many more questions that will come up as you go on and if you have this book, then you can learn the basics which teaches you all of these and your answers.

Feel free to email me with more questions ;) Good luck!