Designing your own publications

Choosing a platform
Fonts
Selecting software
Images
Ink
Paper
Rules for ordering printing
Writing specifications for print bids
Preparing files for a commercial printer
Additional resources

Printed materials: beginner FAQs

Due to budget cutbacks, many campus staff have been asked to take on new responsibilities—including creating fliers, brochures, posters, and other printed materials. We've developed these FAQs to help you get started. If you don't see your question answered here, let us know.

Creating a publication and don't know where to start?

This is an especially confusing time to jump into the print design industry.

Adobe, a major player in the design-software industry, has come out with new software programs (Adobe’s Creative Suite, most notably InDesign) and a new font system (OpenType), and the Macintosh has a fairly new operating system (OSX). All this new technology requires a fairly steep learning curve for seasoned professionals, so it’s no surprise that someone new to the field would be overwhelmed.

If you’re producing a publication that’s more than one page or one color and are going to use a commercial printer, you should seriously consider hiring a professional designer. You can buy the software and fonts yourself, but there’s no software that can advise you against un-printable or extremely expensive design solutions. The software doesn’t know whether you’ll be producing large-format output; using offset printing, digital printing, or letterpress; or how much money your design decisions will cost you at a commercial printer.

With that warning, here are some things to consider if you do decide to brave the expensive and ever-changing world of print design

• Choosing a platform
• Fonts
• Software
• Images
• Ink
• Paper
• University rules for ordering printing
• Writing specifications for print bids
• Preparing files for a commercial printer
• Additional resources for designers

Answering your questions

Creative Services and local printers and designers.

Printers surveyed: University of Illinois Printing Services, Printec Press, Edward Hines, and Original Smith (all offset printers), Dixon graphics (digital printing and graphic design), and Dean’s Superior Blueprint (large-format printing and digital-output service bureau).

Another great source of information is the University & College Designers Association Listserv. You have to sign up, but it’s free.