SPD.ORG: Student Outreach

Shortcuts to Success: One Step Scaling

Sure, there are huge lists of InDesign keyboard shortcuts out there, but are you going to sit down and memorize them all? We're here to help you learn some handy new ones, one by one, making it easier to add them to your mental list. Each week, we'll highlight a different shortcut to help you work faster, better and smarter.

SPD-U SHORTCUT OF THE WEEK

Proportionately Scale both Container and Content

command + shift + drag bounding box handle

Every graphic placed in InDesign has two parts: a graphic frame, which is the container, and the placed image file, which is the content. Making them bigger and smaller is a big part of doing a layout, but working with each part individually takes more time than it needs to. To proportionately scale the content and container together, while holding down the command and shift keys, click hold and drag a handle of the bounding box with the Selection Tool (black arrow).

HOT TIP: This works with text and text frames, too.

PS: If you haven't done it yet, download a free poster with our first 25 Shortcuts to Success!

Got a favorite keyboard shortcut you'd like to share with everyone? Email it to us at spdstudentoutreach@gmail.com and we'll include it in our series, along with your own commentary if you'd like.

This week's shortcut brought to you by Joseph Caserto.

Tips and Tricks

06.06.13posted by
Student Editors

Shortcuts to Success: Flipping for Ruler Guides

Sure, there are huge lists of InDesign keyboard shortcuts out there, but are you going to sit down and memorize them all? We're here to help you learn some handy new ones, one by one, making it easier to add them to your mental list. Each week, we'll highlight a different shortcut to help you work faster, better and smarter.

SPD-U SHORTCUT OF THE WEEK

Change Orientation of a New Ruler Guide

option + drag guide

You probably know that you can make a new guide by clicking holding and dragging on one of the rulers, but did you know that as you do it, you can quickly convert a horizontal guide to a vertical one, and vice versa? To switch the orientation of a new ruler guide as you create it, hold down the option key while dragging it out.

HOT TIP: Check out our shortcut from January 2013 to see how to quickly show and hide your rulers.

PS: If you haven't done it yet, download a free poster with our first 25 Shortcuts to Success!

Got a favorite keyboard shortcut you'd like to share with everyone? Email it to us at spdstudentoutreach@gmail.com and we'll include it in our series, along with your own commentary if you'd like.

This week's shortcut brought to you by Joseph Caserto.

New Work: Student Publications

06.05.13posted by
Student Editors

Call for Submissions: Student Publications

Our SPD-U Spotlight is now officially closed to entries, but if you have work from your campus magazine, newspaper, yearbook or other official student publication, we'd love to consider featuring it in our "New Work: Student Publications" blog series (like we did with last year's Inside magazine from Indiana University and SMH Magazine from NYC College of Technology).

Much like the "New Work" series over on the main SPD homepage which features the most recent work from professionals, this student version of the series highlights what your campus publications have been up to.

If you think your publication is worthy of recognition, then send us samples and tell us the backstory (check out our previous entries for examples on what to write). Magazines, yearbooks, newspapers, zines, literary journals, newsletters ... if it's an official student publication, we want to see it and hear about it! There's no deadline as this is an ongoing series, but the work does need to have been published within the past few months.

Please reduce your layout images to no larger than 1200 pixels wide, and don't forget to include all relevant credits and a little background about the publication. Send submissions or questions to spdstudentoutreach@gmail.com.

(Even if you entered the work in our SPD-U Spotlight, you can still submit it to this blog series.)

(Disclaimer: We cannot guarantee that your publication will be featured.)

SPD-U Spotlight

06.03.13posted by
Student Editors

SPD-U Spotlight: Deadline Extended till Wednesday!

As you know with our Student Design Competition, we NEVER extend our deadline. But between all the graduations and internship-finding and summer plans, it sure seems like summer's flying by without enough time to do anything! So we're giving you a bit MORE TIME to enter our SPD-U Spotlight ...

The Extended Deadline is now WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5 AT NOON (EST).

So if you're having trouble tracking down your professor or getting your files together, you get a little more time. Download the Call for Entries here and see all the frequently-asked-questions here.

Questions? Email us at SPDUspotlight@gmail.com.

SPD-U Spotlight

05.31.13posted by
Student Editors

SPD-U Spotlight Q&A: What qualifies as "editorial design"?

I want to enter an annual report I designed in your SPD-U Spotlight ... would that be considered "editorial design" or is it only for magazine design?

Yes, annual reports are definitely editorial design and therefore are totally eligible for our Spotlight show. So are newspapers, newsletters, book projects, zines, catalogs, brochures, and of course magazines as well ... anything that has editorial content is totally eligible and we want to see it!

Remember, the deadline is THIS MONDAY, by 5pm EST. You can enter up to 3 pieces that you created as a student anytime since January 2012, and it's totally FREE to enter. So send us your work now!!

See other Frequently Asked Questions here or email us at SPDUspotlight@gmail.com if you have other questions. And then download the Call for Entries here.

Good luck!!

Tips and Tricks

05.30.13posted by
Student Editors

Shortcuts to Success: Dollars and Cents

Sure, there are huge lists of InDesign keyboard shortcuts out there, but are you going to sit down and memorize them all? We're here to help you learn some handy new ones, one by one, making it easier to add them to your mental list. Each week, we'll highlight a different shortcut to help you work faster, better and smarter.

SPD-U SHORTCUT OF THE WEEK

The Cents Sign

option + 4

Many of us write prices that include cents as $0.25 for the simple reason that we don't know how to access the cents sign. In fact, each font has a version of it that was created specifically by the type designer. Type option + 4 to insert the cents sign.

HOT TIP: This is a Mac OS shortcut, so it will work in any application.

DID YOU KNOW? The c in the sign stands for cents, and the line through it is to distinguish the currency symbol from the letter c in the regular alphabet.

PS: If you haven't done it yet, download a free poster with our first 25 Shortcuts to Success!

Got a favorite keyboard shortcut you'd like to share with everyone? Email it to us at spdstudentoutreach@gmail.com and we'll include it in our series, along with your own commentary if you'd like.

This week's shortcut brought to you by Joseph Caserto.

SPD-U Spotlight

05.28.13posted by
Student Editors

SPD-U Spotlight Q&A: What If I've Graduated?

I'd love to enter the SPD-U Spotlight gallery show, but I just graduated ... can I still enter even if I'm no longer a student?

YES!!! As long as you produced the work while you were a student, you can enter regardless of your current status. And we're accepting any work done from January 2012 through now. So even if you graduated last year, you can still enter work that you did during your final days as a student.

You do have to get an instructor to sign off on your submissions, so be sure to gather your stuff together with enough time to get that approval.

Can't wait to see your work! Get all the submission details here and remember the deadline is THIS MONDAY, June 3rd!

SPD-U Spotlight

05.23.13posted by
Student Editors