Los Angeles InDesign User Group

Regular Meeting

 

 

Size Matters! Measurements in InDesign for Print, ePub and Web

 

Thursday, May 19, 2016

7-10 p.m.

InMotion Hosting

6100 Center Dr. #1190, Los Angeles, California 90045

Opposite The Promenade at Howard Hughes Center

 

 

Research shows that a lot of designers still believe the myth that images for the web must be 72 ppi and that anything going to print must be 300 ppi. Further, few understand the peculiar way that the Adobe apps handle points vs. pixels-per-inch on output, or what is the best practice scale and resolution for a 10x30 foot vinyl when full scale is too big for InDesign Photoshop or Acrobat. Do you know the difference between ppi and dpi? Do you understand the different requirements among traditional line screen, stochastic screening and digital printing?

 

This LAIDUG meeting is a brush up on resolution and the measurement considerations one must deal with while working in InDesign (or its sister applications).

 

You will learn:

  • Units of measurement defaults, and the ones you should change right now!
  • Which units work best for which projects?
  • The three different meanings of “resolution” and why using the wrong one can mess you up.
  • The differences between “ppi,” “dpi” and “lpi.” What they mean. Why you have to know them.
  • What you see isn’t always what you get. Screen resolution vs. actual resolution, and why PDF can make you crazy.
  • “Effective” resolution and “Actual” resolution—what they are, why they matter, and some workflow tips to speed up your layout work.
  • Print vs. Web—two different mindsets.
  • The Great Myth of 72 ppi.
  • When to punt to InDesign’s best plugin: Photoshop.
  • The Great Gotcha: Points vs. Pixels when exporting from InDesign.
  • Megabytes vs megapixels: Why asking for a “high res photo” isn’t enough.
  • What does “divide by 8” have to do with the quality of a jpeg?
  • To upsample or not to upsample? Tips on handling undersized images.
  • Why working at 100% scale can slow you down, even when the document “fits” in InDesign.
  • Working to scale, and how to calculate it.
  • Small vs. large formats. How to avoid shooting yourself in the foot.
  • Electronic billboards and displays.
  • Choosing the right PDF output for a project.
  • Checking resolution with Preflight.

 

Bonus: Get a primer on image best practices for the most popular social media sites

 

 

About the Presenter

 

Alan Gilbertson is an independent (Scots by birth, independence is in the blood) creative director and designer living in Los Angeles. Specialties are visual branding, identity programs and large format (indoor, outdoor and illuminated), across all media. His first love is book design, which he never gets tired of, closely followed by Creative Suite workflow efficiency, with which he is mildly obsessed. Besides this blog, you can find him on InDesign Secrets, graphicdesign.stackexchange.com, Behance, CreativePro.com, various Adobe forums and a sprinkling of social media sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter (@gngcreative) and Google+ (+AlanGilbertson), sharing hard-won experience with other designers about Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator and other apps in the Adobe Creative Suite. He can be reached at G&G Creative, 818-792 2166 or alan@gngcreative.com.

 

 

Facility, Refreshments and Parking

 

The meeting is being hosted by InMotion Hosting which is in the business of hosting websites. Not only are they providing space for our meeting—in their 11th floor offices with big windows overlooking the city—but they are also providing refreshments. Last time it was pizza. We're not sure what they have in store for us this time but it's sure to be top notch.

 

You can park up to 4 hours for a $3 flat rate at The Promenade shopping center across the street from the meeting location. After you park, walk across the street to 6100 Center Dr. If you park in the 6100 Center Dr. lots where the meeting is being held, you'll pay $1.50 for each 15 minutes.

 

 

Farthest Attendee

 

The person who travels the farthest specifically to attend the meeting will receive her or his choice of any one deal at MightyDeals up to $50.00. You  need to prove to us that you traveled farthest to attend this meeting. Having recently moved to the area from somewhere else won't cut it. Be prepared to show us indication of your current residence—perhaps a driver's license or a utility bill. Decision of the administrators of the Los Angeles InDesign User Group is final.

 

 

Raffles

 

 

 

 

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