Hello again from reflexblue! If you’ve already mastered the basics of InDesign and are ready to step up your game, this blog is for you. These intermediate tips will help you create more dynamic, polished designs while saving time and exploring new creative possibilities. Let’s dive into five tips that’ll level up your InDesign skills!
Wrapping Text Around Objects
Make your layouts more visually engaging by wrapping text around images or objects. The Text Wrap feature allows you to flow text naturally around shapes, giving your design a polished, professional look. Simply select the object or image, open the Text Wrap panel (Window > Text Wrap), and choose a wrap style – like wrapping around the object’s bounding box or its precise shape.
For added control, adjust the spacing between the object and the text using the Offset settings. This feature is ideal for magazine spreads, brochures, and any design where you want to integrate text and visuals seamlessly. Experiment with different shapes and spacing to add depth and interest to your layouts.
Generative Expand and Fill with AI
Got an image that doesn’t quite fit your design? InDesign’s integration with AI tools for generative expand or fill can help you out. These features allow you to expand an image or fill empty spaces creatively using AI-generated content. It’s perfect for enhancing a cropped image or creating seamless backgrounds.
To use this feature, right-click an image in your design and select Generative Expand or Generative Fill (availability depends on your version of InDesign). You’ll be amazed at how AI can extend your image while maintaining its style and context. This is a fantastic tool for creating full-bleed designs or filling awkward gaps with professional flair.
Create Grids for Mood Boards
If you’re building a mood board or working with multiple images, the hidden grid feature is a game-changer. Instead of manually creating boxes and placing each image, let InDesign do the hard work for you. Go to File > Place and select the images you want to use. Then, click and drag on your page to create a box. While holding the mouse button, press the left and right arrow keys to create a grid. Release the mouse, and your images will be placed automatically.
For a polished finish, use the Content-Aware Fit feature to ensure your images fill each box perfectly. This trick saves time and is perfect for presentations, portfolios, or any project where you need a clean, organised layout for multiple visuals.
Interactive PDFs
Take your PDFs to the next level by making them interactive. Using the Hyperlinks panel (Window > Interactive > Hyperlinks), you can link text, buttons, or images to other pages within the document or even external websites. This is especially useful for creating digital brochures, catalogues, or proposals.
For example, you can link a table of contents to the corresponding sections of your document or create clickable buttons that navigate to specific pages. Interactive PDFs are a great way to enhance the user experience and add functionality to your designs, making them more dynamic and engaging.
Extracting Colours with the Colour Theme Tool
Need a cohesive colour palette? The Colour Theme tool makes it easy to extract colours from images and use them throughout your design. Simply select the tool (Window > Colour > Colour Theme), click on an image, and InDesign will generate a palette of harmonious colours based on the image.
From here, you can save the palette to your Swatches for future use. This is perfect for branding projects or any design where you want your colours to complement your visuals seamlessly. It’s a small detail that can make a big impact on the overall cohesiveness of your work.
We hope these tips inspire you to explore more advanced features in Adobe InDesign and take your designs to new heights! Got an intermediate-level tip you love? Share it with us—we’d love to hear from you. Stay creative!
