Creating a Tri-fold Brochure with Adobe InDesign
About 2 min read
Creating an 11 X 17 inch tri-fold brochure with Adobe InDesign starts with defining the specifications for the brochure. Then you use those specifications in the New Document dialog box. Next, you set up your text boxes within the document. Finally, you enter your content.
Questions you may have include:
- What are the specifications for the brochure?
- How do you create the new document?
- How do you enter the text boxes?
This lesson will answer those questions.
Specifications
You should always define your specifications before creating a new document.
- The brochure is 17 inches wide by 11 inches high
- It has a 0.5 in margin all around
- There are three columns in the tri-fold, each 4.75 in. wide
- The gutter between the columns is 0.875 in.
Total: 4.75 + 0.875 + 4.75 + 0.875 + 4.75 = 17 inches.
Parts of columns 1 and 2 are also split into two sub-columns 2.125 inch wide and separated by 0.5 inch. These are entered as text boxes.
Create new document
To create a new document, select File > New > Document.
New Document dialog box
The New Document dialog box displays. Set the Page Size to Tabloid, Orientation to Landscape and the other items according to the specification.
Click OK to create new document.
Set grid
The document displays. Select View > Grids & Guides > Show Document Grid.
Your preferences for the Document Grid can be set from Edit > Preferences > Grids. They should be set at Gridline Every: 1 in and Subdivisions: 8 to have the brochure parts lined to grids. The main lines are then 1 inch apart and the dub-lines are 1/8 inch or 0.125 in. apart.
Enter text boxes
To enter text boxes, click on the Text tool icon on the side panel.
Then click in the area within the brochure where you want a text box and drag the text curser to outline the box.
You can make exact adjustments of your text boxes by entering values in the X, Y, W and H indicators in the upper menu.
Then you can start to enter your text.
Summary
To make an 11 X 17 inch tri-fold brochure with Adobe InDesign, you first define the specifications for the brochure, then you create the new document, next you set up your text boxes and finally, you enter your content.
Be methodical in your approach