Adobe InDesign CS5 Illustrated Unit C: Working with Objects Objectives Upon completion of this unit, you should be able to: Work with smart guides Create an object Transform an object Arrange and lock an object Step and repeat an object Use Live Distribute Use the Align panel Modify corners and strokes Working with Smart Guides Smart guides: Appear automatically as you position objects on a page Visual clues that let you know when the object you are positioning is touching: A side of an object The center of another object A margin guide The center of the page Smart Guides command must be selected Working with Smart Guides Figure C-1: Viewing the smart guide Working with Smart Guides Figure C-2: Pink smart guide Working with Smart Guides Figure C-3: Viewing horizontal and vertical smart guides Creating an Object Shapes: Add visual interest to a document Serve as a background for text Tools for creating shapes: Rectangle, Ellipse, and Polygon tools To select a shape tool: Click and hold down the mouse button on the tool on the Tools panel Select the shape tool you want to use Creating an Object With a shape tool selected: Shapes can be created manually by dragging in the document Or click in the document to open the shapes dialog box and define its settings Swatches panel: Used to add color to the fill and stroke (border) of your shape Stroke panel: Used to change the weight (thickness) and style of the stroke Creating an Object Figure C-4: Creating a rectangle Creating an Object Figure C-5: Rectangle with orange fill color When you transform something you change its appearance Transform commands include: Move, Scale, Rotate, Shear, and Flip Objects can also be transformed using the Transform panel or Control panel Width, height, and location Transforming an Object Objects are transformed from a reference point Point of origin: point of the object that remains fixed during the transformation Transform Again command Used to repeat the same transformation to an object Transforming an Object Figure C-6: Identifying the reference point Transforming an Object Figure C-7: Aligning the rectangle with the upper-left corner of the page Arranging and Locking an Object InDesign objects: Vertically stacked: Bottom to top in the order created or placed Arrange commands: On the Object menu Used to change vertical order Locking objects: Ensures its location will not be disrupted Easier to select an item on top of a locked item Arranging and Locking an Object Figure C-8: Moving the rectangle to the back Arranging and Locking an Object Figure C-9: Locking the orange rectangle Stepping and Repeating an Object Step and Repeat feature: Quick solution for creating multiple identical objects spaced evenly Select object or objects to duplicate Enter the number of objects to create Enter the vertical and/or horizontal offset: how far copies will be offset from the original Group the objects: select two or more objects and make them into one selectable object by clicking Group on the Object menu Stepping and Repeating an Object Figure C-10: Location for creating rectangle Stepping and Repeating an Object Figure C-11: Step and Repeat dialog box Stepping and Repeating an Object Figure C-12: A simple pattern created using Step and Repeat Using Live Distribute Distribute objects: Place equal space between three or more objects Options: Align panel: Distribute objects using a specific value Live Distribute feature: Manually distribute objects until you achieve an exact result Using Live Distribute Figure C-13: Selecting the three groups Figure C-14: Locating the resize pointer Figure C-15: Creating a new pattern Using the Align Panel Aligning objects: Position one or more selected objects in relation to: Each other: by their edges or center points The margins of a document Boundaries of the page or spread Command is located on the Align panel Using the Align Panel Figure C-16: Positioning the pattern Figure C-17: Duplicating the pattern Using the Align Panel Figure C-18: Aligning three objects by their top edges Modifying Corners and Strokes Corner Options dialog box: Offers five types of corners (e.g., Rounded and Beveled) Setting can be previewed before closing the dialog box To better see changes made to corners a thick stroke is recommended Change stroke weight on the Stroke panel Modifying Corners and Strokes Figure C-19: Applying a 4-point stroke Modifying Corners and Strokes Figure C-20: Corner Options dialog box Modifying Corners and Strokes Figure C-21: Completed project