Typography, which describes how type is formatted and arranged on a layout, is an essential building block of graphic design. Make sure to check out these InDesign beginner’s tutorials to get a flavor of the software. Learn how to get started with InDesign here.

The interfaces of InDesign and other design-specialist software can seem a little intimidating at first, but once you know a little more about the basics-such as tools and panels-it’s easy to get the ball running. Digital designers might also use InDesign, but they may prefer the arguably more digital-friendly capabilities of Photoshop or Illustrator. For most print designers, this will be InDesign, which is perfectly suited for print work. You’ll find that designers’ preferences for software vary, but generally each designer has their own favorite program which they use on a daily basis. You can learn more about the difference between design programs, and how to make the best choice for your own needs here. Illustrator is used to create vector graphics, such as illustrations and logos. Designers use Photoshop to edit photos or largely raster image-based layouts.

InDesign is a publishing program, tailored for creating layouts and multi-page documents, such as posters, magazines and flyers. The core trio is Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Although there are some good free alternatives available, most professional designers will use Adobe software.

Indesign for dummies