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Designing an Invitation
Today we'll make a small invitation, the sort of thing you'd have for a party.
We are going to first practise using a graphic and text you've already saved. Later you can use a clip art image, or use Draw or Paint to produce your own picture.
So first write details like this example in a word processor and save them as plain text (as text, or rtf format):
Party Invitation
No14 Albert Road
Arrive 10 am Saturday 29th February.
Bring suitable kit for rounders, football and tennis.
Reply to Jo on 842162
Most dtp programs use frames to show where the pictures and the text go. Some allow you to place text and graphics anywhere on the page. Make sure you known how your dtp program allows you to place text and graphics.
Set up your page making it A4 in size, "portrait" or "tall" in shape (not "landscape" or "wide") and approximately a 20cm margin all round.
Most pages are set as A4 because that's the
standard paper size. However A4 will be too large for an invitation
so we'll divide the page in two. We must divide the top and bottom
halves allowing a suitable margin. Many programs have rulers
and guides which do not print but show on the screen. Use these
if you have them . If not, draw an A5 box with margins and copy
it so you have a top and a bottom card with equal margins all
round.
We'll work on the top box then at the last
moment we'll copy the top to the bottom to give us two cards.
If your program is frame based, draw one picture frame
and two text frames:
Now save your file.
Next we import the text (the invitation details) and graphics (the sandwich from lesson 7) you saved earlier. Although the text for this invitation is very short, it's good practice to import it from a word processor.
Your dtp program may let you bring in text and graphics in one of several ways:
- the Edit menu may have a "place" command,
- there may be an "Insert" menu,
- you may be able to simply drag the closed text file to the dtp page,
- you could copy the original drawing and paste it to the new page.
Now we need to make the text more attractive.
Using the skills you learned in Lesson
2 select the text, choose suitable fonts, an appropriate
text size until the message is clear. Don't use spaces to move
the text around, do choose text align (left, right or centre).
You might move your picture frame or move the picture within
the frame to make sure it doesn't clash with the text.
When you're happy with the design, copy and paste it to the bottom box and print it, preferably on card, cutting the sheet into two A5 cards.
Notes:
Make sure your printer will take card before printing on card. This can damage a printer or at least may need adjustment.
Replace your sandwich picture with a clip art graphic if it is more suitable.
Black and white printing can be disappointing so if you want a colour invitation but have no colour printer, keep the textured fill to a minimum and be prepared to colour it by hand.
If you used a border around the invitation at the beginning don't forget to delete it before printing. It is very difficult to get a precise border around a picture or a card when you have to cut the card and the card will usually come out looking lopsided. Use very thin hairlines instead to show where to cut.