Professional Training

Who should attend

This one-day foundation level QuarkXPress training course is designed for new users who wish to learn QuarkXPress and who have little or no previous experience of QuarkXPress or desktop publishing.

Course Objectives

The course aims to provide an understanding of the core functionality of QuarkXPress, which you will use as a foundation to create basic print publications, such as brochures, newsletters, business cards and advertisements, and on which to build additional skills, such as creating Apps; Web Layouts with interactive functionality; e-Books; or longer print layouts such as books or manuals.

Understanding the user interface

The QuarkXPress Toolbox
The Measurements Palette
Setting QuarkXPress Application and Layout Preferences
The Pasteboard
Keyboard shortcuts

Creating, opening and saving project layouts

What is a QuarkXPress Project?
Working in Single Layout Mode
Managing Multiple Layouts in a Project
QuarkXPress Layout Setup
Setting up the Master Pages
Automatic Page Numbering
Saving your Work
Retrieving (Opening) Projects
Adding Running Headers and Footers

Working with graphics

Importing Pictures and adding other Graphic Elements (boxes, lines, circles, starbursts)
Adding Picture Boxes
Modifying Picture Boxes
Understanding the Difference between pixel-based (bitmap) and Vector Graphics
Maintaining Image Quality – Avoiding the “Jaggies”
Using Rectangular, Elliptical and Polygonal Boxes as containers for pictures
Cropping, Sizing & Scaling Images
Fitting Pictures to Boxes
Wrapping Text Around Boxes & Graphics
Moving & Transforming Boxes & Graphics
Reshaping Boxes
Framing Boxes (borders)

Formatting and editing text

Adding Type to a Page with the Type Content Tool
Importing Text created in other applications into a QuarkXPress Layout
Formatting & Editing Text (continued)
Modifying Text Box Attributes
Formatting Text
Spell Checking, Search & Replace
Linking and Unlinking Text Boxes
Setting Tabs
Drop Caps and Bullets

Colour issues

Understanding Colour Models: CMYK, RGB, Pantone, etc
Applying, Editing and Creating Colours
Using Pantone and Other Spot Colour Matching Standards
Converting Spot Colours to Process CMYK Colours
Working with the Colours Palette
Adding Colour Blends

Printing and typesetting terminology explained

Choosing and Using Typefaces Effectively
Understanding Leading, Kerning, Tracking etc.
Typesetting for maximum readability

Working with tables

Inserting a Table in a QuarkXPress Layout
Adding Text to a Table
Adding Pictures to a Table
Formatting Text in Tables
Merging & Splitting Table Cells
Inserting/Deleting Rows & Columns
Setting the Grid & Border Properties

Printing and output

Print Options
Send a Document to an External Print Provider using Collect for Output
PDF Output Options
Some Common Output Problems explained – Missing Fonts and Missing/Modified Pictures