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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781841508528 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Intellect Books |
| Publication date: | 01/01/1997 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 194 |
| File size: | 7 MB |
Read an Excerpt
Digital Design Using
QuarkXPress 4
By Paul Honeywill, Tony Lockhart
Intellect Ltd
Copyright © 1997 Paul Honeywill and Tony LockhartAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-84150-852-8
CHAPTER 1
You, Intuition and the QuarkXPress Interface
Before beginning any class I've always found it useful for the student to understand how QuarkXPress describes the computer interface as a working graphic studio, and then position the student in relation to the computer and design. Learning software on its own is insufficient, and QuarkXPress training tends to be confined to program learning. Program understanding comes from your knowledge of the metaphor that the computer uses to describe the real world. If you, as a student, understand the logic of the metaphor and its functions, you are then equipped to self-learn, develop and exploit the nature of digital design.
When acquiring new knowledge, such as QuarkXPress, it is always best to understand the real world metaphor that the software uses to describe the tools and techniques that a graphic designer would use.
* * *
Volume low.
* * *
Volume high.
You understand the metaphor that the volume control uses to describe the real world, when you adjust the volume control this is exactly what you expect learning to use QuarkXPress is no different.
You learn to navigate through the real world by recognising representational symbols that describe objects, and the actions that you should take as a consequence. With a computer you are able to adjust the sound level with relative ease. The graphic representation of volume control is familiar; an unfamiliar image would not enable you to understand its function. Learning to use QuarkXPress is no different. By unpacking and understanding these processes you should be able to familiarise yourself each time QuarkXPress is upgraded or undergoes a major redesign of its interface and functions.
By doing so you can extend this approach and apply this method to any program, such as MacroMedia Director or Photoshop. This introductory chapter could be used for any program which has been written to operate in a windows environment for either Macintosh or PC. Therefore, what is important is your understanding of what the action words mean and how the desktop metaphor of noun and verb functions. When using Photoshop a photographer wouldunderstand the actions of a Noise Filter for Despeckling or altering the radius of the Median. A graphic designer will understand the language of typography used as the action verbs within QuarkXPress, such as track (overall space between letters and words) and kern (individual space between letters). Also, the nature of design using a computer allows you to reflect upon human perception, which tends to be altered through new possibilities that the digital capability of a computer can offer. By exploring the potential of design using computers, new opportunities can be established. There are three distinct parts to effectively using QuarkXPress as a tool:
The Computer You
• The QuarkXPress object/action computerinterface as a metaphor for working in a graphic design studio.
• Knowledge of design, its principles and its terminology.
• Objective reflection upon elements of design that remain constant, and what elements of design can be exploited using a computer.
It is assumed you know how to operate a Macintosh or Windows computer and are conversant with clicking and dragging, Open and Save dialogue boxes and so on. If not, you are advised to take time out to learn these basics after reading this chapter and before beginning the QuarkXPress tutorial in Chapter 2. Understanding the desktop metaphor encourages learning of these new opportunities through familiarity. Pointing and selecting becomes inseparable from the desktop assumption that people are inquisitive, they want to learn, especially if the environment appears recognisable and engaging. With QuarkXPress the design studio metaphor creates an interface that allows you to use the tools of graphic design. To operate the computer you look for objects that are familiar, these objects suggest their function – language and description of functionality needs only to be approximate and not exact.
The developers of QuarkXPress know the importance of an intuitive interface. This is reflected in any upgrades or major redesigns of the program. By understanding this, you can self-learn.
The Interface as a Metaphor for the Real World
The successful operating of a computer owes much to the rules of Isotype (International System Of TYpographic Picture Education). The important factor for computer interaction is the collaboration between Neurath and Ogden, who was the inventor of Basic English (British American Scientific International Commercial). Ogden had asked Neurath to publish an outline of his visual language; Neurath (1936) agreed if Ogden also allowed Basic to be combined with Isotype in an additional book, Basic by Isotype. Ogdens Basic English contained 850 core words which were mainly nouns or verbs.
Neurath, O. 1936 Basic by Isotype, Psyche Miniatures General series, Kegan Paul
These two fundamental paradigms of object and action are central to the computer desktop metaphor. The decision to publish an explanation of Isotype and a version underpinned by selective language is crucial to the systems understanding and adoption for other uses. The introduction of the 1980 facsimile International picture language/Internationale Bildersprache, cites instructions for telephone systems, traffic signs and so on. It was not until January 1983 that the concept of icons as a plausible interface between user and computer was made possible with the development and launch of the Apple Lisa by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.
Neurath, O. 1980 International picture language/Internationale Bildersprache, A facsimile reprint of the (1936) English edition, Psyche Miniatures General series, Kegan Paul, Department of Typography & Graphic communication, university of Reading. Forward by Robin Kinross
Before the development of an intuitive interface all human computer interaction was through command-line instructions. This required a high level of computer understanding – computers were for computing and not for ordinary working tasks. Many graphic communication systems have evolved from the Isotype/Basic method, and it is only natural that the Apple Lisa developed the object/action interface. Learning complex Boolean logic was no longer required to operate a computer. People with real needs could now execute complex code sequences without the need to recall correct command-lines. For the PC, the metaphor was not truly complete until the introduction of Windows 95. Both Macintosh and PC operating systems have now become indistinguishable from each other – the interface metaphor is complete. Once QuarkXPress has been launched on either platform there is little or no difference.
However, it was the Macintosh operating system that set the standards for computing as we now know it. Apple's (1987) Human Interface Guidelines: The Apple Desktop Interface, states that objects and their actions which combine representational image and language operation, allows the user to 'rely on recognition, not recall; they shouldn't have to remember anything a computer already knows'. Human computer interaction could now happen through an intuitive interface that iconically represented familiar objects found in the real world. The computer could now do real work for ordinary needs. QuarkXPress operates within this metaphor – tools such as the Bézier tool (French curves) can be found in the real world and designers use the same tools in a studio to draw uneven curves.
Neurath perceived Isotype as a helping visual language underpinned with key basic words. Visual language alone is insufficient because representational meaning can only be approximate, therefore, like Isotype/Basic, each object on the computer desktop is named. However, written words become redundant if the user is unfamiliar with the language. Yet a system where images are representational would allow the userto become familiar with their own basic word usage that underpins the picture. Neurath explains that 'a man coming into a strange country without knowledge of the language is uncertain where to get his ticket at the station or the harbour, where to put his boxes, how to make use of the telephone in the telephone box, where to go in the post office. But if he sees pictures by the side of strange words, they will put him on the right way'. Therefore, for the first-time user the clue to functionality within QuarkXPress is suggested through iconic representation. Pull-down menus contain written language, as a metaphor they share no resemblance with their restaurant counterpart. They provide the choice of action after the object has been chosen. The menu as metaphor allows you to 'pull-down' menus and to browse these actions.
Action (Verb) as Basic language
Concrete metaphors.
This consistent approach has been uniformly adopted for the development of programs for the PC, by learning one application you already know how other applications will be controlled. You are only hindered by your understanding of basic word terminology. The menu bar remains consistent between programs – File and Edit become stable actions located to the top of the bar, further actions become specific to the program. At all times you have a familiar reference point. Navigation on the desktop becomes icon selection and the available Basic word action. You are denied nonapplicable actions within QuarkXPress, the Basic text becomes 'greyed-out', you retain control guided by the computer interface. Computer navigation within QuarkXPress expands the primary desktop metaphor encouraging you to 'see-and-point' highlighting the object, and then finally action. After the noun/verb relationship has been learned, advanced interaction can be through the preprogrammed keyboard shortcut commands.
The Apple Programmer's Introduction to the Apple IIGS reminds the programmer of the importance of graphic images. It returns your attention to the human interface guideline and states that 'objects on screens should be simple and clear, and they should have visual fidelity (that is, they should look like what they represent). Use familiar, concrete metaphors to represent aspects of the computer and program. The desktop is the primary metaphor in the Apple Desktop interface'. Regardless of the underlying code, if any part of the two fundamental paradigms of recognition and action are not underpinned by concrete metaphors and Basic language, accessibility becomes difficult.
Apple, 1988 Apple Programmer's Introduction to the Apple IIGS, Addison-Wesley
Central to the Isotype philosophy is the belief that images reduced to a common representation have greater effect than mere words – 'pictures make connections'. A combination of image refinement and the assumption that people are inquisitive, aids intuition and creates a human computer interface that is centred on you. However, interface designers recognise that human activity is complex and that many factors are still unknown, but the major difference is the recognition that people want to achieve tasks without the need to understand navigation through exact command-lines, 'specially at the first stage of getting new knowledge'. By doing this you are breaking free from perceived conventions and exploring the potential of QuarkXPress for yourself.
Launching QuarkXPress
From this point it is assumed that you have QuarkXPress installed on your computer. If not follow the installation guide which came with your copy of QuarkXPress. When ready, launch the application in the usual way. You will find that if you approach the use of QuarkXPress as a metaphor for the design studio, learning will become intuitive. As Apple points out, when you point, drag or click on objects within the interface you are saying to QuarkXPress, 'hey, you – do this'.
CHAPTER 2Section 1
Using QuarkXPress: The Document Layout
Setting Preferences
Throughout this course you will be asked to follow step-by-step instructions. Particular measurements and settings will be suggested, they are not crucial, you may insert whatever settings you wish. However, it is important you follow the steps in order to fully understand what is happening. Having completed the steps you should then experiment until you feel comfortable with what you were shown before progressing to the next section. Keyboard commands are shown in brackets.
The object is not just to get to the end of the book in a certain time period. Teaching QuarkXPress to a beginner on a one a one-to-one basis would, on average, take 3 to 4 days. Set your own pace, proceed to the next section only when you are comfortable with what you have learned.
Before creating a new document, you should set your personal Preferences. Preferences (which exist for all programs) are changes you make to the way a program operates in default mode. When you first install QuarkXPress, Preferences are set at the factory default. For example, each time you create a new document and enter text into it, the default font may be Helvetica 12 pt, but by setting personal Preferences you can change the font and size and that then becomes the default.
For future reference, when opening an existing QuarkXPress document, a dialog box may appear asking if you wish to change the document to the Preferences being used by the version of QuarkXPress on your computer or to Keep Document Settings. It is advisable to choose the latter to prevent the text from reflowing .
Preferences you set when there are no documents open become the default for all future new documents. Preferences set when there is an open document become the default for that document only.
Some Preferences can be quite complicated. If another user has made several changes which would take more time and effort to reset than you have to spare, it may be easier to delete the old Preferences entirely and return to the factory defaults. If you wish to do this, quit QuarkXPress, find the QuarkXPress folder and drag QuarkXPress Preferences to the wastebasket then relaunch the application. A new Preferences file is automatically created based on the factory default which contains standard settings for general typography.
Some Preference dialog boxes can be a little daunting when first encountered and the last thing we would wish to do is to put you off the tutorial by being overly technical at this stage. However, many Preferences are highly important and unavoidable. Therefore, it will be of considerable help to you if, as and when you feel more comfortable with QuarkXPress, you take some extra time to study the contents of these dialog boxes.
1. Choose Preferences from the Edit menu and pull across to Document. A dialog box appears.
General Preferences for Documents.
You will encounter many features which have a small box next to them (such as Greek Below etc. in this dialog). These features are activated when t h e re is a cross (Mac) or tick (PC) in the box. One click turns the feature on/off. Don't change anything until you know what they do.
The small triangles displayed contain menus. Use these menus to make settings in dialog boxes and/or main menus. This is a common feature of most computer programs, not just QuarkXPress.
The dialog box contains a series of tab labels across the top which allow you to set Preferences for a variety of features simultaneously. Don't try to absorb all of the information in them just yet, they will make little sense. All you will change at this time is Measure, Guides and Auto Page Insertion. Check out the other settings as and when required.
2. You make settings in dialog boxes in one of two ways; either by typing or selecting from hidden menus. It will be obvious which is the correct way. Using the appropriate method (in this case menus) set the Horizontal and Vertical Measure to millimetres. Millimetres will be used throughout the tutorial, however you may use your own preferred unit if you wish, it will not adversely affect your learning.
3. Turn Auto Page Insertion OFF. This will prevent pages being added to our document that you don't need just yet.
4. Set Guides to 'In Front'. This will prevent the page guides from being hidden behind text or picture boxes. There will be more details on this dialog box later. Click OK.
To Create a New Document
1. Choose New from the File menu and pull across to Document. You should now be viewing the New Document dialog box shown below, reading anti-clockwise from the top-left it contains the following sections.
2. The Page Size. This is where you set the size of the actual trimmed page area. Set it to A4 letter. (210 x 297 mm) You also choose whether your page will be Portrait (upright) or Landscape (sideways) in shape; by clicking the appropriate icon, for the purpose of this tutorial, choose Portrait.
3. Column Guides. Set 2 columns and set the Gutter Width (the space between each column) to 6 mm.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Digital Design Using by Paul Honeywill, Tony Lockhart. Copyright © 1997 Paul Honeywill and Tony Lockhart. Excerpted by permission of Intellect Ltd.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Preface,Chapter 1 You, Intuition and the QuarkXPress Interface,
2 Using QuarkXPress:,
The Document Layout,
The Toolbox,
Text,
Pictures,
Long Documents,
Colour,
Special Effects,
Printing,
3 You, Design and Working with QuarkXPress,
4 Structuring a Document,
5 Using Elements (Items) within a Document,
6 Using Digital Type within QuarkXPress,
7 When your Document leaves the Desktop,
Index,