Goodwill Community Foundation creating
opportunities for a better life business
cards
newsletters invitations brochures
whenever I need something printed that's
quick and easy but still looks
professional believe it or not I do it
myself
all it takes is a printer some planning
and a program like Microsoft Publisher
hi I'm Bronwyn I made this name badge
using a regular printer like the one you
have at home or at work and a special
kit that comes with everything you need
including the paper and these little
plastic holders in this video we're
going to take a look at more examples
like this one while we talk about the
different things you need to consider
before you begin your publication
planning ahead is important especially
if you're new to desktop publishing why
well from personal experience I can tell
you that things don't always turn out
the way you thought they would sometimes
it takes a little foresight sometimes
it's a matter of choosing the right
materials and sometimes you just have to
be honest with yourself about what your
printer can and can't do but don't worry
designing and printing your own quality
publications is easy you just have to
take it one step at a time the first
thing on your list should be your layout
in other words what you want your
publication to look like you probably
already have an idea based on the
project itself for example a large
poster or a small folding brochure it's
important to think about this in advance
because it has an impact on printing and
assembly later here are some tips to
help you get started
if you're using publisher or even
another program like InDesign you might
want to start with a template a template
can help you pinpoint things like the
right size and orientation for your
project the margins and the way your
content should be laid out sometimes it
helps to print a test copy or put
together a mock-up on paper this is the
first thing I do if my publication is
going to be double-sided or folded
because otherwise it can be hard to
picture the final product one more tip
it might be worth it to buy special
materials for your project like these
prepackaged labels if that's something
you plan to do make your choice
early on that way you can use this model
number to find a template planning
doesn't stop when you finish choosing a
layout though you still have a wide
range of paper and print options to
consider which can have a big impact on
the design process
basically it's time to start thinking
about what your publication is going to
look like when you actually print it
first
make sure you use the same size paper as
your publication layout that's why it's
important to plan ahead otherwise you're
likely to be disappointed with the way
it fits on the page think about using
something other than standard white
paper for example things like reading
cards or this invitation usually use a
heavier paper called cardstock which has
more weight and structure than regular
paper see how it works
you should also decide whether you're
going to print in black and white or in
color color ink is expensive and can run
out quickly if you're working on a large
project as an alternative printing in
black and white on colored paper is a
great way to save money but still make
your publications stand out finally if
you're new to desktop publishing I
recommend printing a test page early in
the design process so you can see what
your printer is capable of if you're
unhappy with the results you can always
adjust your print settings or start
making plans to use a professional
printer there's one more thing to keep
in mind when planning your publication
assembly and delivery in other words
what happens after you hit print
sometimes it's as simple as removing
your project from the printer tray at
other times there's a little more work
involved here are some tips
always check with your post office if
you're going to be doing any bulk
mailing there may be pricing options or
restrictions in your area that you'll
want to know about beforehand make sure
you set aside time and materials to do
things like cutting folding and stapling
your publication unfortunately this is
the one thing publisher can't do for you
but special equipment like a paper
cutter can help things like this just
take time whether you're separating the
paper or assembling the holders so
having someone to help you can make all
the difference it takes time to put
together any type of publication from
planning your layout to choosing the
right paper but with a little foresight
and some of the tricks we've talked
about today you can create professional
publications at home or at work