Adobe InDesign CS2 One-on-One (Book Review)
Adrienne Thibodeau

 May 2006

In the fast-paced, deadline-driven world of graphic design and publishing today, few of us can afford the luxury of taking time out to learn all the ins and outs of the latest software. Many jump right in with both feet and are able to pick up the basics simply through trial and error while working with the program. Fortunately, Deke McClelland has provided a better way.

It isn’t difficult to develop a basic working knowledge of a program simply by using it on a regular basis, but we can be far more efficient and make our lives a little easier by allowing InDesign to do what it is made to do. We need to learn to work smarter, not harder, and that is where Adobe InDesign CS2 One-on-One comes in.

Adobe InDesign CS2 One-on-One was written by Adobe Certified Expert Deke McClelland, who has written over 80 books about computer design and imaging and has won many industry awards. McClelland is a skilled instructor and clearly knows his audience. He explains not only why you are performing the steps in each lesson, but also why InDesign works the way it does. His light, witty manner holds your interest and his explanations are incredibly beneficial to those who are not familiar with the in-depth functions of the program. McClelland writes in a straightforward, conversational way that beginners can follow, but the wealth of information he covers is sure to educate professionals, too.

McClelland walks you through each lesson, step by step, as though he were teaching in a classroom. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can skip to the sections you would like to learn more about. Information covered elsewhere in the book is conveniently referenced by page number so there is no confusion - you can go through the book in any order you desire and refer back to the pertinent information easily if necessary.

Each of the twelve lessons includes three to six step by step exercises as well as a corresponding video lesson. Screenshots and illustrations guide you through each lesson and troubleshooting tips are conveniently placed throughout, so you are never left wondering what you should be doing. At the end of each lesson is a brief multiple choice quiz to reinforce the skills covered.

The lessons are broken down as follows:

Lesson 1 – Starting a Document

Lesson 2 – Creating and Flowing Text

Lesson 3 – Basic Text Formatting

Lesson 4 – Lists and Tables

Lesson 5 – Drawing Inside InDesign

Lesson 6 – Importing and Modifying Artwork

Lesson 7 – Transparency and Effects

Lesson 8 – Using Style Sheets

Lesson 9 – Pages, Layers, and XML

Lesson 10 – Working with Long Documents

Lesson 11 – Hyperlinks, Bookmarks and PDF

Lesson 12 – Printing and Output

I was pleased to see how much was really covered by these tutorials, including how to use the new Adobe Bridge to organize and manage your files and how to create a completely interactive PDF document. The combination of the written, hands-on lessons and the video demonstrations is effective and thorough, and really helps you to tap into all of the power of InDesign. This is a great tool to help you use InDesign faster and more efficiently than you ever thought possible. Adobe InDesign CS2 One-on-One is a must-have for any designer’s library. 

List Price: $44.99 USD  |  $62.99 CAD  |  £31.99 GBP

Title: Adobe InDesign CS2 One-on-One
First Edition: February 2006
ISBN: 0-596-10097-3
Pages: 528