Aimed primarily at new users, these tutorials introduce the work area and focus on the basics of identifying common tools, palettes, and fly-outs and how to use them. The videos and illustrated tutorials come from several sources including this site, vector tuts+, and Layers Magazine. Topics covered in this collection of InDesign tutorials include selection tools, frame tools, transform tools, zoom, and the gap tool. Unless otherwise specified, these tools are common to most versions of Adobe InDesign from CS2 to present although their appearance and placement may be different depending on the version you are using.
Also see these InDesign collections:
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1. Overview of InDesign Work Area, Menus, Palettes
Become familiar with the palettes & menus and how you can rearrange your InDesign work space.
- Work Area, Tools, Palettes
A basic introduction that covers the Menu bar, Control Palette, Tools Palette, and Contextual Menus in InDesign. From About.com - InDesign CS4 Interface
Overview of applications bar, frame edges on and off, screen modes from Layers Magazine. - View Menu Items in Alphabetical Order in InDesign
A tip from Adobe Photoshop Secrets can make it easier to find items in a jumble of menu items.
2. Identifying and Using the InDesign Tools
Despite its bells & whistles there are basic tools that you'll use over and over again in InDesign.
- The Tools, Part 1
From About.com, multiple tutorials cover how to find and use the: - The Tools, Part 2
From About.com, multiple tutorials cover how to use a variety of essential tools and palettes:- Rotate, Scale, Shear, Free Transform Tools
- Eyedropper and Measure Tools
- Gradient Tool and Gradient Palette
- Button Tool
- Scissors Tool
- Hand Tool
- Zoom
- Zoom Tool
An About.com article sets out the options for using the zoom tool in InDesign including from the Tools palette, keyboard commands, and using the magnification menu. - The Color Tools
From About.com, tutorials on the: - Quick Masking With the Pen Tool
In this brief vector tuts+ tutorial learn how to mask an object (isolate it from its background) using the pen tool. - Using the Pen Tool in InDesign
An About.com video demonstrates how to create and change shapes and curves using the Pen tool and the fly-out Pen tools. - Tool Hints in InDesign CS5
A.J. Wood has a short video at Layers Magazine showing how to use tool hints when you need a quick reminder about what a tool is and how to access it. He demonstrates with the Gap Tool. - The Gap Tool in CS5
James Andrews, writing for vector tuts+ demonstrates the use of the gap tool to space out images in a layout. - InDesign CS5 Gap Tool
In a 7 minute Layers Magazine video, Jeff Witchel shows the use of the gap tool. Includes use of a script to make a grid and frame fitting options.
