Desktop Publishing

urbwar · Post by **urbwar** » Sun Jul 25, 2010 12:12 pm

This kind of started in a thread I had in sketch pad, but as it was off topic there, figured I'd just start a new convo regarding this stuff here.

I'm considering getting into Desktop Publishing, but no little to nothing about making pdf files. I used to do a music fanzine over a decade ago, which I layed out in an older version of Pagemaker.

So, if anyone has tips on software to use, books to read to learn how to do this stuff, etc, feel free to post here. I did get a copy of Desktop Publishing for Dummies, just haven't had the chance to start reading it yet.

Now, to follow up on something posted in the other thread:

AslanC wrote:Get GIMP, it is as powerful as Photoshop and very very free.

There is a free pagelayout program my buddy uses as well, I will try and get the name from him as well.

I'll look into GIMP for sure then.

The reason I asked about programs that embed fonts is because a friend of mine told me that Lulu requires it. So, if I ever want to do PoD/PDF via lulu, I need to be able to embed fonts.

Oh yeah, and for those who make character sheets in the builds forums: What program do you use to make the logos for the character names?

Guess that covers enough to get us started

B_A_J · Post by **B_A_J** » Mon Jul 26, 2010 8:13 am

The free desktop publishing app is called Scribus. I've tried it, but I haven't used it much yet. I've been using Pagemaker a lot myself.

I've been using it for about a decade now, the last 3+ years on an award-winning comicbook fanzine.

urbwar · Post by **urbwar** » Mon Jul 26, 2010 8:51 am

B_A_J wrote:The free desktop publishing app is called Scribus. I've tried it, but I haven't used it much yet. I've been using Pagemaker a lot myself.

I've been using it for about a decade now, the last 3+ years on an award-winning comicbook fanzine.

I'll check Scribus out. The last version pf Pagemaker I think I owned was version 5. I haven't needed DP software for some time, so I never got any later versions.

AslanC · Post by **AslanC** » Mon Jul 26, 2010 11:29 am

If you want to embed fonts, make sure you check your license.

For example Blambot is restrictively expensive for their publishing license, where as Comicraft is more reasonable.

Cheers!

Oh and yes, it was Scribus my buddy uses.

B_A_J · Post by **B_A_J** » Tue Jul 27, 2010 12:13 am

urbwar wrote:I'll check Scribus out. The last version pf Pagemaker I think I owned was version 5. I haven't needed DP software for some time, so I never got any later versions.

I use version 7.0, the last one made. Adobe InDesign was put out next. Very powerful, but tough to learn.