I did get to print out a couple of proof copies of TMNT #31 today (thankfully, the printer seems to be able to do duplexing again, after being on the fritz for a few days... actually, it's not the printer's fault, but the new Macs we got to replace some old ones -- some kind of classic new operating system software/printer driver conflict... but that's neither here nor there). I gave one copy to Jim to check out (and got an email from him tonight saying he liked it... thanks, Jim!).
I took my copy home and read it through once, and found a few mistakes, and will likely read it through a few more times. I am pleased that this issue seems to be coming together without too many hitches, because this marks the first time I have composited an issue of TMNT directly in Adobe InDesign. Prior to this, I would always do it in a version of Quark Xpress, and for the last few years after I'd done that I would convert the Quark file into an InDesign file (Dan likes them better, and he's the dude interfacing with our printer). There were always some glitches during this conversion process, and I would end up spending several more hours correcting them.
So I finally decided that even though I was really comfortable with the lettering tools in Quark, I had to learn how to do it in InDesign. I'm still not loving InDesign's tool set, but I think I can get used to it eventually. -- PL
(TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. © 2009 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved.) All other material ©2011 Peter Laird unless otherwise noted.
Wow, this is just flying. Keep this pace and maybe TMNT will become a bimonthy release...
ReplyDeleteWishful thinking, I know. But hey, anything is possible, no?
i'm a big adobe guy... both in my personal and professional work. lynda.com is FANTASTIC for beginner and advanced user tutorials. for quickie questions, google is invaluable. adobe products have a HUGE online user presence. :-)
ReplyDeletegood luck, though! switching software can be a pain...
-->> IN TIME , yeh ..Osborn is right.
ReplyDeleteInDESIGN will be a piece of cake.
Excellent! Can't wait to read the next issue.
ReplyDeleteMan this is great,
ReplyDeleteI've been sort of down and not wanting to work on anything for awhile but seeing you working as such a quick pace has inspired me.
Keep it up Pete!
-Vaughn M.
Indesign is sooooo much better than Quark. Enjoy!
ReplyDelete"Daniel Schwarz said...
ReplyDeleteWow, this is just flying. Keep this pace and maybe TMNT will become a bimonthy release...
Wishful thinking, I know. But hey, anything is possible, no?"
Sadly, that is very wishful thinking. What I hope to get to is something like a tri-annual release schedule -- MAYBE a quarterly, but that's probably pushing it. -- PL
One of the things I came to really like in Quark for comic book lettering was this -- you could make, for example, an oval frame (for a word balloon) and with two menu commands you could turn that oval frame's border into a series of discrete, editable points which you could delete or add to at will.
ReplyDeleteI have not yet been able to figure out a way to do that natively in InDesign, so for TMNT #31 I imported some of the balloons I had made in Quark -- not a perfect solution, as they don't work exactly as well as they did in Quark.
Any suggestions? -- PL
Faaaaaantastic!
ReplyDeleteWish I could be of help, Peter... but Macs and I are a bit like oil and water.
ReplyDeleteIt's practically sounding like Mirage will be ready to roll out #31 in a week or two. Is it?
Blimey, #31 is almost on a roll here and I haven't received my copy of #30 yet... now that's getting things rolling again ;)
ReplyDelete"devilbanex said...
ReplyDeleteWish I could be of help, Peter... but Macs and I are a bit like oil and water.
It's practically sounding like Mirage will be ready to roll out #31 in a week or two. Is it?"
I'm hoping to put the finishing touches on it in the next couple of weeks. I have to check in with Mike Dooney to see if he has finished the cover -- I know he was working on it, but I'm not sure what stage it is at currently. -- PL