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Adobe InDesign Introduction Training
Adobe
IND0101

Adobe InDesign Introduction Training

Master professional page layout and design with SkillForge's Adobe InDesign Introduction Training — a live, instructor-led course built for beginners and creative professionals stepping into desktop publishing for the first time. In this hands-on course, you'll learn to navigate the InDesign workspace with confidence, work with text frames and typography, place and manage graphics, build reusable styles, and prepare polished documents for both print and digital distribution. Every concept is reinforced through real-world exercises guided by an expert instructor who can answer your questions in real time. Whether you're a graphic designer, marketing professional, communications specialist, or business user, this course gives you the practical InDesign skills you need to produce professional-quality layouts from day one.

Duration

1 day

Versions

InDesign CC (Creative Cloud) — all recent versions
$395.00

Live, Instructor-Led Training

Up to One Year Access to Recorded Course

Hands-On Exercises

Certificate of Completion

Six Months of Post-Class Instructor Support

Who Should Take This Course
  • Graphic designers and creative professionals new to InDesign
  • Marketing and communications professionals who create brochures, newsletters, or reports
  • Anyone interested in working toward the Adobe Certified Professional in Print & Digital Media Publication Using Adobe InDesign certification
  • Individuals with basic computer skills who want to learn professional page layout design

What You'll Learn
  • Navigate and customize the InDesign workspace, panels, and tools
  • Create and set up documents for print and digital output
  • Work with text frames, typography, and advanced text formatting
  • Draw, modify, and arrange objects using frames, shapes, and layers
  • Place, link, and manage images and graphics from Photoshop and Illustrator
  • Build and apply paragraph styles, character styles, and object styles for consistency
  • Preflight, package, and export documents to PDF and digital formats
  • Build foundational skills toward the Adobe Certified Professional in Print & Digital Media Publication Using Adobe InDesign exam

Course Content
  • Lesson 1: Getting Started with InDesign

    • Explore the InDesign workspace: Application bar, Control panel, Tools panel, document window, and pasteboard
    • Customize the workspace using predefined layouts and save custom workspace configurations
    • Navigate multi-page documents using the Pages panel, Navigator panel, and keyboard shortcuts
    • Set up rulers, guides, grids, and smart guides for precise layout control
    • Configure document preferences including units, increments, and display performance
    • Understand the difference between print and digital document intent when creating new documents
  • Lesson 2: Working with Text

    • Create and resize text frames using the Type tool and Frame tool
    • Apply character formatting: font, size, leading, tracking, kerning, and baseline shift
    • Apply paragraph formatting: alignment, indents, space before/after, and drop caps
    • Use Find/Change to locate and replace text content and formatting attributes
    • Thread text across multiple frames to flow long-form content through a layout
    • Insert glyphs, special characters, and typographic symbols using the Glyphs panel
  • Lesson 3: Working with Objects

    • Draw and modify basic shapes using the Rectangle, Ellipse, and Polygon frame tools
    • Apply fills, strokes, gradients, and transparency effects to objects
    • Arrange objects using stacking order commands (Bring to Front, Send to Back, and others)
    • Align and distribute objects precisely using the Align panel
    • Group, lock, and hide objects; manage object visibility and stacking with the Layers panel
    • Use the Transform panel and Control panel for exact positioning, scaling, and rotation
  • Lesson 4: Importing and Managing Graphics

    • Place images and graphics using the Place command (File > Place)
    • Manage linked and embedded files using the Links panel; update and relink modified assets
    • Fit and crop images within frames using Content Fitting options and the Content Grabber
    • Work with layered Photoshop (PSD) and Illustrator (AI/EPS) files placed into InDesign
    • Understand color modes (RGB vs. CMYK) and image resolution requirements for print and screen output
    • Use the Object Layer Options dialog to control visibility of Photoshop layers within placed files
  • Lesson 5: Using Styles for Consistency

    • Create, apply, and edit paragraph styles to maintain consistent text formatting throughout a document
    • Create and apply character styles for inline formatting overrides within paragraphs
    • Build and use object styles to apply consistent formatting to frames and shapes
    • Understand style inheritance, based-on relationships, and how to resolve style overrides
    • Use the Quick Apply feature to rapidly apply styles without leaving the keyboard
    • Load and share styles between documents to maintain consistency across a project
  • Lesson 6: Preparing Documents for Output

    • Use the Preflight panel to define profiles and catch errors (missing fonts, overset text, missing links) before output
    • Package documents using File > Package to collect all fonts, linked graphics, and the IDML file for handoff
    • Export to PDF for print using PDF/X standards, bleed settings, and printer marks
    • Export to Interactive PDF with hyperlinks, bookmarks, and page transitions for digital distribution
    • Export to EPUB and other digital formats for e-reader and web publishing
    • Understand print settings including bleed, slug, marks, and color management for professional print output

Prerequisites
  • No prior InDesign experience required
  • Basic computer skills (file management, copy/paste) recommended

Certification

This course helps prepare students for the following certification exam:

This course maps to the Adobe Certified Professional in Print & Digital Media Publication Using Adobe InDesign exam. See Appendix A in the courseware for the full exam objective mapping.

Frequently Asked Questions

Available Sessions
Select a session to enroll

Mon, Oct 26, 2026

to Mon, Oct 26

Live Online
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET

Mon, Nov 23, 2026

to Mon, Nov 23

Live Online
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET

Mon, Dec 21, 2026

to Mon, Dec 21

Live Online
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET

Training a team?

Get custom pricing for groups of 5 or more.