Part 1: Pixel Perfect

This workshop entailed for an understanding of the term “pixel perfect”, with the knowledge and ability of how to design based upon this.

The term ‘pixel perfect’ suggests the idyllic method of composing elements, within which each aspect is situated at a full pixel value within the grid. This refers to the assets specific vertical and horizontal placement, ensuring for a sharp, clean-cut edge to be defined between elements. This is especially important when printing, to avoid the blurring of compositional boundaries between pixels.

One of the most critical process in the method of achieving this is the initial document set-up, with the creation of an appropriate grid. For this example, we recreated Stereophonics’ album Pervasive Percussion. For this, the document was sized at 360 x 360 pixels with 8 pixel top/ bottom margins and 16 pixel left/ right margins. The document grid was set at 48 pixels with 6 subdivisions per row/column, ultimately to suit the dimensions of the transcribed album cover. This ensures for accuracy, and entails for components to be arranged and positioned to be pixel perfect.

A ‘pixel perfect’ example taken from my working document, the screen clipping on the left shows the situation of an element within this album cover, located at whole pixel values within the grid.

When working with smaller images, it is important to abide by pixel perfect principles, so that the resolution and quality is maintained even though the file size is small. This will create the illusion of a better quality outcome/ print, while reducing required storage sizes.

Above shows my working document where I conducted the transcription, my outcome embedded on the right. I selected Arial Narrow for my font, as this was the closest visually I could find to that used in Pervasive Percussion’s original album cover. To achieve accurate colours, I used the eyedropper tool on specific elements of the original, pasted into my documents paste board, which served as a reference throughout the duration of this task.

To replicate the circles, I used the ‘step and repeat tool’. This allowed me to quickly duplicate my first circle numerous times, ensuring the alignment and spacing was equal, and that the objects are placed accurately and effectively.

To create the double circles, I used the stroke tool, adjusting the settings in the panel menu for ‘stroke’. Here, I altered the alignment so that the stroke naturally formulated from the inside as opposed to the outside, avoiding accidently adjustment of the shapes dimensions.

 

In review of this task, I now feel confident with the principle of ‘pixel perfect’, aware and able to work to these requirements in my own practice. Additionally, I have learned the functionality of ‘step and repeat’, as well as how to alter stroke to conduct effects as intended. The hardest part of this task was trying to replicate typographic content; many aspects had to be altered including- tracking, kerning and weight, while trying to avoid features such as horizontal and vertical scale to reduce the risk of distortion.

 

Part 2: Interactive Document

The second workshop task subjected the creation of an interactive document on InDesign, incorporating elements of more diverse mediums that can be ‘played’ or toggled by a viewer. In specific, we explored the incorporation of sound, as well as video, and the implementations and complexities often brought with this.

Sound

After importing and presenting three pictures I was provided with, I added a sound/ audio file to the document.

However, in window – interactive – swf preview, this sound file doesn’t have any visual prominence. This means the viewer wouldn’t have any toggle options, or neither would be able to stop the sound if on auto-play, or start the sound if left to their preference. On review of these specific functions, it became obvious that having auo-play sound would be more frequently seen as an annoyance, and if this document was to be published through a web-page on the internet, any viewer would most likely close the page, diverting attention away from out media product.

To overcome this implication, I went into the interactive menu again and this time selected ‘media’, bringing up all the publication settings for this audio-based content. Within these options, I was able to change the ‘poster’ from ‘none’ to ‘standard’ which provided a visual symbol, indicating the presence of the sound.

On publication document, you can now see a visual indicating the presence of an optional sound based item. The button enables for interactivity from the audience, where they can toggle this to suit personal preference as to whether or not they want to listen to the audio content.

Incorporating sound with this approach would be more successful when exported and publicised as it gives the viewer the  freedom of choice, where they have control over the audio content they want to view/ play on their device.

Video

We then looked at incorporating video elements into the InDesign document, as another form of interactive content.

Using the video material provided, I imported this into InDesign, setting the frame across the full width of the double page spread. However, when I published this online, as you can see from the second screenshot, the boundary of the two individual pages caused a subdivide. This meant that video content from just one of the two sections would play at once, concealing the interactive toggle menu that should feature below the video. This is a major implication when exporting video, making it impossible to watch or interpret comfortably.

To get around this issue, I instead placed the video across just a singular page, revoking any risk of a subdivision across the document.

As you can see in the screen-shot above, this resolved the issue.

With regards to the interactive menu, this also had to be set up. This was achieved through use of the interactive, media menu. I changed the controller option, an ticked the option of “show controller on rollover”, allowing for the user to have full control of the video via the toggle menu bar beneath the video.

 

Baseline Grid

The final aspect of this workshop was to explore and understand the use of a ‘baseline grid’ in any document.

This screenshot documented above shows how I have applied a baseline grid to my document, targeting layout and ensuring this is presented neatly and with consistent vertical values.

The baseline grid is developed specifically for setting body-copy within a document where there are large amounts of text, often laid out across multiple columns. The purpose of the grid is to ensure that each line of type sits at accurately spaced intervals.

On my specific document I set this baseline grid every 12 points, relevant to my leading size of my body-copy text. This is important to ensure that the text can be situated accordingly, where the only other possible increment entries are numbers which are factors of the original number. In this case, 6, 4, 3, 2.

I then adjusted options presented within the paragraph styles menu. I selected ‘Indents and Spacing’ from the side column of options before choosing ‘align to grid’. For this example I aligned all lines of my body-copy, where it is possible to otherwise align just the first line alone. This option would be used to meet specific requirements with regards to where text must begin, however is not useful when trying to proportion a large section of type. This process is shown below.

In review, I have found this workshop particularly useful with regards to my personal understanding of the processes involved when incorporating interactive components into an InDesign document. A greater ability to effectively apply and use grids has also been obtained, improving confidence with utilising such methods and strategies within my own practice, ultimately to produce more professional looking visuals and outcomes.