Best Things to Make with Desktop Publishing Software
Best Things to Make with Desktop Publishing Software
While graphic designers understand why desktop publishing software is necessary, DTP software and techniques have a place in the home as well. You do not need to be a professional designer to create enjoyable projects for your family and friends, even if you cannot afford the high-end desktop publishing software used by professionals.
These projects and the low-cost (or even free) software options are open to all. No design ability is required. This list excludes small business initiatives such as business cards and brochures. The majority of these desktop publishing projects are for personal use.
While greeting cards and calendars may seem self-evident, you may be surprised at the potential for home decorating with desktop publishing.
Invitations and Greeting Cards
When you think of DIY desktop publishing, greeting cards may be the first thing that comes to mind. While you could send greeting cards via email, not everyone has access to the internet (really). While you could purchase a pre-made card for almost any occasion, there is something special about a homemade card. Even if you start with one of the hundreds of predesigned templates available online, when you print the card from your computer, it remains your unique creation. If you want a card that is uniquely yours and incorporates your own words and images, desktop publishing is the way to go.
Personalization is required for wedding invitations and birth announcements. Wouldn't it be more convenient to design a birth announcement once and print multiple copies than to handwrite the details on store-bought announcements? Desktop publishing software has the potential to save time.
Greeting cards and invitations can be created using as little as the word processing software you already own or Windows Paint, the graphics software included with the Windows operating system.
Calendars
You can use the calendar on your smartphone or computer, or you can go to the store and purchase any number of decorative or functional calendar formats, but creating your own calendar is a unique way to keep track of the days. A personalized family calendar is an excellent project to share with the entire family or with specific individuals in honor of a significant birthday or anniversary. Utilize your own photographs or scans of your children's drawings and include family birthdays, weddings, and reunions. Once you've created a family calendar for one year, updating it for the following year is simple. Change a few images and a few dates, and you're done.
Books
If you've ever considered writing a book, you can stop waiting for a publisher to publish your work. You don't need a lot of money or a large audience to self-publish your book — self-publishing with desktop publishing software is relatively simple. Create a family history keepsake book, a scrapbook of vacation photos, or a book of your own photographs, poetry, or favorite recipes.
If your book is lengthy or complex, or if you intend to distribute it widely via self-publishing, you may require professional-level desktop publishing software. If cost is an issue, consider the free Scribus or Apple's Pages, but don't forget to incorporate word processing software such as Microsoft Word into your book. Consider scrapbooking software for Mac or Windows if your books are more akin to scrapbooks or photo albums.
Posters, Signs, and Home Décor
Did you know that desktop publishing can be used to decorate your home? Create decorative signs or banners for temporary or permanent decor, or create your own "WANTED" poster for a child's room or as a joke gift for a friend. Create amusing fliers to entertain your family and friends. You are also not limited to letter-size posters when printing from a desktop printer. Consider purchasing poster design software or a sign kit and utilizing your software's or printer's tiling capabilities to print large posters on multiple sheets of paper that you tape or glue together.
Along with posters, you can use your font collection, clip art, and desktop publishing software to create fun, quirky, or beautiful drawer and cabinet labels. Being organized does not have to be boring — create matching labels for your bathroom baskets so you can quickly identify what's inside each one, or create small, decorative reminder signs for turning off lights and closing certain doors. Do you have some unsightly power cords strewn about? Utilize decorative cable labels to help organize and contain them.
Courses and Certification
Desktop Publishing Course and Certificate
Adobe InDesign Course and Certificate
Microsoft Word Course and Certificate
Microsoft Excel Course and Certificate
