Broderbund Software

Broderbund desktop publishing software has been around for almost a quarter of a century in one form or another. PrintMaster, The Print Shop, as well as Calendar Creator are the most well-known consumer desktop publishing software and specialty programs. Encore Software is the publisher of these Broderbund titles.

Other names associated with these Broderbund desktop publishing software titles as former publishers and former or current distributors are Kyocera, MicroLogic Systems, Mindscape, Inc., The Learning Company, Mattel, Riverdeep, Houghton Mifflin Riverdeep Group, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and Encore Software and Navarre Corporation. You may see the software (even current versions) listed under one of these names from time to time.

The comparison, below, is between the two versions of these programs that came before the complete overhaul to the new 2.0 editions with their new technology.

Broderbund produces two different popular desktop publishing titles: The Print Shop and PrintMaster. There is a dizzying array of The Print Shop and PrintMaster titles. For simplicity, here's a quicky comparison of two comparable titles: The Print Shop 23 Deluxe and PrintMaster Platinum 18. They are both easy to learn and use, come with helpful wizards and templates to jumpstart the design process, and include photo editing, drawing, and text tools that make them good all-in-one packages for simple desktop publishing and print creativity. Pictures, Pictures, Pictures (and Templates and Fonts)
In terms of amount of templates, images, and fonts that come bundled with the programs -- they run about even. The Print Shop has about 150 more fonts and 60,000 or so more images. Each includes a subscription to Million Image Club but it's only 6 months for The Print Shop Deluxe and a full year for PrintMaster Deluxe. You will need Internet access. Text Tools & Projects
The Print Shop Deluxe offers an edge over PrintMaster in its Layout and Text Flow tools -- a plus if you do a lot of text-intensive or multipage documents like brochures and newsletters. Some of its pro-like features include Master Pages, Text-Wrapping, Widow & Orphan Control, Kerning & Leading, PDF and TIFF export options.

PrintMaster does offer alignment tools and mail merge and does PDF export but its overall features seem geared a bit more toward crafty creative projects with the inclusion of the PrintMaster Scrapbook Creator, Arcsoft Photo FunHouse, and a Party Set Creator Wizard.

Between these two Broderbund products, if your interests lean more toward fun photo projects, scrapbooks, cards, and such then PrintMaster Platinum 18 may be more to your liking (and it costs a little bit less). If, in addition to greeting cards and other fun photo projects, you envision yourself doing newsletters and possibly more small business type documents then The Print Shop Deluxe 23 with its better text and layout tools may be a better all-around choice.

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Hieroglyphs

A picture is worth a thousand words. The ancient Egyptians used pictures as words and you can too. Egyptian Hieroglphs are the picture symbols used to decorate tombs and used for other sacred writing. There are a variety of free and commercial fonts that contain these Egyptian Hieroglyphs and other types of hieroglyphic writing systems. Use Egyptian Hieroglyphs dingbat fonts as clip art for illustrations and icons. Translate your name (or business name) into the hieroglyphic alphabet for an interesting logo. Create patterns or borders for letterhead using Egyptian Hieroglyphs.

Sources of Egyptian Hieroglph Fonts
Browse these free and commercial sources of pictorial alphabet fonts, especially those composed in part or in whole of Egyptian Hieroglyphs. Jim Loy - My Egyptian Hieroglyphic Fonts
Download his Egyptian hieroglyphs in a TrueType font ZIP file. Shrine of Isis Fonts
Among the fonts you'll find some hieroglphs, including Stargate glphs and other symbols in Windows TrueType format. GlyphBasic Fonts
The table on this page won't mean much until you download and install the GlyphBasic font.It's in a ZIP file. Deniart Systems - Egyptian Hieroglyphs
Get a sampler or pick from different volumes of Egyptian Hieroglyph Fonts. You'll get a mini-lesson in hieroglphics here too. Mac and PC fonts for about $30 to $40. Neferchichi's Tomb - Egyptian Typefaces
There are three fonts, one each for heiroglyphs, gods, and random Egyptian images in these fonts. Buy them or download the Sampler font. P22 - Hieroglyphic Font Set Mac and PC font sets are under $25. Selection includes phonetic, decorative, and cartouche and comes with a translation chart. Center for Computer-aided Egyptological Research
You'll find a wealth of resources here. For those specifically interested in Egyptian Hieroglyphs, see the online Hieroglyphica to find a listing and meanings for the characters you find in Egyptian Hieroglph fonts and some fonts for Mac and PC in the Egyptological Resources section. In the Shop find Glyph for Windows, a program for Hieroglyphic Text Processing.

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Scanning Resolution - Scan Your Images At This Resolution

The best resolution to scan your images depends on how it will be used - on screen or in print. For the purposes of this article, we'll assume the image is for print. To find your best scanning resolution you need to calculate the final image resolution, that is, the resolution of your image when placed in your file for printing. Your scanning resolution and final image resolution may be the same, but not necessarily. For most users, it is rare that you will need thousands or even more than 200-400 pixels of resolution.

To reach your final image resolution, you need to know 5 things before scanning:
Size of the original image.
Are you scanning a 4x5 inch photograph, for example? Size of the printed image.
Will your image be reduced or enlarged? LPI at which your image will be printed.
LPI depends on the printer you are using. The type of paper, also affects LPI. Your final image resolution is usually about double the LPI at which the image will be printed. Resolution Multiplier.
This number is usually 2. You can see how it is used below. For most purposes, 2 is the magic number. Editing of the scanned image.
It is often better to scan at a somewhat higher resolution than you'll eventually need to allow for pixels lost during image editing. Just remember, the higher the resolution, the larger the file size. Don't go overboard.

For commercial printing, if you don't know the required LPI, talk to your print shop. They can help you come up with the right numbers based on the specifications of your print project. Here's a quick reference list or see the more detailed chart in the Resolution Inch by Inch article on this site:

To calculate your final image resolution:
If the size of your image will not change, multiply LPI by your resolution multiplier. LPI x 2
For example, an image destined for a brochure on uncoated paper using offset printing needs a final resolution of approximately 133 x 2 or 266. If the size of your image will change, multiply LPI by your resolution multiplier and then by the size of your final image as a percentage of the original. LPI x 2 x %
For example, if our image for the brochure, above, is to be enlarged by 25%, then it needs a final resolution of 133 x 2 x 125% or 333. If it is to be reduced by 25%, then it needs a final resolution of 133 x 2 x 75% or 200. (I've rounded up in each case.) Don't know the percentages? Use the scanning calculator, below.

You may be fine scanning at the final resolution arrived at by one of the formulas, above. However, since most scanned images need some type of image editing, scanning at a slightly higher resolution is often advantageous. It is easier to "throw out" unneeded resolution after scanning than it is to restore lost resolution after the fact. Just remember to reduce your image to the final resolution before placing it in your document for printing.

Having trouble doing the math? Try this simple scan resolution calculator:

explore more scanning and resolution topics

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Blue Color Palettes

Choose a blue and choose an orange for a 2-color complementary palette.

? J. Bear Consider combining blue colors with orange in a complementary color scheme.

Blue is a cool color while orange is a warm color on the other side of the color wheel. To avoid unpleasant vibrations, avoid using in equal amounts. Enliven your blue with a splash of orange (or calm your orange with a dash of blue).

From darkest to lightest, the oranges shown with each blue swatch in the above image are: Hex #FFA500 | RGB 255,165,0 (a golden orange; SVG color keyword & CSS color keyword orange) Hex #FF8000 | RGB 255,128,0 (medium orange) Hex #FF4500 | RGB 255,69,0 (orange red; SVG color keyword orangered) Hex #C83200 | RGB 200,50,0 (a dark orange) Numbers: Hex #FF7F27 | RGB 255,127,39 (a peachy orange) The blues, from darker to lighter are: Navy Hex #000080 | RGB 0,0,128 (CSS color keyword/SVG color keyword navy) Blue Hex #0000FF | RGB 0,0,255 (CSS/SVG color keyword is blue; browser safe color) Hex #0045FF | RGB 0,69,255 (a medium blue) Steel Blue Hex #4682B4 | RGB 70,130,180 (SVG color keyword steelblue; a corporate blue) Hex #0080FF | RGB 0,128,255 (a medium blue) Light Blue Hex #ADD8E6 | RGB 173,216,230 (SVG color keyword lightblue)

Dark blues and medium shades of blue symbolize importance, confidence, power, intelligence, stability, unity, and conservatism. By adding some orange to your predominantly dark blue palette you introduce some warmth and energy that can keep your palette from being too stilted or overpowering.

You don't have to use these exact shades. Go a touch lighter or darker, or step one spot to the left or the right on the color wheel. These color combinations are just to help you find a suitable color palette using blue and orange as the main components.

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Form and Function

Form follows function is a principle that states that the shape (form) that something takes should be chosen based on its intended purpose and function.

Often applied to architecture, engineering, and industrial design, the statement form follows function applies to graphic design and desktop publishing too. For designers, form is the elements that make up our designs, our pages. Function is the objective of the design whether it is a sign giving directions or a book that entertains with a story. In print design, form is both the overall look and feel of the page as well as the shape and look of the individual components - the typefaces, the graphic elements, the texture of the paper.Form is also the format whether the piece is a poster, a tri-fold brochure, a saddle-stitched booklet, or a self-mailer newsletter. For designers, function is the practical, getting down to business part of the process of design and desktop publishing. Function is the purpose of the piece whether it is to sell, to inform or educate, to impress, or to entertain. It includes the copywriting message, the audience, and the cost of getting the project printed. Function needs form in order to accomplish its goal. Form without function is just a pretty piece of paper.

Function is deciding that a poster plastered around town would be the best way to inform the general public about a band's upcoming club performance. Function is specifiying how much the band can spend on that poster. Form is choosing the size, colors, fonts, and images based on the function and arranging the text and graphics so that the poster attracts attention and looks good.

To practice the rule of form follows function, start the design process by first getting as much information as possible about the purpose of the piece you are creating. Ask questions about how the piece is to be used, such as: Who is the target audience and what are their expectations? Is the piece supposed to sell a tangible product or an idea? Is it to develop goodwill, create branding, or public awareness about a company, an event, an issue? What is the budget for this project? What quantity of this piece is needed? How will this project be distributed - by mail, door-to-door, in person, as part of a magazine, newsletter, newspaper, or book? What action is the recipient likely to take with the piece - throw it away, stick on the wall, file for reference, pass it around, fax it around, put it on a shelf? What elements are required by the client - specific colors, specific fonts, specific images, a certain printer?

Once you know the function of the piece and the practical parameters and limitations for putting the job together, you get to put it into a form that supports the function using your knowledge of the principles of design, the rules of desktop publishing and graphic design, and your creative vision.

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Graphic Design vs. DTP

Graphic design and desktop publishing share so many similarities that people often use the terms interchangeably.

There's not really anything terribly wrong with that but it is helpful to know and understand how they differ and how some people use and confuse the terms.Answer: The short answer: graphic design jobs involve the creative process of coming up with the concepts and ideas and arrangements for visually communicating a specific message desktop publishing is the mechanical process that the designer and the non-designer use to turn their ideas for newsletters, brochures, ads, posters, greeting cards, and other projects into digital files for desktop or commercial printing

While desktop publishing does require a certain amount of creativity, it is more production-oriented than design-oriented.

Graphic designers use desktop publishing software and techniques to create the print materials they envision. The computer and desktop publishing software also aids in the creative process by allowing the designer to easily try out various page layouts, fonts, colors, and other elements.

Non-designers also use desktop publishing software and techniques to create print projects for business or pleasure. The amount of creative design that goes into these projects varies greatly. The computer and desktop publishing software, along with professionally-designed templates, allow consumers to construct and print the same type of projects as graphic designers although the overall product may not be as well-thought out, carefully crafted, or polished as the work of a professional designer. Graphic design is the process and art of combining text and graphics and communicating an effective message in the design of logos, graphics, brochures, newsletters, posters, signs, and any other type of visual communication.

Desktop publishing is the process of using the computer and specific types of software to combine text and graphics to produce documents such as newsletters, brochures, books, etc.

Graphic design and desktop publishing are often used interchangeably but, in part because it is an activity also used by non-designers, desktop publishing is often considered a lesser activity than graphic design. In truth, the two are separate but intertwined disciplines.

Not everyone who does desktop publishing does graphic design, but most graphic designers are involved in desktop publishing - the production side of design. The term desktop publisher can refer to a designer or a non-designer but it often carries negative connotations of an amateur.

Some graphic designers are quite vocal about their distaste for desktop publishing, which is somewhat amusing since much of what they do does involve desktop publishing. What they are really upset about is not desktop publishing itself - it's an invaluable part of the entire graphic design process - but rather the misuse (real or perceived) of desktop publishing software by non-designers.

All the FAQs: Career & Business | Software | Design & Layout | Graphics | Type & Fonts | Prepress & Printing

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