Project 4 Step 3 Part 4

Now, we’ll look at how to create an image and a caption. I’ll hit ENTER twice, doing one line return for the image and one line return for the caption. In this process, it’s easier to start with the caption, unless you’re very familiar with anchored images, which we’ll talk about later.

We’ll make a line to hold the place of the caption: “This is a caption.” We’ll select this text and open the styles window. We’ll set the font to Arial, we’ll set the style to bold, the font size as ten, and the leading to twelve.

I also want to put a line under the caption. The easiest way to do that is select ‘New Paragraph Style,’ name it ”caption,” make sure ‘Apply Style to Selection’ is selected, and make sure the ‘Preview’ is selected. Then, in the ‘Based On:’ dropdown list, we’ll select [No Paragraph Style]. Then, we’ll select ‘Paragraph Rules’ and next to the ‘Rule Below’ dropdown list, we’ll select the ‘Rule On’ checkbox. Then, well increase the ‘Offset’ setting until we’ve matched it, and we’ll set it as a dotted line. Finally, we’ll click ‘OK.’

Now, we’ll create and place an image above the caption we just made. I’m going to make the image the same width as the text column. Our column is 550 pixels wide. I want to place the image ‘in-line.’ I want to place it in-line so that it moves with the text when we make changes.

This is a little bit tricky, but stick with me. Open Illustrator. Here, you’ll see that I’ve created a new document. This is 550 pixels wide by 275 pixels tall. The width is the width of my text column, and 275 is just what I chose to make the document; there’s nothing magic about it and it doesn’t really matter. Save that image, then go back to InDesign.

With your cursor blinking above the caption (which is where we want to insert the image), click on the ‘File’ menu,  then ‘Place.’ Find the document you just made in Illustrator and insert it. You’ll see that when it shows up, it covers up the “I Love Typography” text above. This is because the leading settings of the image are not set properly. To adjust that, double click on the image (only a small fraction of the image will be highlighted, but don’t worry – it’s selected). Then, click on the ‘Object’ menu > ‘Anchored Object’ > ‘Options…’ Then, select the ‘Above Line’ option.

After that, the space before the image is good, but our space under the image is too large. We can adjust the space by lowering the ‘Space After’ value. Even though it’s already at ‘0’ we can make negative space under our image and that works. Adjust that space until it’s right and click ‘OK.’ Once you’ve completes those changes, click ‘File’ > ‘Save.’

Now, we’re going to delete this line of text that is just the alphabet. Notice that when you delete it, the image moves up with the displaced text and maintains its relative position with what is above and below. Save again.

Now, go look at your workbook. You may have to exit the program and go back in. The program might ask you if you want to ‘Update Changes.’ Allow the program to update changes. You’ll be able to see all the changes in the workbook that you just made in InDesign.