Creating double-sided layouts in Affinity Publisher

The design of multi-page layoutsrequires special knowledge, especially when it comes to facing pages. Whether for brochures, magazines, or other print projects – the proper handling of facing pages can be crucial for the end result. In this guide, you will learn step by step how to create and customize multi-page layouts in AffinityPublisherto createprofessionally looking designs.

Main Insights

• Facing pages usually start on the right and include special page numbers in printing.
• Pages can be easily added or deleted afterward.
• Layouts can be changed in both portrait and landscape formats.
• Page arrangements are easy to handle in the Page panel.

Step-by-Step Guide

To create multi-page documents with facing pages in Affinity Publisher, please follow the steps below:

First, open Affinity Publisher and select “File” and then “New” to open a new dialog for your project. Here you can make the initial settings. To ensure that you can create facing pages, start by setting the number of pages to four. Additionally, choose portrait as the format. You also need to activate the option for facing pages to create the facing page structure.

Now you can see your page arrangement. In a typical brochure print, the first page (U1) is always on the right, followed by the second page (U2) on the left. The inside pages are designated as U3 and U4. By default, facing pages are started on the right side, which you can also confirm. You can keep an eye on this in your Page panel.

To add more pages, simply click on “Add Pages.” A dialog box will open where you can enter the desired number of pages. However, when printing brochures, you need to make sure to only work in multiples of four, as you cannot have an odd number of pages. Consider how many pages your project requires and enter the number – in our example, we add four pages to the existing number.

Once you have set the number of pages, the master page will also be applied to the new pages. This ensures that the layout remains consistent. Be sure to keep an eye on the Page panel, as it will immediately show you how your document is developing and how many pages it now contains.

In the next step, you will be able to further customize the layout by changing the dimensions of the pages. For example, if you want to switch from portrait to landscape format, you can do so by changing the dimensions from 297 mm to 210 mm. Once you confirm this, you should find that your page layout adjusts immediately – that's more than just practical!

Another important aspect is the margins. You have the option to redefine the margins for all layout pages to optimize the design. For example, set the inside margin to 20 mm, the top margin to 15 mm, and the outer margin to 30 mm to ensure a balanced design. The difference between inside and outside becomes even more relevant here since inside margins always correspond to the spine.

If you want to change the page arrangement, this is also straightforward. Go to your existing document and use the Page panel. You can rearrange pages by drag & drop. Simply dragging one page behind another will update their arrangement immediately. You can easily move both facing pages and single pages.

If you want to insert a single page between facing pages, the software interface will also indicate with a blue frame that the page will be inserted correctly. This flexibility allows you to effectively arrange your content and ensures that the page number does not jump or get mixed up. This will also be addressed in the next connection with the master pages.

Summary - Creating Multi-Page Layouts in Affinity Publisher: A Guide for Facing Pages

Creating and managing multi-page layouts in Affinity Publisher is a straightforward process that requires precise input. By step by step defining the number of pages, adding or deleting pages, and customizing the layouts to your needs, you can create impressive designs.