Adjusting text flow – InDesign for beginners

The flow of text around objects in InDesign allows you to create more aesthetically pleasing and functional layouts. Here you will learn how to arrange your text around images or other graphic elements to improve readability and create appealing designs. This guide will walk you through the process of text flow with practical steps and clear examples.

Key Insights

• Text flow facilitates the integration of text and images without disrupting readability.
• Anchored objects can be used to allow text to flow over images or text while maintaining their position.
• By using specific settings, you can fine-tune how text flows around objects and even define exceptions.

Step-by-Step Guide

First, we want to insert an image into our InDesign document. To do this, simply use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+D (Windows) or Cmd+D (Mac) to load the desired image. Using the image placement tool, you can drag it to the right position.

Now we may need to scale and transform the image to ensure it fits harmoniously into the layout. Right-click on the image and select Arrange -> Transform -> Flip Horizontal to get a layout that matches your design.

To ensure that the text flows around your image, you need to arrange the image to the back. Right-click again and select Arrange -> Send to Back. To prevent the text from overlapping with the image, the next step is crucial: we activate text flow.

To do this, go to Window in the top menu and look for the Text Flow option. Activate this and make sure the corresponding image or object is selected. You have various options available, such as flowing around the bounding box.

If you now move the image slightly to the right, the text will shift around the object. You can also adjust specific offset settings to increase the distance between the image and the text.

A particularly interesting option is to flow around the shape of the object. When you enable this button, an algorithm will come into play to recognize the shapes of the image and allow the text to flow elegantly around complex shapes like that of a portrait.

Another notable step is to use a quoted text box along with the text flow. This can be integrated into your text and provide important information to the reader. Simply click on the point where the quote should appear and use the tool to insert the anchored object.

The anchor secures the quote box at the defined position in the text. Now, as you edit or adjust the text, the quote box remains in its position, ensuring consistency in your layout.

If you have an element that should be visible in the layout but not have text flowing around it, you can call up the text frame options and enable the checkbox for ignoring text flow.

Finally, you can easily adjust the positioning of anchored objects, like your quote box, while the text dynamically adapts. This allows for versatile layout design and ensures that important statements stand out.

Summary – Designing Text Flow Around Objects in InDesign

This guide demonstrates the versatile possibilities of text flow and anchored objects in InDesign. With these techniques, you can create engaging and well-structured designs that provide a smooth reading experience.