How to Learn InDesign Online

If you’re just starting to learn a new skill, you can find dozens of tips and resources online; learning InDesign is no different. InDesign is Adobe’s page layout design tool that allows creatives to build vibrant and memorable page layouts for various projects, including newspapers, magazines, and brochures. Learning InDesign is a vital skill for a number of graphic design careers. If you’ve always wanted to learn InDesign, there are plenty of options at your fingertips. From free tutorials to live classes, your options are outlined here so you can decide how to learn in a way that works best for you.

What is InDesign?

Released in 1999, Adobe InDesign is the industry standard in page layout design software, and it is one of the software programs that comprise the Adobe Creative Cloud. Together with Photoshop and Illustrator, InDesign is one of the most commonly used creative design tools across a number of industries, ranging from publishing to graphic design. Built to streamline the process of designing page layouts for books and magazines, InDesign has a plethora of uses that make it a versatile tool for many creative endeavors. As part of a heavily integrated array of creative tools, Adobe InDesign gives creatives the chance to create compelling and vibrant page layouts.

Unlike its sister programs, Illustrator and Photoshop, InDesign serves a specific but vital function, building page layouts. Creatives will use InDesign to build prototype layouts for everything from brochures to web pages, and the program has tools for populating those prototypes with graphics, texts, and even interactive elements. While it is primarily used in traditional print media, InDesign is seeing increasing use in the digital sphere, such as the world of ePublishing and website design.

Read more about what InDesign is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with InDesign?

Adobe InDesign allows users to create vibrant and memorable design layouts that can be used for anything from print advertisements to promotional brochures to newsletters and magazines. Almost any print layout can be built with InDesign, and the tool is often used to help Web Designers produce mock-ups of web pages. Users can add text, color, and images to their layouts to ensure they communicate what they are trying to communicate. InDesign also lets users easily create templates or replicate pages to streamline the multi-page design process.

InDesign also has numerous non-professional uses for users who are hoping to create eye-catching posters, infographics, or flyers for their own organizations or communities. Visual design skills can help users share information in memorable and effective ways, and learning InDesign will help anyone hoping to communicate with the masses. Additionally, many small businesses or private commercial organizations like Etsy shops or local bands can greatly benefit from having individuals on staff with InDesign training, as the program helps non-professionals make professional-grade graphic page layouts.

Additionally, because InDesign is so closely integrated with the rest of the Adobe Creative Cloud, users who are familiar with other programs can seamlessly integrate their work in other programs into their layout designs. Photos and illustrations can be edited or created in Photoshop and Illustrator and then easily brought over in InDesign to populate a layout. Users can also transfer work between InDesign and XD to help build prototype web layouts. These connections help expand the functionality of all Adobe Creative Cloud applications.

Live Online InDesign Training

For aspiring graphic designers who aren’t located in a major city or who find a course located in a different city particularly appealing, live online training is one alternative space to learn InDesign. Noble’s Classes Near Me tool will help students find online classes available for them to take without leaving their homes.

Noble offers multiple online classes in Adobe InDesign training, allowing students to gauge their desired level of time commitment and proficiency. For novice students, Noble’s one-day InDesign in a Day course will give a basic introduction to the features and functions of the program, teaching students how to build layouts, add images and text, and how to export layouts for publication. Students seeking a more advanced education, or those who are looking to improve their existing skills, may consider the Adobe InDesign Bootcamp, which covers the advanced functionalities of the program, such as the use of gradients and opacities, color correction, and parent pages, tables, and libraries.

As Adobe InDesign is often used alongside the other major programs in the Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop and Illustrator), Noble also offers an intensive Noble Graphic Design Certificate, which provides certification in all three programs. In this career-focused bootcamp, students will not only learn how to use InDesign and integrate it with Photoshop and Illustrator, but they will engage with hands-on design projects and build a personal portfolio to take on to the job market.

Noble’s InDesign courses offer students the chance to earn an industry-recognized certification that will set them apart from other prospective graphic designers. The bootcamps and certificate programs are focused on building practical career skills and are tailored for aspiring professional graphic designers who want to ensure that they have the skills required to compete in the industry.

Other service providers, such as Lumenbrite, Ledet Training, and Future Media Concepts, offer live online training in InDesign. These providers offer both beginner-friendly and advanced courses, as well as bootcamps that combine introductory and advanced training courses.

On-Demand Classes

Students may also wish to consider on-demand course offerings. These brief, introductory courses are available through a number of platforms, and Noble provides users with their on-demand classes search tool to find and compare options. These courses are self-paced and give students the opportunity to decide how and when they will study and practice InDesign. These courses can provide a productive alternative to more structured, live instruction for self-motivated students.

On-demand courses will also vary more broadly in their delivery method, giving students even more flexibility in their approach to learning InDesign. Some on-demand courses are primarily taught through recordings of lectures or practical exercises, while others will be primarily taught through digital modules, hands-on exercises, or even traditional workbooks. Since each on-demand course is so different, students should be sure to research their options so that they can make informed decisions when enrolling in an on-demand course.

Free Intro Courses & Tutorials

Students looking for free online tutorials should start at Noble Desktop’s blog, and the articles tagged InDesign. Here, students will have access to articles and interviews explaining the basics of InDesign, and they will be able to find free online Graphic Design and InDesign courses. Noble’s InDesign overview page also includes links to free online training resources. These free resources are constantly updated, and they are built as onboarding tools for Noble’s paid training seminars, so using these resources will prepare students for the more immersive learning options made available through Noble.

One of the best ways to introduce yourself to InDesign is through a free online video tutorial. Noble’s blog and Graphic Design YouTube playlist provide students with free introductory videos covering both broadly graphic design principles and Adobe InDesign in particular. These videos are a great place to start getting a feel for InDesign, as they allow students to learn the basics of the program at their own pace. Noble’s videos cover the basic functionalities of InDesign, teaching students how to navigate the interface, add text and images to a layout, and how to export and prepare simple layouts for publication.

Students looking for a more detailed background in InDesign should consult the Learn InDesign page on Noble’s Learn Hub. Here, students will find constantly updating free resources to help guide them through the early process of learning InDesign.

Read about more free InDesign videos and online tutorials.

Adobe also offers a number of first-part tutorials and sample projects to help new users learn how to work with InDesign. Adobe offers a free trial of InDesign, and during that trial, users will have access to the full program, including a built-in walkthrough of the program and its interface. These video tutorials can be watched in an afternoon, providing users with a straightforward introduction to InDesign, its interface, and its tools.

Students may also wish to browse YouTube to find online tutorials available outside of Noble’s official playlists. These tutorials range from lengthy lectures like those offered through Noble to brief micro lessons that will help students learn specific InDesign skills.

Comparison of Online Learning

There are a few things to consider both before choosing to learn InDesign online and before selecting an online InDesign program. Since the programs are so varied, students will want to make sure that they are selecting the right course for them because professional online instruction options can be expensive.

The first concern is to ask whether or not online learning is ideal in the first place. Some students can find online learning environments, even those with live components, to be isolating or too distant relative to in-person learning. Additionally, online learning options generally require students to have access to the program being taught, as there are no labs to provide computers. This may not be a problem for all students, but licensing Adobe InDesign can be pricey, even if a student only does it for a brief period.

Students who decide to learn InDesign online will have a number of concerns to address as they choose the program that is right for them. First, they will need to choose whether or not they want to learn through synchronous or asynchronous instruction. Live, synchronous instruction has the advantage of putting students into spaces where they can interact directly with their instructors. This lets students receive up-to-the-minute feedback on their work and lets them ask questions immediately as they arise. Asynchronous classes have the advantage of letting students learn at their own pace, and for some students, particularly those with work or family obligations, asynchronous learning may be their only option.

Live online learning courses have the drawback of being generally more expensive and more commitment-heavy. While introductory courses are available, even those courses tend to expect students to dedicate at least a few days' time to attending seminars and doing coursework. These courses tend to be far closer to in-person classes taught online than they are to traditional online classes with a live instructor. While they are the most immersive and detailed programs, students should be aware of the challenges and expectations going in.

On-demand and self-paced classes are much the opposite, as they don’t require students to learn or participate at a set pace. This can allow students to either slow down their learning to fit the needs of their schedules or to speed up the pace of their learning to meet their own learning preferences. The drawback to these courses is that they require a great deal of self-motivation, as students won’t have a set schedule or a syllabus of set dates to attend classes or turn in assignments. Some students may find this level of freedom more difficult than freeing, as it becomes easier to lose focus and let the course fall to the back burner.

Free tutorials and self-teaching resources are useful tools to help beginners familiarize themselves with InDesign, but they aren’t going to be deep enough or structured enough to help most students master the program. As supplemental tools, particularly for novice users interested in further training, they are invaluable for helping ease students into deeper training opportunities. However, students should be aware of the limitations of self-teaching InDesign.

Key Insights

• InDesign is the industry-standard tool for building page layout designs. Graphic Designers and Print Advertisers regularly use the program, and those wanting to learn how to learn InDesign may wish to consider online instruction.
• There are numerous online instruction options available to students seeking to learn InDesign. Live online instruction, on-demand, and self-paced courses, and free tutorials are available to help students customize their own InDesign education.
• Live online instruction offers students the chance to receive hands-on instruction from professional trainers in a setting that mirrors in-person classroom instruction. These courses tend to be the most immersive and in-depth learning options, but they also tend to be the most expensive and may not be reasonable for students without flexible schedules.
• Self-paced and on-demand courses may be better suited for students who can’t block out the time to attend a live course. These courses let students dictate the pace of their education and give students more freedom to learn in their desired style. These courses do require a great deal of self-motivation, and they can be difficult for students who need to be able to ask questions and receive feedback.
• Free online tutorials are excellent tools for new learners but aren’t enough to build a professional career. Students who are learning InDesign for their own recreational use may find them sufficient, but anyone aspiring to work in graphic design or publishing will need to build on these free resources with more focused training.

Learn InDesign with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers a wide range of training options for students seeking to learn Adobe InDesign. Ranging from introductory courses such as InDesign in a Day to immersive career training programs like the Graphic Design Certificate program, Noble has a training program built to fit your needs. These courses are all taught by professional instructors with years of training as both teachers and graphic designers. Each course comes with the option to retake the course for free within a year of the initial enrollment, meaning that students have the option to take the courses again in order to receive more hands-on experience with InDesign or to gain more training in skills that they found difficult the first time through.

The Adobe InDesign Bootcamp gives students hands-on experience working with InDesign through exercises that mirror the kinds of projects that professional Graphic Designers would work on. Students will learn how to create layouts with InDesign’s text, color, and graphic tools, they will learn how to import formats and styles to easily build layouts, and they will learn how to work with parent pages to easily create complex, multi-page designs for projects like brochures and magazines. This course is ideal for students who want to learn the advanced features of InDesign within a professional context. At the end of this bootcamp, students will be prepared to use InDesign as part of their professional lives, and they will be able to demonstrate to their employers that they have received in-depth InDesign training.

Noble’s Graphic Design Certificate program takes this InDesign training and pairs it with career-focused training in Photoshop and Illustrator. Students will learn the background of graphic design, receiving training in philosophies of composition, color theory, and typography. Then, they will learn how to use Illustrator and Photoshop to create digital illustrations and assets that can be imported to InDesign to populate finished page layouts. Bringing these programs together, the Graphic Design Certificate program is built to take students from novice users to trained designers, aiming to help them find a new career once they’ve completed the course. This certificate program also provides students with one-on-one career mentoring so that when the course is complete, graduates will be ready to enter the workforce as Graphic Designers.