Re: Page Layout for a book
The main question I would ask is how many pages are you planning on doing for your children's book? I would never want to layout a large number of pages, but I've done marketing booklet designs with over 12 pages in Draw just fine in the past. As for you second question, I've never had trouble getting a Draw project printed if I publish it to a PDF for the printer.
Good luck.
Re: Page Layout for a book
Thanks for the reply wombat...
I would say around 25-30 pages max.
Is MS Publisher good enough for page layout, or I need to spend big $$ for InDesign?
Hmm, so I need to print it to PDF and then send to the printing place? How about giving them raw data?
Re: Page Layout for a book
Stick with CorelDRAW - its page layout and pdf export features will be more than adequate. :) Most printers will accept pdfs these days.
Also, why not contact the printers who'll be doing the job and confirm what they will take and how best to set the files up for them? :)
Re: Page Layout for a book
I don't think you'll need InDesign. As Eagle said, DRAW is just fine for what you described. You won't need to print to a PDF with it, it has a Publish to PDF with Pre-Press settings. It's what I use when I go to press. I really wouldn't mess with Publisher either. I can't speak for the last few years, but it used to be hard to find a good printer that would support it.
Good Luck to you!
Re: Page Layout for a book
InDesign is expensive and built to stay that way. Not all printers do imposting though the bigger players do. But you have all you need to publish your book in DRAW without a plugin. InDesign requires a plugin to turn facing pages into art ready for a platemaker.
Ask several printers what their requirements are.
CorelDRAW doesn't have a simple option for page numbering, so for smaller books it is alright.
Re: Page Layout for a book
Thanks guys and gals!
I guess I'll stick with Corel for the whole book.
Thanks again!
Re: Page Layout for a book
Good move! :D I stick with Corel for just about everything! ;)
Re: Page Layout for a book
I would advise that if the book is over 40 pages and there are many bitmaps to link the pictures rather than embedding them, that way you can have a longer book without a slow down.
Re: Page Layout for a book
Hi Sally, that's a good advise about linking bitmaps.
I'm thinking of doing all my illustration using CorelDraw. Should I be concerned with file size? can I link *.cdr files to my page layout?
Oh, another thing (for those people who does book illustration for a living) if it's okay to ask. How much do you guys/gals charge per illustration? I haven't done this kind of thing before, the reason I'm asking.
Thanks again.