Step 1 - Dimensions for Ads 

Make sure to follow these sizing guidelines depending on the type of ad ordered!
Full Page: Up to 6 photos and 200 words
                 Ad Sizing: 48p6 by 75p0 (vertical)
1/2 Page: Up to 4 photos and 100 words
                 Ad Sizing: 48p6 by 37p0 (horizontal)
1/4 Page: Up to 2 photos and 50 words
                 Ad Sizing: 23p9 by 37p0 (vertical)
1/8 Page: Up to 1 photo and 25 words
                 Ad Sizing: 23p9 by 18p0 (horizontal)

Step 2 - Dominant Photo Selection and Placement 

Dominant Photo: Choose the best, most recent photo (ideally the largest) as the background according to the orientation of the ad. Try to also choose a photo with blank space in the background in order to place text boxes, other photos, and the title later on. Place a rectangular frame that covers the entire ad size to place it into.  When you are scaling the ad hold down shift so that the photo is not stretched. Do NOT flip the photos!

Step 3 - Placement of Other Photos 

Photo Placement: Pick a place that has a good amount of blank space in order to place the other photos in the ad (if there is more than one photo). Try to group the photos in a module-like formation as shown to the side.

Make sure to follow these guidelines after sizing your photos and finding an ideal spot on your ad to place the additional photo(s): 
  • Place a 0.5pt solid white outline around each photo
  • Size the photos accordingly in proportion to each other and place the photos in the background of the main/dominant photo without overlaying the dominant photo (unless ABSOLUTELY necessary)
  • All photos must be in a modular formation and touching one another

Step 4 - Message Box

Message Box: Make two boxes (it's easier if you just make one and then copy it, so its the same dimensions) using the rectangle tool and format it to have no border and a background color of one of our 14 pull colors (choose a color that compliments the photo). Then offset the two boxes to have an overlapped effect using the Align tool (Window>Object & Layout>Align). Select the boxes and under the Distribute Objects portion, check the box "Use Spacing", type 0p4 and click the "Distribute Vertical Centers" and "Distribute Horizontal Centers". Then, make a text box and place your text DIRECTLY into that box. Make sure this text box has no background and no border color and place this box with the text directly on top of the first two boxes you made. Format your text to be Muller Regular font in 8.5pt. Size the box according to the amount of text. If part of the message is an inspirational quote or verse, italicize the quote.

Then, select the two overlapped boxes and a selection screen like the one below will appear at the top of your screen.  Go to where it says 100% below and drag it to 50-70% (in increments of 10) transparency (depending on the photo and the readability). This will allow the box to look
​semi-transparent like the one in the example below.

Step 5 - Title/Name Placement

Title/Name Selection: Make two separate boxes and put the first name of the individual in one box and the last name of the individual in the other. If you are designing an ad in which the individual wants their middle name in the ad, put the middle name in the box with the first name. If you are designing a group ad, such as Bowie Yearbook for example, put Bowie in the first box and Yearbook in the second box.  

Follow the guidelines below for the names:
  • Create a horizontal transparent bar (50-70% in increments of 10) entering from the right/left side (depending on the photo)
  • Create a separate text box to place on top of the transparent bar. First names should be in one Muller font (look at the options below) while the last name should be in a contrasting font. Both should be the same size: 20pt-76pt depending on name length and ad size. The last few letters of the name should be hanging off the transparent bar (adjust to be aesthetically pleasing).
  • Can be in black or white (depending on the dominant photo and the readability, but aim for using white if possible)
  • Can be ONE of the following: (Just keep in mind, the name needs to be readable with the transparent bar and photo)
    • Muller Light with Muller Bold
    • Muller Light with Muller Medium Italic
    • Muller Regular with Muller Light Italic 
    • Muller Regular with Muller Bold
    • Muller Medium Italic with Muller ExtraBold
    • Muller Medium Italic with Muller Bold
    • Muller Thin with Muller ExtraBold
    • Muller Thin with Muller Bold Italic

Step 6 - Horizontal Bar Behind Photos

Create a transparent box (50-70% in increments of 10, but use whatever transparency was used for the bar behind the name). The bar should be no thicker than a third of the entire of the width of the photo package. Then center the bar behind the photos. 

Step 7 - Finished!

Make sure to move anything in your ad that needs to be adjusted and don't let the modular photos or the text box touch the white border. Double check each element of your ad and then save it as the individual's or organization's first and last name as an InDesign document (.indd) under the folder Senior Ads 2020 for Proofing (under Marketing & Sales folder). Make sure that your ad looks elementally similar to the one below and if it doesn't or you have any questions, ask an editor or Ms. Shirack for help. Then you are done! Yay!