dtp

[mimififi]

Hi, i don't know if this is the right section, but I am trying to improve my DTP skills using both microsoft word and sun word. I am really pants at computers, but can do most usery type things.

can anyone recommend any courses or some useful websites?

Many thanks guys,
mimififi

[ll_billym]

Well try posting in the correct section, it's not hard. I guess Internet and Technology would give you a better response.

[mimififi]

Thank you for your kind response.

Actually, I did also post in science and tech. The reason I did this was to raise the probability of receiving a useful answer from people who would perhaps be able to offer actual information and who, perhaps, did not look in the science and tech section.
You could try finding out if a person has done this before responding thus; it's not hard.

[mimififi]

Obviously, I meant internet and tech when I accidentally said science and tech.

[alfiebrady]

Some questions:

Do you have any graphic design background?

What's your objective? Is it for work, home projects, personal interest, etc.?

Why are you restricted to MS-Word / 'Sun Word' (do you mean Writer?)

Can't recommend any sites courses, but there are free resources to be found if you search for 'desktop publishing tutorial'. You could also try out freeware DTP software like Scribus.

[mimififi]

Hi alfie, thank you for your response, I really appreciate it.

In answer to your questions:

I have no design background. I'm ok as a general computer user, but my background is in the English lit/history arena and not technology I'm afraid.

I would like to learn more about this area of computing as I home educate my children and write lots of notebooks/worksheets/lesson plans etc and I am also working from home at the moment for my own business which is along the same lines. I would like to be better at formatting and writing documents of a more graphical nature so that they look more 'professional' so to speak.

I only have access to Microsoft word and sun word at them moment as I have these installed on my pcs at home.

I shall certainly try searching again. My problem was that there was so much information that I didn't really know what to look at and what not to look out for such a novice as myself.

Thanks again for your response, I really do appreciate it. I am grateful for any information at the moment!!!!

love

mimi

[alfiebrady]

Okay, if as a first step, you'd just like to add a bit more 'polish' to the documents you're producing, have a look at the supplied Word templates. Click File > New , and try out the templates you've got. Not got any, or want to see some more? Again, search for 'word templates'...

For the teaching material, do you make use of images?

[mimififi]

Ok, I'll try that;

Re images, not as much as I'd like. Because some of them I am writing for my business, I can't use the provided clip art cos of the copy right I believe so I would prefer to use photographic images from file. I am trying to compile my own bank of 'clip art'. What would you suggest re images?

and again, I really appreciate your help.

[alfiebrady]

I was thinking about images in relation to your teaching material because there might be certain specific photographic / diagrammatic images which youu would require, and would have to source from somewhere. No big deal. If you have image files, you've probably already used the Insert > Picture menu option.

Anyway, check out the Word templates, and see if they're of any use, and where you want to go from there. Best of luck!