Help with making flyers?

Just my two cents. I think Illustrator would suit your needs more. Pages is just the basics.

Sam,

Two things:

1) Pages doesn't save to jpeg; it exports to PDF
2) jpeg images typically don't have the quality necessary for printed pieces. I'm surprised that's what your printer is asking for. You might talk to a different printer for a second opinion.

-Dennis

Pages can certainly wrap text around objects. The only caveat I have is that the default setting of 12 points for the gutter/extra space is too much. You can download the iWork '08 trial & try it out for yourself.

Sam,

Before you invest in anything, I think you should give Pages a tryout. You can get a free 30-day trial right here. When you make your printed piece, export it to pdf, then take that file to your printer. See if he agrees that it will print to your satisfaction.

-Dennis

Sam, as a Art Director/graphic artist with nearly 20 years experience I advise you to use Adobe Illustrator for your design projects. Better still, and I realize cost factors into your equation, Quark Xpress as well as Adobe In-Design can not only 'Wrap text" around an object but can also have the text follow the outline of said object. Including free-flowing lines! You can even turn type into an image box as well. Talk about creating some ultra-COOL effects!

You see, it's like this... In the graphics world you have 3 primary programs— a page layout program (Quark Xpress or In-Design), an image manipulation program (Photoshop or 'your choice here') and a vector program (Illustrator or Freehand.) Image programs allows you to manipulate or composite your images as well as color correct your image. A Vector program creates your eps files - logo's and so on. A page layout program is where you put it all together and send it off to the printer/service bureau for film output with the end result being a 4 color offset print of the highest degree.

My preferred weapon's are Quark for layout and print with Illustrator and Photoshop to create my images and logo stuff.

A true page layout program can speak the same language as the Level 2 or level 3 Postscript RIP - that provides the color separations. You can also provide the printer/service bureau with an Acrobat PDF file and the resulting prints can be nearly identical. There are other factors such as the type of paper and or film as well as a plethora of color inks and color combinations that can influence the final print. (A topic for another discussion.)

"Pages" is not a high-end graphics layout program. "Pages" was designed primarily for the home user and not the professional graphic artist. I am not familiar with your experience as a graphic artist but I advise you to carefully analyze all the options prior to making a decision that may influence your successful career advancements. It would behoove you to research Illustrator as well as the page layout programs I spoke of earlier then present your findings to your supervisors.

If you take my advise and do the research first the fruits of your software decision will always be clean, efficient files for your service bureau. And the quality of color separations will amaze you, your clients and reflect kindly to the bottom line of your employers.

Send me a message and I'll help as best I can.

All the best to you.

Dragon 1
dragon1@dragondezynz.com

Dragon,

Your point is well taken, again. You've advised him to do research. Is there any problem with part of that research being a simple download of Pages to see if it meets his needs?

-Dennis

Absolutely not Dennis. I have encouraged research above all else. It may indeed be that Pages may fit the bill if the printed material were created/printed "In-House." But his posting also eluded to the fact that his "Printer" stated they can work with (correct me if I'm wrong") a JPEG file.

Having designed movie poster's for a majority of the studio's here in Hollywood I have never experienced great offset printing from jpeg files. The problem is (IMHO) due to the compression technology. Where as a Tiff or EPS file produces higher quality results. But I digress from the point.

Years ago, and I mean YEARS, ago one of my favorite Art/Design professors exclaimed, "The Golden rule in creating great art is to 'Explore Relationships!' I took this to mean experimentation as well as research. So I encourage all who may read this - "Research all options, tools, software, shape, texture and color, to determine what is best to achieve your/client desired results. For as designers are we not creating art that satisfies the customers vision? Or do we sell our solution as the "Right" solution?

A little background information on myself - I also taught Air Brush as well as Scientific Illustration classes at Santa Barbara City College way, way, way back in the 1980's. Boy I just dated myself BIG TIME! And I love to poke fun at myself as well.

Explore Relationships. Experiment. Research to find the tools that would best achieve the desired results.

All the Best Dennis. I enjoy our conversations.

Sam,

Photoshop Elements is a tool for tweaking photos. Pages is a layout tool, which is what you need to bring all of the elements together to make a flyer. With Pages, the finished product has the potential to look great on the screen. Whether or not it will look great on paper is something for you and your printer to decide. That's why I've been recommending giving it a trial run.

-Dennis