Ads are easy to create using Adobe Pagemaker. Whether you need a newspaper ad for your business or a basic ad for a program book, Pagemaker can help you create a professional-looking ad complete with photographs and graphics. Creating an ad is one of the easiest projects you can undertake in Pagemaker, and even those without much experience using the program can quickly become proficient at ad design. The variety of fonts and font sizes allows you to personalize your ad and add interest to your copy.

Decide on a design and a budget. Your budget will determine what size ad you can afford. Look through newspapers and magazines for layout ideas exhibited in ads similar in size to what you will be designing. Choose fonts for the headline and body copy.

Click on the Pagemaker icon on your desktop, then select “File” and “New” to open a new document. The Document Setup box will pop up. Choose the appropriate size for your page under “Dimensions.” The first measurement will determine the width of your page, and the second measurement will establish the length.

Choose the box tool located on the left side of the screen to create a box around your ad. After you have selected the box tool, click on “Element,” then “Fill and Stroke.” In this area, you can select the type of fill, or shaded background, the ad will have. If you want a clear background, choose “None.” You will usually want to work with a clear background. You can also select the “Stroke” or width of the line you want when the box is drawn. Start at the upper left corner and draw a box around the entire ad space.

Select the text tool arrow from the box on the left and draw a text box at the top of the ad. Put your most important copy here. You can either type the copy directly into the box or import it using the “Place” function. You can center the text on the page by clicking “Type” at the top of the page, then “Alignment.” From the alignment feature, choose “Align center.”

Place a photograph or graphic below the text using the “Place” function. If you wish, you can place text over the photograph, if the photograph is light enough that any text placed on it can be clearly read.

Draw another text box and enter any other pertinent facts, your contact information and logo.

Save the ad, print it and proofread it. Ask someone else to look at it, as he may be able to catch errors you did not notice. Make sure the ad fits the dimensions required by the newspaper or publishing company.

Send the ad to the publisher. Some publishers may prefer to receive the page via the Internet, while others may want you to put the ad on a disc or even print it out and send it to them.

Tip

Adding a little color to your text can create extra interest in your ad. Just be sure not to overdo it with too many competing colors.

Warning

Be careful when using white text on a black or dark background. While using reverse text gives the ad a dramatic appearance, overusing it can make text hard to read.