Thread: How do you make your flyers?

Hi!

I usually get my friend's help to make class / event flyers. It is great that I get her help, but I always wanted to make my own(if I could...) to save time!
My friend is a graphic designer and the stuff she uses is too complicated for me.

What kind of program do people use to make flyers? ...something not too difficult but looks good.

Thank you!

I have previously used Microsoft Publisher, which is very basic and easy to use. Like anything basic and user-friendly, though, the trade off is that you're limited in how cool you can make things look.

My new computer came with PowerPoint instead of Publisher (which I luckily also know how to use), so I think I'll be using that going forward.

ETA: Except that I *just* figured out my new computer actually has both Publisher and PowerPoint! D'oh!

I use both Microsoft Publisher and Powerpoint, too, and they're both great (if you know how to use them!). I find Powerpoint easier to use, because Publisher has some really annoying features like text boxes wrapping themselves around other objects, and it's a fiddle to turn that off. Powerpoint is also easier to align things and format text. However, Publisher has pre-sized formats for 3-fold fliers, business cards, postcards, etc, so that can be really useful.

If you have an older version of Powerpoint, it used to compress the photos, so the quality wasn't as good as Publisher. The recent versions have equivalent quality.

If you want to share files with anyone and use publisher, be aware that the most recent version is not backwards-compatible. ie: if you create a document in Publisher 2007, someone with Publisher 2003 will not be able to open it.

Another dancer I know uses Fireworks, which is an Adobe product. She really likes it a lot.

Thank you ladies!

I didn't know I could make flyers with powepoint! I've only used for school prensentation numbers of years ago... :-p

Someone also told me about vistaprint.com where you can make flyers with design template. Has anyone used something like it?

I use Powerpoint or MicroSoft Word, depending on what I need to do. I use Powerpoint if I want more graphic options that text and Word when I have a lot of text with only a couple of graphic effects.

I am using Photoshop to make one but I have also used Microsoft Word in the past...

Depends on how graphic intense you want it...

I've used Word in the past, but now I use printshop since it has a few more photo editing features- still relatively cheap & easy to use.
Here's an example with fading, shadows, etc. I put together this morning. Warning- this might not actually save time if you are at all picky!

Originally Posted by Lara L

I've used Word in the past, but now I use printshop since it has a few more photo editing features- still relatively cheap & easy to use.
Here's an example with fading, shadows, etc. I put together this morning. Warning- this might not actually save time if you are at all picky!

that is very nice ;-)

I have a Mac and I use Pages - its a phenomenal program. I'm totally computer illiterate, never mind graphics - and it makes me look like a pro!

Originally Posted by elljay

I have a Mac and I use Pages - its a phenomenal program. I'm totally computer illiterate, never mind graphics - and it makes me look like a pro!

2nding Pages!

I like photoshop

:)

I use Word or Powerpoint or Paintshop Pro, depending on how many graphics vs how much text.

i am going to third Adobe Photoshop and then Adobe Illustrator or InDesign for final layout. These programs are very intuitive and easy to use compared to other graphic design programs! My husband learned in a few days with a hands on lesson from me! ..g.:

Originally Posted by Lara L

I've used Word in the past, but now I use printshop since it has a few more photo editing features- still relatively cheap & easy to use.
Here's an example with fading, shadows, etc. I put together this morning. Warning- this might not actually save time if you are at all picky!

That's a great flier! But did you notice that the tag line at the bottom says 'Dance to the beat of a different'...but no drum???

I wish I knew how to use photo-editing software to do cutting, fading, etc. (OK, that's something for my list of New Year's resolutions!).

That's one limitation with Word or Powerpoint - you can't edit the photos. You have to do that in a different program first.

Originally Posted by Lara L

I've used Word in the past, but now I use printshop since it has a few more photo editing features- still relatively cheap & easy to use.
Here's an example with fading, shadows, etc. I put together this morning. Warning- this might not actually save time if you are at all picky!

Wow, this looks very nice! Did you just use printshop?