Hot Stuff
Win a Wacom Tablet
We're giving away one Wacom tablet!
Subscribe to Author CreativePro Author > Mike Rankin
Mike Rankin
I guess it all started in 1987, when I traded in my Sears word processor for a Mac 512k. Many thousands of pages later, MacWrite and MacPaint on the 512k have evolved into the Creative Suite 5 on a MacBookPro, but it's never stopped being fun.
I’ve worked in publishing since 1995, mostly making grade 6-12 educational products for history, science, mathematics, and world languages disciplines. I've also worked as an illustrator, drawing for anatomy books, spent a few years as Prepress Specialist using Kodak Prinergy, and as a Software Trainer, training folks in InDesign, InCopy, Illustrator, and Photoshop. I also underwent Six Sigma Black Belt training in business process improvement. Currently I work for a large educational publisher, doing application development (translation: more XML than you can shake a stick at).
I am DTP pack rat, treasuring a lot of stuff that most sane people would consider trash. I proudly display a complete Illustrator 88 package on my desk, along with my set of Photoshop 2.5 floppies, and my InDesign 1.0 CD.
I've written about InDesign for InDesign Secrets and InDesign Magazine.
Make Text Look Like Chrome
How-Tos: Written by Mike Rankin on January 23, 2012
Using nothing more than a gradient swatch in InDesign, you can change text from a flat and boring object to a shiny metallic material that reflects the surfaces around it.
Uncover the Hidden Powers of InDesign's Effects Panel
How-Tos: Written by Mike Rankin on August 22, 2011
Knowing your way around the Effects panel is the first step in mastering InDesign's transparency effects.
Drop 20 Pounds with InDesign
How-Tos: Written by David Blatner Mike Rankin on April 4, 2011
Are your InDesign files so full of junk that they're clogging your printer? Slowing down your processor? Taking more than their share of hard drive space? Here's how to make them slim, svelte, and ready to jog all the way to the printer or screen. We can't help you fit into too-tight clothes, but it's easy to put your InDesign files on a diet.
Create InDesign Effects that Wow!
How-Tos: Written by David Blatner Diane Burns Mike McHugh Mike Rankin Rufus Deuchler Ted LoCascio on December 17, 2009
These quick tutorials will add seven tricks to your toolbox: everything from a ripped-paper look to the reflection effect so popular right now. And you can do them all in InDesign, not Photoshop or Illustrator!
Five Type Tricks in InDesign
How-Tos: Written by Mike Rankin on December 8, 2008
In just one article, you’ll find tips for fixing a muddled set of text frames, tweaking tracking, controlling a highlight effect, and more.
