Picture this: You‘re tasked with designing a 100-page product catalog for a client. The project requires a consistent layout across the entire document, with the same headers, footers, page numbers, and graphic elements appearing on every page. You dive in and start formatting each page individually, but after slogging through 20 pages of repetitive work, you begin to wonder if there‘s a better way.
Enter parent pages – Adobe InDesign‘s secret weapon for streamlining the formatting and layout of multi-page documents. By allowing you to create master templates that can be automatically applied to any page you choose, parent pages (formerly called master pages) are a game-changer for any InDesign user looking to save time, ensure consistency, and work more efficiently on long documents.
In this expert guide, we‘ll give you an in-depth look at everything you need to know to become a parent page pro. Whether you‘re creating a brochure, catalog, magazine, book, or any other type of multi-page layout, you‘ll learn how to harness the power of parent pages to revolutionize your InDesign workflow.
What are Parent Pages?
Before we get into the nuts and bolts of using parent pages, let‘s make sure we‘re clear on exactly what they are and how they differ from regular InDesign pages.
In InDesign, parent pages are global layout templates that contain design elements, guides, and formatting that you want to repeat across multiple pages. Any object you include on a parent page – like headers, footers, logos, page numbers, margins, columns, etc. – automatically appears on every document page that has that parent applied to it.
Parent pages are listed at the top of the Pages panel, distinctly separate from the document pages below them. InDesign automatically creates a default parent page called "A-Master" in every new document, but you can create as many additional custom parent pages as you need.
Parent pages are NOT the same as document pages. While document pages contain the actual content of your project – the text, images, and other elements that make up your design – parent pages are just templates. Any elements placed on a parent page serve as placeholders that will appear on any document page the parent is applied to.
This unique parent/child relationship between master pages and document pages forms the crux of the parent page workflow. Instead of formatting each individual page separately, you design a comprehensive layout once on the parent page and then apply that parent to any page you want it to appear on.
According to Adobe, implementing parent pages can reduce document production time by as much as 80% compared to manual page-by-page formatting. By automating repetitive layout tasks and ensuring cohesive design across your entire project, parent pages are truly the key to next-level efficiency in InDesign.
Creating and Editing Parent Pages
Creating a new parent page in InDesign couldn‘t be simpler. To add a parent page:
- Open the Pages panel (Window > Pages).
- Click the "Create New Page" button at the bottom of the panel.
- From the menu, choose "Parent Page."
- In the New Parent dialog box, give your master a name, specify 1 or 2 pages (for facing pages), and click OK.
Tip: You can also create a new parent page by dragging an existing document page or spread into the parent page area at the top of the Pages panel.
Your new parent page will now appear as an icon in the parent page section of the Pages panel, ready for editing. To edit a parent page:
- In the Pages panel, double-click the parent page icon you want to work on. This will open the parent page editing mode.
- Add any elements you want to include on the master layout using InDesign‘s tools and panels. This might include:
- Headers and footers
- Page numbers (use Type > Insert Special Character > Markers > Current Page Number)
- Guide frames for margins and columns
- Logos and other graphic elements
- Text placeholders for titles, body copy, captions, etc.
- Object styles and formatting
- When you‘re finished editing, double-click any document page in the Pages panel to exit parent page mode.
Keep in mind that any elements you include on the parent page are just placeholders or starting points. Regular document page content will sit on top of parent items, allowing you to create consistently structured pages that can still be customized with page-specific content.
Some additional parent page creation tips to consider:
- Use the "Based on Parent" feature to create alternate versions of an existing parent page. This preserves the original master while letting you make variations.
- Save frequently used parent page elements like guides, frames, and styles as InDesign libraries for quick access.
- Import parent pages from other InDesign documents by choosing "Load Parent Pages" from the Pages panel menu.
- Use layers to organize and selectively show/hide different parent page elements.
Applying Parent Pages
Once you‘ve designed your parent pages, you need to apply them to your document pages for them to have any effect. There are a few ways to apply parent pages in InDesign:
Drag and Drop Method
Simply click and drag the parent page icon onto any document page thumbnail in the Pages panel. Release when you see a highlighted border appear around the destination page. Repeat for additional pages as needed.
Apply Parent Pages Dialog Box
For more control over page ranges and options:
- Select the document pages you want to apply a master to in the Pages panel.
- Right-click and choose "Apply Parent to Pages" from the context menu.
- In the dialog box, choose the parent to apply, specify the destination pages, and set any additional options:
- Shuffle Spreads: Rearranges spread layouts to accommodate different L/R masters
- Transition Effects: Controls how parent items appear on the page (fade, wipe, etc.)
- Preserve Document Overrides: Keeps any existing document page formatting and layout edits
- Click OK to apply the selected parent to the specified pages.
Method | Pros | Cons |
---|---|---|
Drag and Drop | Quick and easy for single pages | Limited control, have to repeat for each page |
Apply Parent Dialog | Can apply to page ranges, more options | Extra steps compared to drag and drop |
Tip: Use the Pages panel menu to automate parent application with commands like "Apply Parent to Odd/Even Pages" and "Apply Parent to Section or Document."
Overriding and Detaching Parent Page Objects
One of the most powerful features of parent pages is the ability to customize or override parent elements on a page-by-page basis. This allows you to hide, modify, or detach headers, footers, graphics, and other parent objects without changing the master page itself.
Some common reasons you might want to override a parent page object:
- Hiding a page number on a blank or decorative page
- Changing placeholder text on a chapter title page
- Moving or resizing a graphic on a specific spread
- Applying different formatting to a footer on the last page
To override a parent page object:
- Navigate to the document page with the parent object you want to customize.
- Hold Shift+Command (Mac) or Shift+Ctrl (PC) and click the parent object to select it. This "detaches" it from the parent page and makes it available for editing.
- Make any desired changes to the object using InDesign‘s editing tools and panels.
Once overridden, a parent page object becomes a local, page-specific element that can be edited independently from the original master object. However, this also means it will no longer receive updates or changes made to the parent page.
To remove an override and restore an object to its parent page state, select the overridden object and choose "Remove Selected Local Overrides" from the Pages panel menu. You can also hold Shift+Command/Ctrl and click the object again to remove its local formatting.
Parent Page Best Practices and Tips
To get the most out of parent pages, consider these expert best practices and shortcuts:
- Name your parent pages descriptively based on their function, like "Chapter Opener" or "2 Column Body."
- Organize parent pages using color labels and names that reflect your document hierarchy.
- Minimize manual overrides to parent page objects. If you find yourself detaching objects frequently, consider making a new parent page variation instead.
- Use InDesign‘s master text frames and "Primary Text Frame" feature to automate text flow and formatting between different parent masters.
- Apply paragraph, character, object, and table styles to parent page elements to ensure consistent formatting and easy global updates.
- Create a "Blank" parent page with minimal or no formatting for pages that need a unique layout.
- Use sections and section-specific parent pages to change formatting or numbering in different parts of your document.
- Take advantage of keyboard shortcuts to speed up your parent page workflow:
- Command+J (Mac) or Ctrl+J (PC) = Apply "Next" parent page to selected page(s)
- Command+Shift+J (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+J (PC) = Apply "Previous" parent page to selected page(s)
- Command+Shift+L (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+L (PC) = Go to parent page editing mode
Putting Parent Pages into Practice
To illustrate how parent pages can be used to streamline a variety of document design tasks, here are a few real-world project examples:
Product Catalog
- Master pages for front/back cover, intro, and product detail spreads
- Placeholder graphics and formatted text frames for product names, photos, descriptions, and specs
- Formatted running headers with section/categories, page numbers, and company branding
- Color-coded tabs and folios for easy navigation between sections
Employee Manual
- Separate master pages for chapter openers, standard 1 and 2-column text pages, and index
- Headers and footers with page numbers, chapter names, company logo
- Text frame placeholders with paragraph and object styles for headings, body copy, bulleted lists, tables, etc.
- Custom color palette and typographic formatting for on-brand design
Magazine Layout
- Parent pages for cover, contents, masthead, departments, 1-6 column article layouts, and other recurring page designs
- Guides, grids, and placeholders for design consistency across articles and issues
- Branded header and footer content like issue date, volume, title, tagline, page numbers
- Automated page numbering and section starts
- Ad placeholder frames for quick insertion and arrangement of advertisements
Conclusion
As these examples demonstrate, InDesign‘s parent pages are an indispensable tool for any project that requires consistency, efficiency, and creative flexibility across multiple pages. By investing the time to set up intentional masters early in your design process, you can automate large swaths of tedious page formatting while establishing a cohesive visual language for your entire layout.
The keys to mastering parent pages are understanding what they are, how they work, and how to leverage them for maximum productivity and impact at each stage of your workflow. Whether you‘re new to InDesign or a veteran user looking to level up your game, taking the time to explore and experiment with parent pages is sure to pay off.
With this in-depth look at parent page function and best practices, I wish you luck in joining the ranks of parent page power users. Here‘s to happy, efficient InDesigning!