Modern AI technologies provide us with a wide range of possibilities, design is no exception. Neural network image generation is certainly impressive, but it looks more like a curious novelty for book authors than a daily tool for layout designers. Agreed, it's not always the job of layout artists to select or create illustrations and visual content for layouts. But with the advent of this functionality, their roles can expand significantly, opening up new opportunities and responsibilities.
Layout designers working in InDesign typically deal with more practical tasks. In this article, I'll share three ideas on how using AI can really make their lives easier. But first, I'll expand and expand a bit on Anton Grishin's thoughts from his article.
Image generation based on text analysis
Selecting a fragment of a manuscript text and generating an image based on it is no longer a fantasy, it is today's reality. If a year ago we would have laughed at such a scenario, now it is our everyday life. But we should not stop there.
The real treasure lies in generating images not locally, but for the entire edition. Take two simple parameters: the style of images and the frequency of their appearance in the book — and your layout is already sparkling with new colours. At Metranpage, we're already working on this and will start testing it soon.
And of course, the possibilities don't end there. Adobe has a huge image bank that you can use in your layouts. Imagine that after analysis of your document, artificial intelligence will select a set of images in the right tone, colour scheme and, most importantly, accurately convey the meaning of the publication. A real holiday for the layout designer!
Stylistics of generated images
You've probably heard of artists protesting against neural networks that have been collecting huge datasets of illustrations without their knowledge and training their models on them. This is far from a recent case, and such conflicts will no doubt recur. The main point behind this is that artists are protecting their copyrights and fear that their unique style will be replaced by neural networks. Neither Adobe nor anyone in the publishing world will take responsibility for restricting the rights and freedoms of artists.
This challenge has been taken up by the team at Exactly.AI. In a nutshell: they contract with artists, who provide their work to train models. As a result, everyone is happy. And the cool thing is that anyone can get an illustration from a well-known and sought-after artist legally and for less money.
Frankly, so far I find it hard to believe that imitating an author's vision (where artists artfully manipulate subjects, proportions, and so on) will be perfect. But I'd very much like to be wrong, and hopefully we'll see significant progress in this direction in the coming year.
Adobe's partnership with this and similar services is potentially a good strategy, we'll see how things pan out in reality.
We can talk about images endlessly, let's move on to the three promised ideas on how using AI can really make life easier for layout designers.
Preparing for printing according to the chosen paper and production method
Those who have ever prepared books for printing, or who do so on a regular basis, will recognise the number of complex processes involved. Depending on the layout and printing method, there are many important manipulations that need to be carried out on the way to the finished publication. This can include trapping — adding special gaps between design elements to avoid white lines at the joints when the print shifts; controlling the total ink density — fine-tuning the amount of ink used to achieve the right balance and avoid smudging or lack of brightness. And all of this is highly dependent on the paper chosen, its characteristics and features.
Now imagine choosing your paper type and printing method — and wham, your layouts are ready! Yes, indeed, just a few button presses and all the necessary descents, corrections and adjustments are already done for you.
This feature will make the process of preparing for printing much easier. Instead of spending hours manually adjusting each element and checking dozens of parameters, you'll be able to focus on the creative part of your work. And it's not just a beautiful dream — it's a very realistic and near future.
Cover design
Of course, books are not always chosen by their covers. Most often the choice is influenced by the reputation of the author and recommendations. But you must agree that the cover is the first thing that the buyer sees. It is it should work for sales and does not have to meet the tastes of the author himself, especially if it is a commercial project.
Cover design should take into account many factors. First of all, it should include an analysis of the work itself to convey its mood and main ideas. It is also important to study the covers and take into account the commercial success of publications in the same genre that have already proved successful in the market. And, of course, do not forget about the peculiarities of different markets and regions — what works in one country may not be suitable for another.
Based on all this information, a basic design should be created, including the right typographic techniques, a harmonious colour scheme and an expressive composition. It's a comprehensive approach that makes a cover not only beautiful, but also effectively sell.
We at Metranpage have taken on this ambitious task. By combining the power of data analysis and creative design solutions, we hope to soon delight the market with our innovative approaches to cover design.
Neuro-editor
We are not talking about simple proofreading of texts, but about full-fledged editing — setting semantic accents in a book. Very often, especially in non-fiction literature, it is necessary to highlight key thoughts, create boxes, preambles and other elements that help the reader to better digest the material. However, these important points are not always identified in the original manuscript.
Imagine a mechanism that can automatically identify the most important thoughts in a text, whether at the chapter or subchapter level. Such a feature would not just improve the book's perception and reader engagement, but would also add visually interesting elements that make the text more lively and engaging.
Marking up meaningful thoughts and creating visually highlighted boxes and preambles from them can greatly enhance the readability of a book. This allows the reader to easily find and remember key points, making the reading process more convenient and efficient. This feature not only makes it easier to understand complex material, but also adds structure and appeal to the book, which is especially important in information-rich non-fiction literature.
And then, of course, there are the citations.... A mechanism of global search and addition of quotations on a given topic would make life incredibly easy for everyone — authors, editors, and layout designers.
Conclusion
Artificial Intelligence offers the publishing market an incredible opportunity to turn dreams into reality. Embedding AI into processes — from preparing layouts to creating compelling covers and analysing texts — will revolutionise the way we work in the near future.
Imagine a future where complex tasks are solved instantly, freeing up time for creativity and innovation. Technological advances will make books even more engaging and accessible, improving the quality of publications and simplifying the processes of creating them. I hope that publishers will take into account the significant reduction in the cost of creating a book when setting prices for customers.
The publishing market is on the cusp of significant transformation. I look forward to the day when AI brings fresh ideas and solutions, opening new horizons for creative and functional publishing.
Kir Vitkovski is the founder of Metranpage, an innovative service for the layout and design of multi-page publications, design director, and author of a YouTube channel.
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