In this tutorial you’ll learn how to create a science brochure template with a colorful, on-trend style. You’ll pick up pro tips on how to make a brochure in InDesign, customising the design with your own content and preparing it for printing.
This six-page, easy-to-create brochure design has a clean and modern style which can be adapted for scientific companies, medical businesses, beauty enterprises, or research laboratories.
Ready to create your brochure design? Awesome, let’s dive in.
Looking for more editable brochure templates? These InDesign brochure templates on GraphicRiver and Envato Elements come in a huge range of customizable styles.
What You’ll Need
As well as access to Adobe InDesign and Adobe Illustrator (or an alternative vector program), you’ll also need to download and install the following font and icon sets from Envato Elements to use in your brochure:
You can choose to use the photos used in the template as pictured or replace these with your own choice of images. The photos used in the template, as pictured here, are:
Once you’ve installed the font files on your computer and have your images to hand, you’re ready to start creating your brochure template.
1. How to Set Up the Brochure Template in InDesign
Step 1
Open InDesign and go to File > New > Document.
Select Print from the Intent options at the top of the window, and choose Letter for the page size.
Increase the number of Pages to 6 and make sure Facing Pages is checked.
Set the Top and Outside Margins to 0.75 in, the Inside to 0.875 in, and the Bottom to 1 in.
Add a Bleed of 0.25 in to all edges except the Inside edge, which you can keep to 0 in. Then click Create.
Step 2
Go to the Layers panel (Window > Layers) and double-click on Layer 1, renaming it Photos.
Create three more new layers—Color, Graphics, and Type.
Then lock all the layers except the Color layer.
Step 3
Expand the Swatches panel (Window > Color > Swatches) and choose New Color Swatch from the panel’s drop-down menu.
Set the levels to C=56 M=0 Y=0 K=0, and click Add and Done.
Create three more CMYK swatches:
- C=14 M=34 Y=99 K=0
- C=60 M=100 Y=1 K=0
- C=2 M=85 Y=79 K=0
2. How to Add Color to Your Brochure Template
Step 1
Working on the Color layer, switch to the Rectangle Tool (M) and drag to create a shape across the first page of your document, extending the edge up to the bleed and left page trim.
From the Swatches panel, set the Fill of the shape to red, C=2 M=85 Y=79 K=0.
Step 2
Scroll down to the first two-page spread of your document, and create a colored rectangle over the left-hand page, setting the Fill to purple, C=60 M=100 Y=1 K=0.
Edit > Copy, Edit > Paste the rectangle, and move it over to the right-hand page.
With this second shape selected, go to Object > Effects > Transparency. Set the Mode to Hard Light and bring the Opacity down to 75%.
Step 3
Select and Copy both purple rectangles, and scroll down to the next spread of the document.
Edit > Paste them, switching the opaque shape to the right side and the transparent one to the left side.
Step 4
Create a final colored shape across the final page and back cover of the brochure, setting the Fill to red to match the front cover.
3. How to Create a Striking Design for Your Front Cover
Step 1
Scroll back up to the first page of the document, and lock the Color layer. Unlock the top layer, Type.
Use the Type Tool (T) to create a large text frame across the top quarter of the page, typing in the title and setting the Font to Chronograph and a purple Font Color.
Step 2
Copy and Paste the text frame a couple of times, arranging the copies in a row below the first, filling up the second quarter of the page.
Be playful with the Font Color, applying a different color from your palette to one of the text frames.
Step 3
Build up more text frames across the cover, creating four complete rows and varying the Font Color throughout.
Step 4
Open the pack of laboratory icons in a vector program like Adobe Illustrator.
Select one of the icons and Edit > Copy it.
Return to InDesign and lock the Type layer, unlocking the Graphics layer below.
Edit > Paste the icon directly onto the page. Hold Shift while you resize it and position it playfully inside one of the letters on the cover. Adjust the Fill Color of the icon to match the letter.
Return to the vector pack again and choose a second icon, copying and pasting it across and adapting the Fill Color as before.
4. How to Create a Template Spread for Your Brochure
By creating a basic layout for a single spread in your brochure, you can use this as a basis for populating more pages in your document.
Step 1
Scroll down to the first spread in your document. Remaining on the Graphics layer, Copy and Paste one of the icons across from the front cover, enlarging it and adjusting the Fill Color to pale blue.
Step 2
Lock the Graphics layer and unlock the top Type layer.
Use the Type Tool (T) to create one or several frames for a header at the top of the spread. Type in the header and set the Font to Chronograph SemiBold and a contrasting Font Color.
Set a subtitle below also in Chronograph SemiBold, and the text in All Caps.
Step 3
Use the Type Tool (T) to create the first column for body text on the far left of the left-hand page.
Set the first paragraph in Chronograph Bold, All Caps, and a pale blue Font Color.
Set the remaining body text in Chronograph SemiBold and a [Paper] Font Color.
Step 4
Pick up any overflowing text from the first column text frame by clicking on the small square icon at the bottom-right of the text frame.
Click onto the page to create a second text frame, and resize it to create a second column on the left-hand page.
Repeat to create more threaded columns on the right-hand page.
Step 5
Create a pull quote by creating a separate text frame and setting the text inside to a larger Font Size.
Open the Text Wrap panel (Window > Text Wrap), click on the Wrap around Bounding Box option at the top of the window, and set the Offset width to 0.25 in.
You can position the quote amongst the body text columns, pushing the text neatly away.
Step 6
Lock the Type layer and unlock the bottom layer, Photos.
Select the Rectangle Frame Tool (F) and drag across the page to create a whole-page image frame.
File > Place, select an image, such as one of the faded lines backgrounds used here, and Open it, allowing it to fill the whole frame.
Step 7
You can now use this spread as a basis for creating other spreads in your brochure.
Unlock the Type and Graphics layers and select all the elements sitting on the spread. Copy them, scroll down to the next spread, and Edit > Paste in Place.
Then you can start to play about with the arrangement of text on this second spread, as well as adjusting Font Color and the choice of icons, if needed, to create interest and contrast.
Create a new image frame on the left-hand page, beneath the transparent red rectangle, and File > Place a different image, such as this photo of a scientist.
Step 8
When you’ve finished populating the inside of your brochure, make sure to add a final touch to the back cover.
The back cover is a good place to put contact details, for example. Set these in Chronograph SemiBold.
5. How to Export Your Brochure Template for Printing
Step 1
Go to File > Export and choose Adobe PDF (Print) from the Format menu at the bottom of the window.
Name the file and click Save.
In the Export Adobe PDF window that opens, choose [Press Quality] from the Adobe PDF Preset menu at the top, and make sure the document is set to Export As Pages, not Spreads.
Step 2
Click on Marks and Bleeds in the window’s left-hand menu, and check both All Printer’s Marks and Use Document Bleed Settings.
Then you’re ready to click Export and create your press-ready brochure file.
Great job! You can send this PDF straight off to the printers.
Conclusion: Your Finished Science Brochure Template
This modern and stylish science brochure template can be used in its original style or as a versatile template for creating your own unique brochure design.
Why not try mixing up the fonts and color swatches for a fresh look?
Looking for more stylish brochure templates? These InDesign templates on GraphicRiver and Envato Elements come in a huge range of modern and customizable styles.
Don’t miss these brochure design tutorials and brochure templates for InDesign and Photoshop:
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