Affinity Publisher - Page Layouts

[Skids]

Hi,

I have been asked to produce a template that so for my daughter who is an Art and Design student so she may create what she calls a "zine" on a single sheet of paper.  The zine is created by printing eight "zine pages" onto the paper and then cutting and folding the A3 sheet into what I would call a booklet.

The obvious approach is to create a template that has defined eight page zones that she may drop her creations into.  The minor issue is that four of these zones will be inverted when on the template.  Each zone will be A6 sized and be printed in the following order on an A3 sheet : Top row (all inverted on the screen) : z7, z6, z5, z4 ; bottom row z8, z1, z2, z3 .  I wonder if there is a method where I define eight A6 pages and have publisher print these out in a defined order and orientation onto the single sheet of A3 sized paper?  

best wishes

Simon
Locked down owner of an A3+ printer, Affinity publisher and occasional Art Tech

[firstdefence]

Not sure if this helps but: https://www.wikihow.com/Print-Booklets using Acrobat Reader. So create the booklet with A6 pages in Affinity Publisher export to PDF and print with Acrobat Reader as per the wikihow.

[walt.farrell]

 

2 hours ago, Skids said:

I wonder if there is a method where I define eight A6 pages and have publisher print these out in a defined order and orientation onto the single sheet of A3 sized paper?  

Just use the Booklet option when printing the file:

[PaulEC]

Maybe I'm missing something (not unusual for me!), but if you start with an A3 sheet and fold it to produce an A6 size booklet, you actually end up with 16 pages, as each sheet is double sided. I'm attaching a template showing the layout for this, in case it helps. If I were doing this, I would create each page separately, arrange them in order (rotating the "top row" by 180 degrees) on the template and then print out either duplex, or by manually flipping the paper. 16 page Zine (A3).afpub

There are better ways to produce booklets, but if the aim is to do it as described then I think this is the way to go.

[Skids]

Hi,

First thanks for the replies and Paul the template.  In the end I have created a template that splits the A3 into eight cells by declaring two rows and four columns. The "zine" she wants to produce is only printed on one side of the A3 sheet as the sheet is first folded in half along the longest crease leaving the eight zine pages on the outside of the fold.  Next it is folded in half and then half again with the creases made in both directions.  Open the sheet out and make a single cut from the middle of the long crease exactly one page width in both directions or a cut that is half the length of the page centred on the page.  Next remake the long fold and hold the sheet at the left are right edges and slowly bring your hands and the sheet together so that the crease in the middle facing you comes toward you and the crease on the other side creases away from you.  Keep moving your hands together until you form a cross when viewed from above.  Lastly form the booklet by moving each arm of the cross into your left hand.  Its harder to describe than do.

best wishes

Simon

Template-Zine-8pg-A3.aftemplate

[firstdefence]

just been wracking my brain for the word that relates to page printing... Imposition, sheeez it only took me 3 hours lol!

Just followed your instructions Skids, take a look see at the pics below, oh and I've developed a martial art called "Fold Fu" lol! 

How cool is this... I scaled down to an A4 sheet in the printer settings A4 fit to to printable.