Editing Portrait Pages
Editors/Editors-in-Chief may make changes to portrait page general configuration (rows, columns, spacing) and appearance (label & title contents, font, size, portrait border effects) in the editor. Staffers are not permitted to do so, as making changes to portrait pages may affect the number of pages in the book.
- The editor’s portrait tab controls the configuration and styling of your portrait pages.
- The portrait manager is the place to correct label typos, update portrait images, and add new people.
- The portrait wizard in the book manager lets you change the portrait page order or what groups are included in the portrait pages.
To open a portrait page in the editor, hover over the page then click the Edit button.
When the page opens in the editor, click on the Portrait tab on the left, then check out the book.
The Portraits Tab – Overview
As soon as the book is checked out, the Portraits tab will be available.
There are three tabs the top of the Portraits area: Layout, Visual and Knockouts.
Use the Layout tab to make changes position of elements in the portrait grid and what content is displayed. Layout tools are nested into four drawers, which may be opened/closed by clicking on their title bar:
Design: change the general properties of the portrait grid (rows, columns, portrait alignment, page title position and size).
Labels: configure label contents and positioning.
Margins: change the inset of your portrait grid from the page edge on any of its four sides.
Advanced: change inter-row & inter-column spacing.
To apply changes made on Layout tab to the portrait page(s), scroll to the bottom of the section to click Update Layout.
Use the Visual tab before editing style properties – such font styling for labels and titles, and portrait frame border, color and shadow effects. Limit the scope of changes to a single frame, the current page, or all like-type items in the section.
Use the Knockout tab to make empty spaces in the grid. When turned on, individual portrait groups (image + label) may be deactivated in the grid to create empty spaces.
Defining Where Changes Are Applied
Customization of your portrait page layout may be extend to every page in a portrait section, limited to a single page, or applied to a single frame on the page.
To make layout changes to every page in the current portrait section, choose Apply to section under the Layout Settings. In the example below, the entire section is updated with an extra column and a Vintage-style portrait layout.
To make styling changes to every page in a section, click on the Visuals tab to choose Apply to the current page. In the example below, the portrait frame border shape and color is updates to all pages in the section.
To make layout changes to the current page, choose Apply to this page only under the Layout Settings. In the example below, the current page is changed from a Classic label style to a Side Label style. No other pages in the portrait section were affected.
To make styling changes to the current page, click on the Visuals tab to choose Apply to the current page. In the example below, the portrait frame border shape and color were updated only on the selected page.
Only visual styling changes may be applied to a single portrait element on the page. (Layout options always apply at a full-page level.)
To make styling changes to a single element on a page – such as an individual portrait frame or portrait label, click on the Visual tab to choose Apply to the selected item. In the example below, the teacher’s portrait border is styled differently than the student portraits.
Note that you may multi-select items on your portrait page, to customize several at a time with the same properties. In this example, the vintage style bounding box, frame borders and label fonts were alternated on three different styles.
Copying styling to other portraits & pages
Copy visual settings from one portrait page element to another selected element, another page, or every page in a section.
- On the Visual tab, choose on of the levels to apply changes – either a selected frame in the grid, all like-type frames on the current page, or an attribute that appears on all pages of the portrait section.
- Select the element on your page to copy.
- Click Copy Settings on the Visual tab.
- Move to another page where the style will be applied, then select the same element in the portrait grid.
- Ensure that the same level of change is chosen on the Visual tab is the same as in Step 1.
- Click Apply Settings to apply the style from the first page element. The portrait grid will update, either applying the style to the selected element, the entire page, or all pages in the section.
Portrait Grids
The portrait grid is the arrangement of all elements on the page (title, portraits and labels). Under the Layout tab, choose the relative size and positioning of grid elements, as well as what content appears in these areas.
Template Style
Change the style of the portrait grid to one of the three portrait templates options – Classic, Vintage or Side Label.
Columns & Rows
The basic grid configuration is set by the number of columns and rows.
This choice determines the size of your portrait images, which fit into the available spaces created in the grid.
If less portraits are available in the group than spaces in the grid, the bottom of the page will be empty.
If more portraits are available in the group than spaces in the grid, the portrait will overflow to the next page.
Choose the alignment for the last row of portraits in the grid – either centered, aligned to the page edge, or aligned to the page gutter.
Inter-column/row spacing
At the bottom of the Layout tab, click on the Advanced drawer to change the amount of space between rows or columns.
The default spacing is 0.1″. Setting it to 0 will cause the portraits to touch. A maximum offset of 0.5″ is available.
Note that the portrait images may become smaller as the spacing amount increases.
Portrait Image Options
Portrait image frames may be customized in several ways. To do so, go to the Visual tab, then select any image frame in the portrait grid. All frame options will be available in the menu over the page.
Before applying changes, ensure that the changes are applied to the correct level of your portrait section: to the entire section, the current page or the selected item.
Border Style
Click on the Border menu, then turn on the border to access controls for border width and color.
Shadow Effects
Access the Shadow menu, then turn on the shadow. Adjust shadow color, blur, depth and angle to produce a variety of effects.
Frame Shape
Choose Shape from the menu to adjust the portrait image shape. Choose among rectangular, circular and oval. Adjust the corner sider on any shape to give a rounded edge effect.
Image Effects
Be extremely careful using image effects on portrait images.
Greyscale and sepia are generally safe.
Use brightness, contrast and saturation to adjust “homemade” portraits that are too dark or murky.
Avoid the effects marked in red – these are not appropriate for portrait images.
Vintage Box
The Vintage style portrait template includes a bounding box around the portrait group. This box may be customized. Select it to apply fill color, a shadow, a border and/or a shape effect.
Portrait Page Titles
Page title options are available below the grid settings.
Turn page titles off – the portrait grid will align to the top margin.
Turn page titles on – a default configuration will be applied. The page title may then be customized.
Title Content
The contents of the page title are set using the group names used to build the portrait pages in the portrait wizard. Blue text surrounded by percentage signs indicates the information in the title is being pulled from the database groups.
Portrait page titles may be customized by adding, removing and rearranging text inside the title box.
Customize titles on individual portrait pages by first selecting Apply to this page only at the top of the Layout options.
In this example, the word “Kindergarten” has replace the standard “Grade %grade%” formatting.
Title Position
Choose among three options for page titles across your portrait section. Add page titles on every page, or, if you only want titles on the first page of every group, choose first page only to align subsequent pages to the top of the portrait grid. Alternatively, choose first page aligned to keep grid spacing even on all pages.
Title Size
The page title may occupy the equivalent of a full portrait row, or a 1/2, 1/3 or 1/4 row.
Title Font
To customize the page title font, size, color and alignment, first click on the Visual tab, then click onto the page title of the active page the editor. The Font and Shadow menu will become available – be as creative as you wish.
Portrait Labels
Options for portrait labels are available in the Labels drawer (between the Design and Margin drawers).
These controls let you change the position of the labels and the content displayed in the label.
Label Text
Labels may display the persons full name (first + last), their first name alone, their last name alone, or no content.
Salutation & Job Title
Staff pages may include Salutation (Mr., Ms, Dr.) as well as Job title. Turn on the toggle switches for these options to add the information to the portrait label.
Note that this information must be added to the portrait database in order for the information to appear in the portrait page itself.
Splitting Names on Two Lines
Short names will usually fit under the portrait in a single line. Longer names may spill over to a second line.
To create a uniform look, turn on the Split name on two lines option to force a line break between the first and last names.
See below for troubleshooting tips related to longer names and label size.
Side Label Position
If the Side label portrait template has been selected, the labels may be positioned either on the page edge or the page gutter.
Fine-Tuning Label Position
To slightly adjust the label position spacing, change the Label Fine Tune value.
Labels placed under the portrait will move higher or lower in the frame. Labels placed on the side will move closer or farther apart.
Label Font
To customize the label font size, color and alignment, first click on the Visual tab, then click onto any label on the active page the editor. The Font and Shadow menu will become available to customized the styling of the portrait labels.
Keep in mind that style selection may be applied to a single label, all labels on the current page, or all labels in the entire section.
Troubleshooting Portrait Labels
Clipped labels
Longer names or low-lying characters may fall under the portraits beneath them.
To fix this issue, change the label to a compact font and/or reduce the font size, even by as little as a half point.
Note that you may use the settings on the Visual tab to set the font size for a single selected label, all labels on a page, or all labels in a portrait section.
If there are a few exceptionally long names, only adjust these labels individually.
If there are several names on each page that need adjustment, then make the change at the page or section level for a uniform look.
Click on a label that requires adjustment, then click on Text on the menu to access the font size.
You may type any number (eg. 7.25, 7.5, 7.75) to get exactly the right fit.
Extra space for job titles
Staff pages may include the job titles. The default spacing on portrait pages will not accommodate this extra information in the label.
To fix this, first, adjust the font size. If more adjustment is required, increase the row spacing (up to 0.5″) under the Advanced tab.
If the labels still do not have enough space, adjust the number of columns and rows – you may need to reduce the number of portraits on the page, or change the arrangement of rows to columns.
Label legibility
Be very mindful of your label styling and your background choices. Avoid the following to ensure that all the names on your portrait pages are easy to read.
If you wish to retain a busy, high contrast or shadowy background, try using a semi-transparent shape to tone down the background behind the portrait labels.
Add a shape to cover the entire portrait grid. Change the shapes’ fill value to a light color, the reduce the transparency level. Last, send the shape behind the portrait grid. The text will now stand out better against the light filter, but the background will still show through.
Featured Teacher & Staff Portraits
Larger portrait frames may be created on the portrait grid, usually to feature homeroom teachers on their classroom pages, or to give prominence to senior administrative people on the Staff page.
The Feature Frame toggle is located in the Design area of the Layouts tab, under the column & row settings. Turn it on, then select which portraits to feature according to their role.
The available roles are set in the portrait manager, using the Assign Role option. Learn more about assigning roles in the Managing Portrait Data article.
Any role defined in the portrait database may be featured on the grid.
In this example, the Principal and Vice Principal are featured on the staff page.
Featured images do not need appear as the first image in the portrait grid – they may appear in any position.
Creating Empty Space in the Grid
Spaces in the portrait grid may be deactivated to create open areas or to push portraits down to the last row to create a more balanced grid.
To make space on the grid, click on the Knockout tab, then turn knockout mode on.
To turn off a portrait frame, click on the portrait to activate knockout mode, then click again to turn it off.
The portrait will move to the next spot in the grid, leaving a red placeholder.
Click on the red placeholder to turn the portrait frame back on.
This red placeholder is only visible when in active knockout mode – it will not print, and will not appear when on other tabs in the editor.
Custom Margins
Set custom margins under the Margins drawer. Chose the amount (in inches) to inset your portrait grid from any of the four page edges. Adjust margins to compress the portrait into a smaller area of your page, creating space for photos and decorations at the page edges.
