In the world of graphic design, every element must harmonize with a brand’s identity and the bullet point is no exception. Make your bullet point or numbers look professionally designed! Even changing the shape and color of the bullet points to match your brand will elevate your design to a professional level.

Maybe you want to use checkmarks and x’s to portray do’s and don’ts in your list. Or you can create an easy-to-use checklist with checkboxes. This process will show you how to use any text character in a font on your computer as a bullet point.

For this process, make sure your InDesign workspace is set to Typography (very top right next to the blue Share button) or open the Character and Paragraph Style Windows (under Type along the top). This design process works for both bullets and numbering.

Follow the steps below to stylize your bullet points:

1. Type out your list in a text box. If you have a subhead to the list, adjust the subhead properties separately. We recommend using a different character style.

2. Stylize your text
Create a character style (plus icon) and adjust font, size and color to what you want the body text to be. Name it Body. Click OK.
Create a character style for the bullet points. Name it Bullets. For example, we want green check boxes next to grey body text.) Click OK.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Create a Paragraph Style for the bullet points. Name it Bullets.
4. On the left side of the Paragraph Style options window, select Bullets and Numbering
         Click Add… for a new character
Select Font Family. (For example, we want this open box character in the Wingdings font)
Select character shape so that it is highlighted in blue. Make sure Remember Font with Bullet is selected.
Click Add then OK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(If you want to change the bullets without using paragraph styles, select your text, click the bullet points symbol in the upper right corner and click on the hamburger menu. Select Bullets               and Numbering… near the bottom.)

5. Back in the Paragraph Style Options window, make sure the character you want is selected in blue.

6. Change the Character Style to the Bullets.

7. Adjust the bullet or number position. By making the left indent a positive number and the first line indent a negative number, this will move the text of each line away from the bullet point and won’t wrap underneath the bullet point. A shows no indents with a tab space after the bullet point. The second line of text “Team”, “Wrestler” and “Around” will align directly underneath the bullet point. Ex. B indents the text correctly, where the second line “Team” aligns with the text above “MVP”, not the bullet. The distance of the indent is dependent on font size and how much space is needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Click Ok.

9. Selected the text, change the Character Style to Body and Paragraph Style to the Bullets.

10. To update the styles for both character and paragraph, double click the name to open the window. Then, can adjust any of the attributes. This will be applied across your document to every text box that you’ve applied the styles to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11. Now, you have thoughtfully designed lists for your document!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Impact Marketing can help design any type of list you may need, whether it’s a doggy day care report card or a list of services on your website. Our team can write, design or code any marketing material for your business! Give us a call today at 319-232-4332.