Mastering the Art of Capitalizing the First Letter in InDesign- A Comprehensive Guide

How to Make First Letter Big in InDesign

InDesign is a powerful tool for designing layouts, but sometimes, you may want to add a touch of elegance to your text by making the first letter of a paragraph or a word stand out. This can be achieved by using InDesign’s built-in features to make the first letter big. In this article, we will guide you through the process of how to make the first letter big in InDesign.

1. Select the Text Frame

The first step is to select the text frame that contains the paragraph or word you want to modify. Click on the text frame with the Selection Tool (black arrow) to select it.

2. Use the Type Tool

With the text frame selected, switch to the Type Tool (T) by clicking on it in the Tools panel. This tool allows you to manipulate text within the frame.

3. Click on the Text Frame

Click on the text frame with the Type Tool to place the insertion point at the beginning of the text.

4. Insert the Special Character

To make the first letter big, you will need to insert a special character called a “drop cap.” To do this, press the Escape key to deselect the text frame, then type the number 0180 (or use the Unicode character U+00A0) on the numeric keypad. This will insert a non-breaking space, followed by a tab, which will position the first letter at the beginning of the paragraph.

5. Apply the Drop Cap

Now that you have inserted the special character, select the first letter by clicking on it with the Type Tool. With the letter selected, go to the Character panel (Window > Type & Tables > Character) and look for the “Drop Cap” option. Click on the “Drop Cap” button, and InDesign will automatically apply a large first letter to the beginning of your paragraph.

6. Customize the Drop Cap

To further customize the drop cap, you can adjust its size, color, and font. In the Character panel, you can find options to change the size of the drop cap, choose a different font style, and set the color. Experiment with these settings to achieve the desired effect.

7. Save Your Work

Once you are satisfied with the drop cap, make sure to save your InDesign document. You can do this by clicking on “File” in the menu bar and selecting “Save” or pressing “Ctrl + S” (Cmd + S on a Mac).

In conclusion, making the first letter big in InDesign is a simple process that can add a touch of style to your text. By following these steps, you can easily apply a drop cap to the first letter of a paragraph or word, and customize it to fit your design needs.