Publishing and Editing

On its platform, CALVENDO provides everything that you – the author – need in order to create and publish a calendar, using your own images or other creative content. Please click here for our step-by-step calendar creation guide.

The CALVENDO concept

In traditional publishing houses, the different areas of production and distribution are handled by various departments and many individual employees in multiple discreet working steps using different software systems. CALVENDO bundles all of these elements and integrates them in one online platform. All of this enables you to create your projects with our sophisticated publishing system in a simple way.

When a project is completed and the resulting product is ordered, all data is sent online to the printer. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology and machinery, this data is then turned into calendars made of premium FSC-certified photo printing paper in the highest print quality.

At the same time, data is delivered to the CALVENDO accounts department as well as to wholesaler databases which are used by retailers to order products.

To start designing a calendar with our layout editor, click on “NEW PROJECT” on our website (top right) and select a product type and product language. This will automatically take you to the CALVENDO publishing system where you will be taken through the process in your chosen language.

Please click here for our step-by-step calendar creation guide.

Helpful information and tips are also available free of charge in our info center

Open you calendar project and go to the ”LAYOUT EDITOR“ tab. In the right-hand column, click on “IMAGES”. Use the blue “UPLOAD” button to upload your images to the layout editor, either simply by dragging and dropping the images into the upload field, or by searching for them using the ”Browse“ menu on your computer and adding them with ”Open“.

Create image collections:
With a click on the small plus symbol you can create a folder for a new image collection. Please give it a meaningful name. We always advise you to combine pictures in collections for each project. This way you can keep track of things later even if you have already published several calendars. With the pencil symbol you can change the name later.

Delete images:
To completely delete an image from your account, the image must first be removed anywhere where it is used within a calendar. Only then will a small bin appear next to the picture in the "My Content" section, which can be used to delete the picture from the account.

If you delete all the images in a collection, the folder for this collection also disappears.

In the "LAYOUT EDITOR" tab, click on the "IMAGES" button on the right-hand side if you have already created an “image collection”. Then all the images in this collection will be displayed here.

In the middle of the CALVENDO editor, you will see the calendar page you are currently working on. Click on an image and it will automatically be placed in the middle of the layout page. Please do not try to drag images onto your layout page.

If you want to delete an image after inserting it, just click on the bin icon in the toolbar above your calendar page.

At the top of the layout editor, click on the "Insert object" icon in the toolbar (square icon with a small plus in the middle). A white square with a black outline will appear on your layout page.

Please note, some buttons such as "EFFECTS" only appear when they are needed. "EFFECTS" is only displayed when an object is selected and active. Objects are active when the grip points around the square are displayed. Click on the "EFFECTS" button in the toolbar on the right to adjust the object’s color, shape and contour.

You can move, enlarge, minimise or rotate objects like pictures on your page. You can also fill them with photos: To do this, select the "IMAGES" button in the toolbar on the right. Click on an image from one of your image collections and it will appear in the object.

Click on the "Insert text box" icon in the toolbar at the top (square icon with lines and a small plus at the top right). A text box with the black letters "ABC" will appear on your layout page. At the same time, the "TEXT" button becomes active on the right and the text tools (font, size, alignment, etc.) are displayed. You can now enter your copy in the grey editing field on the right where it says "ABC" and then format it accordingly. Once you’re happy, click on the blue “Apply” button at the bottom.

You can position the text box as you wish, tilt it or change the format:

• Positioning: Using the left mouse button, click in the text box and move it on your page
• Rotating: Using the left mouse button, “grab” the point connected by a line to the square in the middle of the text box and drag it up or down.
• Changing height or width: Using the left mouse button, "grab" one of the corners of the frame and drag it in the desired direction.

If you want to change the copy again at a later time, click on your text box for the "TEXT" button to become active and the corresponding tools to be displayed. Then change and reformat in the grey editing field on the right. Changes will only become effective after you have marked the text and clicked on "Apply".

If you want to delete your text box, select it and then click on the small bin icon in the toolbar above your calendar page (towards the left).

Activate the edit mode of your text box by clicking on the box. The box is active when the grip points around it are displayed. In the toolbar on the far right, the "TEXT" button will become active and the corresponding tools will be displayed. You can enter your copy in the grey field and format it. To do this, the copy must first be selected completely or partially (with your mouse).

• Font: Select a font from the drop-down menu.

• Font size: You can set your own specific size using the up (larger value) and down (smaller value) arrow keys, or select a pre-set size (in pt) from the drop-down menu.

• Line spacing: You can set your own specific spacing using the up (larger value) and down (smaller value) arrow keys, or select a pre-set spacing from the drop-down menu.

• Font color: Click on the color box (to the right of the font size) and select a color.

• Font style: Some fonts allow you to bold, italicise or underline your copy.

• Text alignment: Choose whether your text should be left-aligned, right-aligned or centred.

Font, font color, font style and font size can be determined not only for the entire text, but also for individually selected words or letters. Please confirm your changes with "Apply" to apply them to the layout.

Click on the "CALENDAR GRID" button in the toolbar on the far right. The pull-down menu at the top gives you access to different types of calendars, which are grouped together as "with frame", "organizer", or "left" and "right". Use the "COLORS" button on the right to change the color of the calendar grid (date section), the font color of the weekdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.

Using our design templates, you can easily design professional calendars. Please click on the “TEMPLATES” button in the toolbar on the far right to select a suitable template from the drop-down menu.

The placement of the cover images, the font type and size and the calendar grids (date section) are pre-set and cannot be changed. Using the “COLORS” button in the toolbar on the far right, you can select colors.

You can switch between different templates at any time and thus easily try out several versions.

Activate the editing mode by selecting the image or text box. The image or text box is active when the grip points around the field are displayed. Then click on the small bin symbol in the toolbar above your layout page.

Click on the "COLORS" button in the toolbar on the far right and then on "Background color". A window with a range of predefined colors will open. Click on the one of your choice. You can also create your own shade. To do this, click on the small box with the plus symbol below "Custom colors".

In the same menu, you can also choose the background color and the font colors for your calendar, or set the calendar against a transparent background using the opacity slider.

When choosing colors, make sure that numbers and letters are legible and adjust the colors for workdays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays if necessary. To start with, you only assign colors to the selected page. Only when you click on the "APPLY TO ALL PAGES" button will all other pages be changed accordingly.

Please always replace the pre-set black calendar grid with a friendlier color. You can change the background color, for example to white, and also reduce the opacity from 100% to 85%. This results in the image for the respective month shining through and the overall impression of the project becomes more professional.

To do this, click on the "COLORS" button in the toolbar on the far right and enter a value for opacity, or use the slider to change the opacity of the background color of the calendar grid. The less opacity the background color has, the more an image can show through.

When choosing colors, make sure that numbers and letters are legible and adjust the colors for workdays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays if necessary. To start with, you only assign colors to the selected page. Only when you click on the "APPLY TO ALL PAGES" button will all other pages be changed accordingly.

Guides can help you to position different objects on a page exactly along an edge. To create a guide, click with the left mouse button in the rulers that are visible at the top and left of the layout area and drag the line that appears onto your layout page. Use the values shown in the rulers to place your guide on the layout page.

The guides are "magnetic", which means they support you in positioning and automatically "attaching" text or object frames. You can still move your guides at any time. If you no longer need the guides, simply drag them back out onto the rulers.

Creating rectangles using guides
Using the height and width specifications of the "EFFECTS" button, you can only enlarge and reduce square object frames proportionally. Using guides, you can also reshape them into rectangles.

First create a subframe in the height or width you want to achieve later using millimetre specifications of the "EFFECTS" tool button. Then place a guide on each of the opposite edges of the subframe. Now you have two guides that already have the distance to each other that you want to achieve later.
You can let your object "attach" to one of the guides and use one of the grip points on your object frame to draw the format up to the other guide. Please do not use any of the grip points at the corners, because you will then distort the object frame proportionally. Once done, delete the small subframe and the guides.

To copy images, text boxes, or objects, click on the "Copy" icon (to the right of the scissors) in the toolbar above your layout page.

To insert images or text boxes, click the “Insert” icon (to the left of the scissors) on the same or another layout page. This allows you to quickly and easily position text boxes or images in the same place on different pages.

Activate the editing mode of your image by clicking on the image. The picture frame is active when the grip points around the picture are displayed. Then click on the "EFFECTS" button on the far right for a range of options to be displayed so that you can adjust your picture – move it on your page, enlarge or reduce its size, or rotate it.

You can either enter the values for width or height and confirm with the "Enter" key, or you "grab" one of the grab points at the frame corners with the left mouse button and pull the image frame in the desired direction. Images can only be enlarged or reduced proportionally via the value input or the frame corners.

You can change the shape of the image frame, e.g., to crop the image, by clicking with the left mouse button on one of the grip points on the sides of the image frame and drag the shape of the frame until it meets your requirements. Do not select the grip points at the corners of the frame for this.

Please note that some buttons such as "EFFECTS" are only displayed when they can be used. The image or object must be selected and active to use them.

Activate the editing mode of your image or text box by clicking on the frame. The image frame is active when the grip points are displayed around the image. Then click on the icon "Center object vertically" and/or "Center object horizontally" in the toolbar above your layout page (towards the right).

Activate the editing mode of your image or text box by clicking on the frame. The image frame is active when the grip points are displayed around the image. Then click on the icon "Match object to height of page" and/or "Match object to page width" in the toolbar above your layout page (towards the right).

Please note: Your object now probably also runs below the surface of the calendar grid (date section). Correct this manually if necessary. Alternatively, you can reduce the opacity of the background color of the calendar grid from 100% to 85%, for example. Then the image shines through slightly and the overall impression of the project becomes more professional.

Activate the editing mode of your image or text box by clicking on the frame. The image frame is active when the grip points around the image are displayed. Then click on the "EFFECTS" button on the far right and tools for the frame will be displayed.

Either enter a value for the rotation in the corresponding filed on the right and hit "Enter" to confirm, or, using the left mouse button, "grab" the point that is connected to the square in the middle of the image or text frame by a line, and a circular double arrow will appear. Rotate the object around the centre point.

You can change the shape of the image frame, e.g., to crop the image, by clicking with the left mouse button on one of the grip points on the sides of the image frame and drag the shape of the frame until it meets your requirements. Do not select the grip points at the corners of the frame for this purpose, because images can then only be enlarged or reduced proportionally.

The index page displays thumbnails, captions, the imprint, the CALVENDO logo and ISBN. Like all publications, CALVENDO products are obliged to carry an imprint, which is the responsibility of the publisher, not the author. To ensure that no one can even inadvertently change the mandatory content related to legal, logistics and distribution information contained on the index page, access to this page is blocked in the layout editor so that you cannot freely design it. However, there are certain things you can do.

In the layout editor, click on the “INDEX PAGE” tab, or click on the “INDEX PAGE” button in the toolbar on the far right.

On the index page you can see each page of your calendar at a glance, providing a great opportunity to check, e. g., if the sequence of the images works: Are there too many similar motifs following one another? Are the seasons considered accordingly? A wintery image in June would be odd…

Many buyers like to know where the images were taken so that they can perhaps travel to specific places themselves. They also appreciate additional information about your respective topic. Therefore, we’d very much recommend to always write a caption for each of your images.

Index page with author portrait:
You can choose between two different index pages, depending on if you would like the back page of your calendar to contain a picture or a logo of you. To do this, click on the "TEMPLATES" button on the far right and select "Index page with author portrait".

Go back to the "INDEX PAGE" button to upload an image via the blue "UPLOAD AUTHOR PHOTO" button. You can use the index page as an advertising space, e.g., by including your photo, a short blurb about yourself, your contact details or website. Make use of this space to promote yourself and your work!

Square calendars have a different structure than calendars in a DIN format, because, when hung up on the wall, the page displaying the image and the page with the calendar grid are arranged one below the other. This means that they have a single page dimension of 30 x 30 cm and an overall size of 60 x 30 cm (when hung up on the wall). The image page (top) and the calendar grid (bottom) are connected to each other.

To ensure that the images from the image page do not protrude into the calendar grid, you must place them exactly on the edge when designing your calendar in the layout editor. “Magnetic" guides help you to do this. They become visible when you move your image towards the edge of the calendar grid below the image. “Magnetic" guides also appear on the bleed edges.

Use the magnetic capabilities of these guides and let your image "attach" to these lines. Please do not try to force the image beyond these boundaries. Please note: If you do not comply with these guidelines, the jury who is assessing your calendar will receive an error message and your project cannot be released for publication.

The jury will also receive an error message if a text box protrudes from one page into the other.

You can review and check your layout using the "PREVIEW" tab. At the top right, you will see five fields showing the format sizes from DIN A to A2. If all fields are green, your project can be published in all formats (i.e., the resolution of your images is sufficient). If one of the fields is red, you can click on the field and the image/images with insufficient resolution will automatically be displayed. Exchange the image/images in question for others with better quality.

Please use the blue “CREATE PDF” button to generate a preview PDF before submitting your calendars and check everything in the browser or PDF reader, including, e.g., the positioning of the calendar title on the cover, spelling mistakes/typos in your copy and, of course, the quality of your images. Please pay attention to the coloring: Do the image, e.g., have a really bright blue sky, do yellow flowers shine in the sunlight and leaves in the forest appear in a lush green?

This the last opportunity to improve your work before submitting. We recommend taking a look at calendars in our website catalog that have a similar theme as these are your direct competitors on the market. With your potential buyers in mind, think about what you could do better.

After you have finished designing your calendar and before submitting it, please always check whether there are any images or text boxes placed on top of each other on any of the calendar pages. When printed, these superfluous images and text boxes can result in poorer quality.

Therefore, please always check all calendar pages again and delete all images or text boxes that are no longer part of the project:

• Click on each calendar page, including the cover, and drag the top image to the side. You may now see a superfluous image or text box (or several) underneath.
• Select the field below that is no longer necessary. In the toolbar above the layout page, click on the small "bin" icon to dele the superfluous field.
• Place the top image back on the page in its correct position and save your changes.
• Repeat the same for every page.
  • Always check your final result using the tools offered in the layout editor on the page under the “PREVIEW” tab to easily see, e.g., whether your images have the technically required minimum image resolution. If all the fields in the top right are "green", everything is ok.

Check the calendar as a whole by creating a preview PDF of your calendar on the "PREVIEW" page using the blue "CREATE PDF" button. In the PDF, take a careful look at each page again and make any necessary changes.

Please also note: If you re-open a calendar in your account that has already been released by the jury and published for sale to create a preview PDF, the calendar will be saved for this purpose. After this saving process, this calendar will be filed by the layout system as a new product variation! It can therefore no longer be automatically updated for the new/next calendar season. You must resubmit the project to the jury after this saving process. We therefore recommend that you always create a preview PDF of each calendar before submitting it to the jury.