Many printed documents are enhanced by using a background to increase visual impact or emphasize specific design elements. Backgrounds can be added to a graphic frame or created by drawing a shape or adjusting the opacity of a photo. Knowing how to create a background in InDesign, a popular desktop publishing program that allows users to create documents for printing in many formats and sizes, allows you to improve the visual impact of your document.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Add a background to an image
Step 1. Launch InDesign
Create a new document by clicking on the Document icon in the window Create new and specifying its settings..
Step 2. Insert an image
From the menu File select insert. Go to the file you want to import and double-click the document name. Move the cursor to the position where you want to put the graphic and click. This will insert the image into the page.
Adjust the size of the graphic, if necessary, by selecting the image using the Selection Tool (V) and dragging a handle while holding down the Control + Shift keys (Command + Shift on Mac). So you will change the size proportionally
Step 3. Open the Swatches panel
You can access it from a group of tabs to the right of the InDesign workspace, or from the top toolbar.
Click the Fill button and select the color you want for the background. This will apply the selected color behind the graphic and on the edge of the graphic frame
Step 4. Expand the graphics frame
Pull from one corner of the image while pressing Shift + Alt = "Image" (Shift + Option on Mac).
Don't like the color you've chosen? Select the Eyedropper Tool (I) and Alt-click (Option-click) a color in the image to find a background color that matches the image perfectly
Method 2 of 3: Create a background from an InDesign object
Step 1. Select an object
Choose the Ellipse, Rectangle, or Polygon tool from the InDesign tools panel.
Step 2. Click and drag the mouse to draw the shape you prefer for the background
Adjust the size by clicking one of the shape handles with the Selection tool and dragging it until the shape is the right size.
Step 3. Fill the shape
Make sure the object is selected, then open the InDesign Swatches panel and select the Fill button. Choose the color you want from the Swatches panel. The shape will be filled with that color or gradient.
Step 4. Adjust the position of the object
If there are other shapes or objects on the page, click on your background object with the tool Selection.
From the menu Object you choose Arrange> Bring Back. This will make sure that your background object is behind all the other objects on the page.
Step 5. Put the objects you want on top of the background
Method 3 of 3: Create a background by adjusting the opacity of a photo
Step 1. Choose the Select tool (V)
Click on the photo you would like to use as a background. (If your document has no images, follow the steps in “Add a background to an image”).
Step 2. Click on the Effects button
It is located at the top of the toolbar. From the menu that appears, choose Transparency.
- Adjust the transparency and blending mode. Enable the preview at the bottom left to see the changes in real time.
- When done, click OK.
- From the menu Objects, select Arrange> Bring it back to put the background behind all other objects on the page.
