In Step with InDesign: Adding background colors with blending modes September 28, 2011
September 28, 2011 / Fall 2011 / InDesign

In Step with InDesign: Adding background colors with blending modes

Written by Jamie Chambers

Like Photoshop, InDesign has many Layer blending modes to quickly create a special effect. Changing a layer from the Normal blending mode setting to a different blending mode changes the way the layer blends with the layer or layers below it. Fifteen modes are found on the Layers palette in InDesign.

1. Open a new document with two layers. On the bottom layer (layer 1), place an image of a background texture such as wrinkled paper.

Step 1

2. On the top layer (layer 2), place an image. To get the best result, use a black and white image.

Image 5

3. With the image on the top layer selected, go to the Effects palette. Change the blending mode from Normal to Multiply. (You can also change the blending mode in the Transparency area of the Effects dialog box.)

Step 3

Try different images and various background textures to create many new images.

One Response to “In Step with InDesign: Adding background colors with blending modes”

November 15, 2011 at 2:34 pm, ceara said:

i really like this website but it be much better if u simplify it down

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Jamie Chambers

Jamie Chambers faced two career path choices in college, and lucky for Walsworth he chose art over accounting. He has been a creative influence for Walsworth for 17 years, currently as Design & Creative Concepting Supervisor in the Marketing Department. For 10 years, as an artist and supervisor for the Creative Services Department, Jamie traveled to workshops to collaborate with yearbook staffs to develop their covers and theme packages.