There’s no doubt that InDesign color gradients are attractive, and you’re sure to enjoy using them in your page and cover designs. When you use gradients in your layout, choose your colors wisely.
Here are a few tips from Book Design Made Simple:
InDesign color gradients
Color gradients look smooth, but they are actually made up of a series of shades between the colors. You can avoid obvious visible bands of color (“banding”) if you follow these guidelines:
- Lighter colors work better than darker ones.
- Stick with similar colors; a drastic change between colors (e.g., green to orange) can result in banding.
- If you’re using two shades of the same color, a higher percentage of color change (10% to 70%, for instance) will work better because there will be a greater number of smaller steps between the ends of the gradient.
- Use gradients in relatively small areas rather than across an entire page.
Once you learn to make and use gradients, you might be tempted to display them everywhere. But, as with any special feature, it’s best to use them sparingly so they are a happy surprise for the reader. Don’t overdecorate.
Read more: How to use InDesign layers »
Read more: Using the InDesign stroke panel »
The excerpt above is from Book Design Made Simple, Second Edition, chapter 31, Working with color, page 263. Copyright © 2017 Fiona Raven and Glenna Collett.
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