InDesign: Create and apply a gradient - how it works

With a gradient, you can set beautiful accents in InDesign. We'll explain how to create and apply a graded transition from two or more colors.

InDesign: How to Create a Gradient

To create a new gradient using InDesign, call "New Gradient" in the color panel.
Enter a name in the "Swatch name" field.
You can use the "Type" drop-down menu to specify whether the gradient should be "Linear" or "Radial".
Below the color values you will see a line with two color pickers at the ends of the line. Select the first one to set the starting color.
With the red, green and blue controls you can now mix the desired color.
To determine the final color, mark the other color picker at the end of the line and define the second color as explained in step 5.
The color gradient is actually finished, but you can also change the position of the colors and thus the appearance of the gradient. To do this, drag the color picker along the line until you achieve the desired effect.
Confirm the settings with "OK", the newly created gradient appears in the selection and you can use it.

First select "Outline" or "Fill" for the object you have selected.
Then activate the "Gradient Color Swatch Tool" and drag over the object with the mouse button held down.
The effect changes depending on where you set the starting point.

A beautiful design loses value if the content is incorrect. You should therefore also read how to do the spell check in InDesign.