Monday, November 30, 2009

Pubic Relations Publications -Additional Post #2




How to use the gradient tool in InDesign


This steps on this blog is credited to Lauren Hinkley. She is a student in my Public Relations class. This is what she chose to present to the class on her Best Practices presentation. Her presentation was one of the presentations that I found most helpful to me, so I wanted to share it with others. Her blog is http://laurenhinkley.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/how-to-use-the-gradient-tool-in-indesign/.


"The Gradient Tool allows the progressive passage of one color to another (or multiple others) in an object. It can be used on any shape, closed or opened, as a fill or a stroke (applied separately). Any number of selected objects can simultaneously display handles and direction lines for the linear and radial gradients in their fills or strokes. You can drag these handles directly in the drawing, to interactively adjust gradient positions." This definition is credited to http://en.flossmanuals.net/Inkscape/GradientTool. Check this website out for more information on gradients.


Here are the steps to use the gradient tool in InDesign, credited to Lauren Hinkley.


Steps to create a gradient:



  1. First, open Adobe InDesign, and choose a new document.

  2. Click the rectangle tool on the tool bar and drag the cursor across the screen to create a shape.

  3. On the right side of the screen are the gradient and the swatches panels.

  4. With your shape selected click on the gradient swatch.

  5. While still in the gradient panel, select the Type drop box to change the gradient from linear to radial.

  6. To change the intensity of the black, or the white, drag the little tab on top of color bar in the gradient panel.

Steps to change gradient color:



  1. With the gradient panel still open, click on the swatches panel.

  2. In the swatches panel click on a color of your choice.

  3. Then continue clicking and drag the color down to teh gradient panel colro bar.

  4. Again, to make one color more intense than another, you can simply move the tab at the top of the color bar back and forth.


Lauren also credits other websites for her steps in her presentation, check her Blog for those credits. http://laurenhinkley.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/how-to-use-the-gradient-tool-in-indesign/


Here is a YouTube video that I found that should be helpful to you as well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouofv58yLOA

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