Change background color – Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign
Dimitrije (136 points) | Thu, 2007-04-19 13:14
Soon or a later someone will come to you with question: “How I can change background color in my document?”. Simple question but various answers depending on what Adobe application we are talking about.
With Photoshop is easy. Select layer, set desired foreground color and press Option/Alt+Delete. To apply background color press Command/Ctrl+Delete. Also, you can use paint bucket tool.
In Illustrator set your document size to match size of your document + bleed (if you need bleed). For example: you need to print full color artwork on A4 (297x210mm) including 5mm bleed on each size of your document. In this case your document size will be 307x220mm and you will enter this values in the New document window.
Now, go to Object – Crop area – Make.
Repeat this step again but choose Release(Object – Crop area – Release).
You will see rectangle with no stroke and no fill covering your document. All you have to do now is to click on the desired swatch (it could be a pattern, too) and you will get colored background.
Extra tip: create action in Illustrator to do this job automatically for you.
In InDesign, set your document size as we mentioned earlier for Illustrator.
Now, go to Cari Jansen web site and download script called 0 pt Border All Pages v2.jsx.
http://carijansen.com/scripting/index.php
Install script to your scripts folder \Adobe InDesign CS2\Presets\Scripts. Open InDesign and open scripts palette: Window – Automation-Scripts (InDesign CS2). Double click the script name and drag swatch color or pattern from swatches palette to your document. In the layers palette you will see new layer called “The Border Layer”.
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What you described is how to create a printable background. In case you want a colored background that you don't want to print you can go to Preferences / Transparency & Gamut and choose the color of your preference for both the light and the dark square. This works in PS and Illustrator. I assume works in InDesign too.
you just need to tweak the swatch called [Paper] wich simulates a non-white paper.
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Planetoide Blanco
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@Behance
You just go to the button called "Background" it turns your paper into (the colour you wanted) but when it prints out its white.
It seems to me it would just be easier to use the paint bucket tool or fill a box with the color you wish that is the size of the document and place it on a background layer manually. Takes about 2 seconds.
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In Version 11 the way to change the background color is as follows.
Create a new document the go to file > document setup Switch Artboard to Transparency. Then click the top color box and change it to your color of choice. Tick the box labeled Simulate Colored Paper and click the OK button.
How about a Joost invite?
Thanks
I've managed to change the paper colour (by changing the paper colour swatch), but I now need to gradient the colour i.e. bright pink at bottom page and then blend to a lighter pink. Can any one help?
I don't think you can do that. You just need to add a box with a gradient and place it in the back.
Don't know.
Hey! thanks! your tip does help.Thanks man!
xoxo,
aggies