Tough InDesign question

Submitted by Ivan on Tue, 2004-09-21 06:15.

Member's Forum

A reader on CreativeBits is it trying to find out how to do the attached effect in InDesign. I checked with an InDesign guru and I tried all the ways to reproduce the effect, but no luck. Can you help us out here?

Here is his message:

There's an effect I've been trying to reproduce for some time: when a single column of text is black-on-white and white-on-black at the same time. I can do it in Photoshop (see attachment) by rendering text in two seperate layers (black and white) and cutting away part of the white.

Is there any way to reproduce this effect with "live" text in InDesign?

I figure that there must be, since I see it in print all the time.

Thanks a lot!

That has me absolutely stumpe

Submitted by Jeff on Tue, 2004-09-21 13:54.

That has me absolutely stumped. I consider myself fairly profecient with InDesign as well. I have absolutely no idea, but I'd be really interested to find out if there is a way to do that.

I got it...I think :) [url]f

Submitted by pompo on Tue, 2004-09-21 16:45.

I got it...I think :)
files/forum/indesigneffect.jpg

[quote="pompo"]I got it...I t

Submitted by JimD on Thu, 2004-09-30 20:38.

pompo wrote:

I got it...I think :)

Nice job! Unfortunately, the "muddy" black kills the usefulness of this technique. Using a "rich black" is of no help either.

Most artists gain the effect by doing the text/layout in Illustrator, but it sure would be nice to be able to do it in ID!

This may be helpful - or not.

Submitted by deeae on Thu, 2004-09-30 22:14.

This may be helpful - or not. I use Quark, forerunner (with Illustrator) to InDesign. How I acheive this effect is to insert the text on the page or in the document, create the graphic (circle) in black, send to back, select text inside graphic then select white as colour. Presto: white on black!

[quote="deeae"]...select text

Submitted by JimD on Thu, 2004-09-30 23:48.

deeae wrote:

...select text inside graphic then select white as colour. Presto: white on black!

The problem with that method in Quark is that you have to select the text lines individually which takes a lot of time, you also can't color half a letter white and half black.

In Illustrator, it's easy. You just use pathfinder options to split the text from the circle and color everything inside the circle white.

Selecting text lines doesn't

Submitted by deeae on Fri, 2004-10-01 00:43.

Selecting text lines doesn't take a lot of time: click and drag, man.

You're right about one letter being half-white/half-black. I just arrange the text so that isn't an issue, i.e. a letter is either in or out, not straddling the border.

I dunno. Works for me. Fast & easy.

I thought that this was covered already

Submitted by cbrophy78 on Tue, 2005-06-21 14:35.

Type Mask

What does this button d.... CRAP!

Here's the secret...

Submitted by scottcitron on Sun, 2006-01-15 01:55.

1) Create your frame of black text. 2) Copy the FRAME (not the the text) to the clipboard. 3) Make your mask shape and fill with black (or any color or gradient). 4) With the mask frame selected go to Edit > Paste Into. The black text is now pasted into the mask. 5) Go to Object > Select > Content to select the black text frame. 6) Go to Swatches and select the Apply to Text icon and choose Paper (or other color).

That's it. No need to create extra layers or anything!

Scott

http://scottcitrondesign.com
Adobe Certified Instructor: InDesign CS2