How to use Gradients in InDesign

[restibule]

I just want a simple black to transparent gradient over an image.  When I use the "paper" swatch for one color (as the Adobe directions say), it just shows up as white.  I can make them just fine in both Photoshop and Illustrator, but can't make it work in InDesign.  Nor will the gradients paste properly from the other programs.

Other settings don't create the right effect either--blending effects and the like just make a muddy gray over the image.

Please help, thanks!

I'm using InDesign CS5.
***** Title renamed by Moderator "VS" *****

[Rik_Ramsay · Accepted solution]

In InDesign it's a different process as noted below.

1. Create your box as a solid color - in your case black
2. With the box selected, go to the effects panel and from the 'fx' dropdown choose "Gradient Feather".
3. Play with it until your hearts content.

[restibule]

Thank you, Rik!  I had tried gradient feather, but it looks like I was mixing too many effects and that's where the muddy color was coming from.

[Richards]

thanks!

[ASTONMARINA]

This helped me too. Shame Adobe products don't work the same accros all platforms really spoils the user experience. 

[CD29269143lfiq]

Oh my god, thank you so much!! I needed to know this for a book I'm creating in InDesign, its for an assignment in technology class! You are literally a saviour 😄

[abra100pro]

I find this ridiculous - I use both Illustrator and Photoshop for years. Although even between them it is different I still could figure out how to do it there. But no chance on InDesign. Why, Adobe, doesn't it work exactly the same in all three apps???? C'mon!

[Millertymephotography]

Blame Quark.

[Jonathan5DDD]

It baffles me that all three of these applications aren't on the same page on this issue, (and several others). I use Illustrator and Photoshop all day, everyday, and have, for the past 22 years, so on the very rare occasions when I have to design something in InDesign, it's like I'm a complete rookie. This is the big trifecta for Adobe, these three applications. There's no excuse for InDesign to be so illogical and non-intuitive to use. Everything is harder to do in InDesign, from a pure designer's point of view. I hate the answer, "just go design it in Illustrator, and import it into InDesign". That's so utterly inconvenient—it shouldn't be necessary to do that.

[Desirée98BC]

I 100% agree that all three applications should be consitent and intuitive between eachother!!! However, I have the opposite problem—Been in the industry 15 years and I know ID and PS like the back of my hand. Illustrator...that's another story. I feel so clunky using it! ^_^ PS one of my recent biggest irks is when they changed the resize feature in photoshop where you don't have to hold shift to maintain proportions...A).My my muscle memory still wants to hold shift every time (I've gone in and changed the settings back). B.) That feature is NOT consistent with Illustrator and InDesign. Just PICK A THING, ADOBE and make it the same on all three apps. /rant

PS pick the color you want to start with and create the shape you desire with that color. While shape is selected, hold down SHIFT G to open the graident feather tool. Now click and drag to create your color-to-transparent gradient.

[octane7]

I need a frame where the edges have a gradient to transparent, BUT the content may not have this vanishing / gradient effect.

So only the frame and not the content.

The content is already transparent around the image.

The frame does have to get an edge that becomes transparent on the top side, eventually with a gradient.

I now have done it with an image on top of a frame, or placed within.

But I do not get it to get an object stule where only the frame edge get affected and not the image that is copied in.

[seahawksean80]

Another easy solution is to use the Gradient Feather tool.  Works on raster or vector objects.

[johanp31044685]

The  fastest way to do:

1) create a gradient shape element in Illustrator

2) save the file as .eps

3) drag the freshly created file in InDesign.

I like this technic because it gives a lot of control. What if you wan to create a gradient that goes from green to yellow to transparent and finally to red. Can you do that in indesign?? It is super easy in Illustrator

[Laubender]

Hi,

I would not recommend saving an EPS from Illustrator!

Instead save as PDF/X-4 with transparency intact and no downsampling of image data.

EPS will mean: No live transparency.

A degradation of your original data.

Regards,
Uwe

[Scott Citron]

Yes, the fact that InDesign lacks parity with many features in Illustrator or Photoshop is truly annoying. I would love to have AI gradients in ID, particularly now that Illustrator has Freeform Gradients!

[danielb94023111]

What is the fx dropdown?

Even if i enter "fx" in to the search box it says "no results".

[Jens Trost]