InDesign

Common transparency settings and options

Many transparency effect settings and options are the same across different effects. Common transparency settings and options include the following:

Angle and Altitude
Determine the lighting angle at which a lighting effect is applied. A setting of 0 is equivalent to ground level; 90 is directly above the object. Click the angle radius or enter a degree measurement. Select Use Global Light if you want a uniform lighting angle for all objects. Used by the Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, Bevel and Emboss, Satin, and Feather effects.

Blending Mode
Specifies how colors in transparent objects interact with the objects behind them. Used by the Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, Outer Glow, Inner Glow, and Satin effects. (See Specify how colors blend.)

Choke
Along with the Size setting, determines how much of the shadow or glow is opaque and how much is transparent; large settings increase opacity and small settings increase transparency. Used by the Inner Shadow, Inner Glow, and Feather effects.

Distance
Specifies the offset distance for the Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, or Satin effect.

Noise
Specifies the amount of random elements in the opacity of a glow or shadow as you enter a value or drag the slider. Used by the Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, Outer Glow, Inner Glow, and Feather effects.

Opacity
Determines the opacity of an effect; drag the slider or enter a percentage measurement. (See Set the opacity of an object.) Used by the Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, Outer Glow, Inner Glow, and Satin effects.

Size
Specifies the amount of shadow or glow. Used by the Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, Outer Glow, Inner Glow, and Satin effects.

Spread
Determines the transparency of the blur within the shadow or glow effect as established by the Size setting. A higher percentage makes the blur more opaque. Used by the Drop Shadow, Outer Glow, Inner Glow, and Satin effects.

Technique
These settings determine how the edge of a transparency effect interacts with background colors. Softer and Precise are available for the Outer Glow and Inner Glow effects:
Softer
Applies a blur to the edge of the effect. At larger sizes, doesn’t preserve detailed features.

Precise
Preserves the edge of the effect, including its corners and other sharp details. Preserves features better than the Softer technique.

Use Global Light
Applies the global light setting to the shadow. Used by the Drop Shadow, Bevel and Emboss, and Inner Shadow effects.

X Offset and Y Offset
Offsets the shadow on the x- or y-axis by the amount you specify. Used by the Drop Shadow and Inner Shadow effects.

Use Global Light

You can apply a uniform lighting angle to transparency effects in which shading is a factor: Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, and Bevel and Emboss. When you choose Use Global Light with these effects, lighting is determined by the global setting in the Global Light dialog box.

  1. Do any of the following to open the Global Light dialog box:

    • Choose Global Light from the Effects panel menu.

    • Choose Object > Effects > Global Light.

  2. Enter a value or drag the angle radius to set the Angle and Altitude, and click OK.