Fade an image to transparent in InDesign with the Gradient Feather

Learn how to gradually fade one side of an image in InDesign to reveal other content beneath it. Details below...
Patreon: / michaelbullo
The Gradient Feather Tool (Keyboard shortcut: Shift + G) in InDesign allows for an image to fade from opaque to transparent along a line controlled by the user. With an image selected, drag the cursor from the part of the image that is to be opaque to the part of the image that is to be transparent. Redoing this action will simply replace any gradient feather already in place. With an image selected, double clicking the "fx" icon in the Effects panel will open up the settings for the gradient feather which can be changed. Dragging this same "fx" icon to the trash can will delete the effect.

[@Odonnol]

Very much to the point. No wasted time or words.

[@MichaelBullo]

Thanks mate. I appreciate the feedback and support.

[@DevAtlasV]

Very useful and well made tutorial. Thanks!

[@MichaelBullo]

Thanks mate. I appreciate the feedback and the support.

[@RadoHudran]

Thx, didn't know an effects panel existed, but was looking for the options in it

[@MichaelBullo]

Many InDesign users never find this panel. Hope it comes in handy.

[@ahmadaljazeeri9287]

Oh my God! How easy is that! And I was dying to do this in Canva for hours. They only have fading to other colours and not to transparency which is frustrating. I wish there was a free app that does this as easily. I might use the free trial for indesign. Thank you for short the tutorial.

[@MichaelBullo]

Thanks Ahmad. You might find Photoshop the better place to edit and export your images. The videos below could be useful. Best of luck with all your designs. Fade an Image to Transparent in Photoshop kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXSaiox-l7CUbqc Stacking masks in Photoshop for ultimate non destructive editing kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6ebpWeLea2tick

[@TD-rl7mi]

Super useful! thank you

[@MichaelBullo]

Thank you. Appreciate it.

[@user-co2ee4ix9j]

Thank you! Super useful!!!

[@MichaelBullo]

Awesome. Thank you.

[@ElementoryMyDearWatson]

Perfect. Thank you :)

[@MichaelBullo]

Thank you. May all your designs be awesome :)

[@morav_]

thanks this helped me at my internship

[@MichaelBullo]

Thank you and best of luck with the internship

[@alexdamaceno]

Thank you very much for this. In Illustrator we have the Appearence tab, but the InDesign team likes to play tricks on us...

[@MichaelBullo]

Thank you Alex. Yeah it's funny (difficult) how different programs can hide things away in different places.

[@laraselememodro1313]

Thank youuuuuuuu!

[@MichaelBullo]

Cheers Lara

[@billpholde4816]

Thank you!!!!!

[@MichaelBullo]

Cheers Bill

[@pinakipratidin8301]

Thank very much

[@MichaelBullo]

Thank you Pinaki

[@mathiscoulaud2862]

thank you

[@MichaelBullo]

Thank you Mathis

[@prijunkoirala2410]

This is great but how can we apply gradient feather to all 4 sides?

[@MichaelBullo]

What you are looking for is the Directional Feather. Select the object your want to feather all sides, look for the "fx" icon in either the Effects panel or the Properties panel and then choose Directional Feather. Turn on the Preview option in the bottom left corner and then adjust the Feather Widths values for Top, Bottom, Left and Right to whatever you want. If you want to adjust these values simultaneously, activate the small chain link icon.

[@MVS_DJGillyGill]

thanks

[@MichaelBullo]

Thank you

[@AdventureMuse]

I kept wondering why mine wasn't working. I have indesign 2022 and there is a new tool specifically for this.

[@MichaelBullo]

Can you elaborate? I've just tested this again in InDesign 2022 and I'm not seeing a change.

[@mamat792]

Is there a way to reduce the heaviness of the fade. When I do this the fade is not as gradual. Thank you

[@MichaelBullo]

Are you definitely using a simple gradient that just goes from black to white? Perhaps you are dragging the gradient out over a short distance. Try dragging out the gradient over a larger distance and see if you get a more gradual transition.

[@mamat792]

@@MichaelBullo I really don't know. I struggle whenever trying to create gradients. I can't seem to get a gradual fade.

[@MichaelBullo]

@@mamat792 I'd like to help but it's tough without seeing the problem. I'm going to suggest that you post this problem in the Adobe InDesign forum. Lots of great experts hang out there and you can post screen shots of your problem. Feel free to include a link here to anything you post. community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/bd-p/indesign

[@fatherpie5376]

how do you do multiple edges?

[@MichaelBullo]

Select your image. Click on the "fx" icon within the Appearance section of the Properties panel. Choose Directional Feather. Inside the dialog box that opens up activate the Preview option in the bottom left corner. Set "Feather widths" for any/all of Top/Bottom/Left/Right. The Effects dialog box can also be opened from the Window menu.

[@skazala]

😘

[@MichaelBullo]

Cheers

[@gabrielklancar]

jrrrrrrrrr thnx

[@MichaelBullo]

Thanks Gabriel

[@s.a.1083]

When I do this it uses a grey gradient instead of the actual colour of the image. How can I fix this?

[@MichaelBullo]

Perhaps you are using the Gradient Swatch Tool instead of the Gradient Feather Tool

[@s.a.1083]

@@MichaelBullo yes, sorry I ended up resolving it but that was the issue. Thank you for the help!

[@MichaelBullo]

@@s.a.1083 Great to hear. Those tools are very easy to mix up. Happy designing.

[@gembolding]

@@MichaelBullo Dude...#thingsIdiscoveredWAYtoolateinlife 🤦‍♂

[@MichaelBullo]

@@gembolding Awesome. Cheers mate.