How To Change Background Color In Indesign

So, there I was, staring at my blank Indesign canvas, feeling like a painter who's just realized they've run out of their favorite color. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love the stark white background as much as the next designer, but sometimes you just need a pop of color, you know?

That's when it hit me - I could change the background color! I know, I know, it sounds like a no-brainer, but sometimes the simplest solutions are the ones that slip our minds. So, let's dive in and make this canvas as colorful as a paintbox, shall we?

First Things First: The Color Panel

Alright, let's start by locating the Color panel. It's hiding out in the Window menu, under Color. If you're more of a visual learner, just click on the little square with the color swatch next to the word 'Color'. There you go, now we're cooking with gas!

Picking Your Perfect Shade

Now that we've got the Color panel open, it's time to pick your poison. I mean, your color. You can either click on the little square next to the 'Color' label to bring up the Color Picker, or you can scroll through the predefined colors in the panel.

If you're feeling fancy, you can even create your own color by adjusting the sliders for R, G, and B. Just remember, the higher the number, the more... well, colorful it gets. It's like a color party in a box!

Applying Your Color: The Easy Way

Alright, so you've picked your color, now it's time to apply it. The easiest way to do this is to select the Artboard Tool (that's the one that looks like a rectangle with a little arrow pointing to the top left corner). Then, just click and drag to select the area you want to change.

InDesign Background Color | How to create and use Background color?

Once you've got your area selected, simply click on the color you've chosen in the Color panel, and voila! Your background is now as colorful as a peacock at a rave. Well, maybe not that colorful, but you get the idea.

Changing Your Mind: The Undo Button

Now, I know what you're thinking - "What if I change my mind? What if I decide that white is the new black after all?" Fear not, dear designer, for Indesign has an Undo button. It's hiding out in the Edit menu, or you can use the handy shortcut Ctrl + Z (or Cmd + Z if you're on a Mac). It's like having a time machine for your design mistakes!

Applying Your Color: The Not-So-Easy Way

Alright, so you've changed your background color, but now you've realized that you've changed the color of everything else too. Oops. Don't worry, we can fix this. We just need to create a new layer and fill that with our chosen color.

First, click on the Layers panel (you can find it in the Window menu, under Layers). Then, click on the little square with the plus sign to create a new layer. Name it something like "Background Color" so you don't forget what it is.

InDesign Background Color | How to create and use Background color?

Now, select the Rectangle Tool (the one that looks like a rectangle) and draw a rectangle the size of your artboard. Fill it with the color you've chosen, and there you have it - a background color that won't interfere with the rest of your design.

Locking Your Layer: The Safety Net

To make sure you don't accidentally mess with your background color again, you can lock the layer. Just click on the little lock icon next to your layer in the Layers panel. It's like giving your background color a safety net - it can't fall off the stage now!

And there you have it, folks! You're now a background color changing pro. So go forth, design, and make your canvases as colorful as you like. Just remember, with great power comes great responsibility. Or something like that.

Happy designing!