Swatches and Colors in InDesign

A swatch is a preset. You can create color and gradient swatches in InDesign. The Swatches palette contains all of your swatches.

The Color palette contains ways of developing custom colors right on the spot, separate from the Swatches palette.

Creating new swatches

There are two ways to create new swatches.

• Follow these instructions to make a new swatch.
1. Click on the Swatches palette.
2. Click on the Swatches palette's options menu and select either New Color Swatch or New Gradient Swatch.
3. Double-click the swatch that just popped up to edit it.

Done!

• Follow these instructions to duplicate an existing swatch.
1. Click on the Swatches palette.
2. Select the swatch you wish to duplicate.
3. At the bottom of the Swatches palette, click the Duplicate Swatch button .
4. Double-click the swatch that just popped up to edit it.

Done!

Simplifying the Swatches Palette

If you have lots of swatches, you can only show the gradients, or only show the colors. There are three buttons at the bottom of the swatches palette that show and hide the gradients and colors.

• Show All Swatches
• Show Color Swatches
• Show Gradient Swatches

Setting colors and gradients using the Swatches palette

This is where you will get to love swatches. They make this extremely easy.

1. Select the arrow tool .
2. Select the object(s) you would like to apply a swatch to.
3. Click on the Swatches palette.
4. Decide whether you are changing the stroke or fill of your objects.
5. Click on the swatch of your choice.
   If you do not see your swatch and you know it's there, make sure you are showing all swatches .
   

   Done!