indesign, image masking, layer visibility controls

InDesign and

Image Masking

Strategies for getting the most

from your placed images in

InDesign

Matt Sullivan

training director, roundpeg, inc.

Sorr

y fo

r th

e p

pt

tem

pla

te! I was digging around

for something with visual interest and couldn’t resist (I promise not to slam

you with too many slides!)

Conta

ct in

fo

Matt Sullivanmatt@roundpeg.comblogs.roundpeg.commattrsullivan@mattrsullivan

714 585-2335

Agenda

Part

1-M

ask

ing

Quick review of PSD/TIF/JPG and AI/PDF/WMF Discuss Prefs and Bridge

as part of workflow Vector vs. bitmap

masking Importance of the Pen

tool Applying transparency

and masks via InDesign

and Photoshop

File

Form

ats

.PSD-Photoshop nativeContains layers,

selections, masks, and other working material .TIF

Contains quality info,

but not great for saving working material .JPG-Compressed JPEG

Lossy compression, no working material

Dis

pla

y Pr

efe

rence

s

Bri

dge Rank Organize Camera Raw Filter Meta Data

Vect

or

Mask

ing

(hard

-edged)

Good for inorganic objects Mask in Photoshop,

not InDesign(allows reuse) Save named path in Photoshop Access path via

InDesign, Object > Clipping Path

Bit

map M

ask

ing

(soft

-edged)

Good for organic or fuzzy objects Achieved through

saved Channels, or other Photoshop transparency Transparency in the

Photoshop file is passed through to the

InDesign file

Vect

or

v. B

itm

ap

Mask

ing When done thoughtfully, assets

are managed without

tedious rework Choice may rely upon

the backdrop of the image within InDesign

Import

ance

of

the P

en t

ool

Nearly identical implementation in

Illustrator InDesign Photoshop Helps in many places

in all 3 applications Modify text frames Create artwork Control blends, groups,

envelope distorts

Agenda

Part

2-L

aye

rs

Managing content through layers Creating adjustment

layers for specific output devices Controlling layer

visibility in Illustrator

and Photoshop files

Managin

g la

yer

visi

bili

ty Examples: Logo versions Product options Comps for approval or

multiple markets

ID la

yer

visi

bili

ty:

Obje

ct >

Obje

ct

Laye

r O

pti

ons

Photo

shop

laye

r ti

ps Ways to affect .PSD

display in InDesign: Layers Layer masks Adjustment layers

Saved paths

Illust

rato

r la

yer

tips

You can control display of only top-level Illustrator layers

from InDesign

Adju

stm

ent

laye

rs

for

unca

libra

ted

devi

ces

Specific solution for .PSD files placed into InDesign Create the required

adjustment layer (or

load a previously used

layer) in your .PSD file

Control the layer visibility through InDesign