(Legacy) InDesign CS3: Adding Fill and Stroke to Objects

Last Updated

Note: This article is based on legacy software.

InDesign allows you to adjust the border of an object or fill objects with color. InDesign refers to the border of an object as the Stroke. This document explains how to add fill and stroke to objects. For information on drawing objects, please refer to Drawing Objects with InDesign.

Adding Stroke

InDesign allows you to change the attributes of an object's border (stroke). You can choose to change aspects such as the color, thickness, and line style of an object's stroke.

  1. From the Toolbox, select the Selection Tool.selection tool

  2. Select the object you want to add the stroke to.

  3. If the Stroke palette is not already displayed, from the Window menu, select Stroke.
    NOTE: A check mark appears next to Stroke when the Stroke palette is displayed.
    OR
    On the Dock, click Stroke.stroke
    The Stroke palette appears.
    stroke palette

  4. In the Weight text box, use the nudge buttons or pull-down list to select the desired value.
    OR
    In the text box, type in the desired value.

  5. To specify the location of the stroke relative to the object's edge, from the Align Stroke section, select Center  center, Insideinside, or Outside.outside

  6. From the Type pull-down list, select the desired Stroke type.
    NOTES: 
    If Dash is selected, a set of options appears to let you create custom gaps.
    If you do not see the type of stroke you selected, increase the stroke's weight.

  7. Select additional options as desired.

Option
Effect
WeightThickness of the stroke.CapTypes of effects displayed at the endpoints of the stroke.Miter LimitSpecifies a width when stroke corners are beveled instead of pointed.JoinTypes of effects displayed at the corners of the object.Align StrokeDraws the stroke on the inside, outside, or center of the object.TypeStyle of the stroke (e.g., a solid or dashed line).StartEffects at the beginning of the stroke line.EndEffects at the end of the stroke line.Gap ColorColor that appears within gaps in the stroke.Gap TintOpacity of a color.
HINT: Smaller percentages causes paler colors.


Adding Stroke Color

You can change the color of the stroke using the Swatches Palette or the Color Palette. After applying a color, you can change its opacity.

Adding Stroke Color: Swatches Palette

  1. If the Swatches palette is not already displayed, from the Window menu, select Swatches.
    NOTE: A check mark appears next to Swatches when the Swatches palette is displayed.
    OR
    On the Dock, click Swatches.swatches
    The Swatches palette appears.
    swatches palette

  2. From the Swatches palette, select a color.

  3. Click and drag the swatch over the stroke you want to color.

  4. Release the mouse button.
    The stroke changes to the selected color.

Adding Stroke Color: Color Palette

  1. From the Toolbox, select the Selection Tool.selection tool

  2. Select the desired stroke.

  3. If the Color palette is not already displayed, from the Window menu, select Color.
    NOTE: A check mark appears next to Color when the Color palette is displayed.
    OR
    On the Dock, click Color.color
    The Color palette appears.
    color palette

  4. On the Color palette, select Stroke.
    stroke

  5. Adjust the color parameters appropriately by sampling the desired color from the Color Spectrum.
    color spectrum
    OR
    Move the sliders for each color until the desired color is achieved.
    HINT: To select a different color mode (LAB, CMYK, or RGB), use the Menu button.menu

Changing the Opacity of the Stroke

  1. From the Toolbox, select the Selection Tool.selection tool

  2. Select the desire stroke.

  3. If the Color palette is not already displayed, from the Window menu, select Color.
    NOTE: A check mark appears next to Color when the Color palette is displayed.
    OR
    On the Dock, click Color.color
    The Color palette appears.
    color palette

  4. On the Color palette, select Stroke.
    stroke

  5. If the Effects palette is not already displayed, from the Window menu, select Effects.
    NOTE: A check mark appears next to Effects when the Effects palette is displayed.
    OR
    On the Dock, click Effects.effects
    The Effects palette appears.
    effects palette

  6. To set the opacity for the stroke, in the Opacity text box, type a value.
    OR
    Click the Opacity arrow arrow and drag the slider bar.

Adding Fill

To add color to a document, you can fill the inside of objects with colors.

  1. From the Toolbox, select the Selection Tool.selection tool

  2. Select the shape you want to fill.

  3. If the Color palette is not already displayed, from the Window menu, select Color.
    NOTE: A check mark appears next to Color when the Color palette is displayed.
    OR
    On the Dock, click Color.color
    The Color palette appears.
    color palette

  4. In the Color palette, select Fill.
    fill

  5. Adjust the color parameters appropriately by sampling the desired color from the Color Spectrum.
    color spectrum
    OR
    Move the sliders for each color until the desired Fill color is achieved.
    The object is filled with the selected color. 
    HINT: To select a different color mode (LAB, CMYK, or RGB), use the Menu button.Menu icon

Removing Fill

  1. From the Toolbox, select the Selection Tool.selection tool

  2. Select the object to remove fill from.

  3. If the Color palette is not already displayed, from the Window menu, select Color.
    NOTE: A check mark appears next to Color when the Color palette is displayed.
    OR
    On the Dock, click Color.color
    The Color palette appears.
    color palette

  4. In the Color palette, select Fill.

  5. From the Color Spectrum, click None.none
    color spectrum