Text Overlay in InDesign

In this tutorial a graphic is placed on top of an image in InDesign. Using the Effects Panel, the transparency of the graphic is modified so that the image can still be visible through the graphic.
1. Download and open this image in Photoshop. The image, as it exists now, uses a full range of color and will have a hard time blending well with the graphic in InDesign. To rectify this, we will use a Gradient Map to make a more monochromatic version of the image. Gradient Map replaces the range of tonal values in the image with a range of color as defined by a gradient. The default selection of gradients is not very useful for our purposes. To add more options go to the WINDOW menu > GRADIENTS to open the gradients panel. At the drop down menu (top right) choose “Legacy Gradients” When you now use gradient map you will see a “legacy gradients” folder in the down arrow list. Click on that and the photographic toning presets are there. Next, go to the Adjustment Layer Icon at the bottom of the Layers Panel and select Gradient Map.

2.  Click on the Gradient Thumbnail in the Properties Panel and then scroll all the way down to the bottom to find the LEGACY GRADIENTS and then Photographic Toning group. These gradients provide gradations that go from dark to light in various tints and temperatures, select the one named Copper 1.

3. Before clicking OK, we will modify the Gradient so that we ensure the brightest tones aren’t completely white, this will help the text graphic stand out in InDesign, slide the 4th gradient stop from the left over to the right to the 90% location. Click OK.

4.  Change the Blending mode of the Gradient Map layer to Darken (this will blend the darker of the original colors into the image) Save the file as Fashion Portrait.PSD.

5. Download the typeface Montserrat Black from this link and install it.
6. Open InDesign and create a new document – Letter size 51p0 x 66p0 (8.5″ x 11″), with 1 page and margins set to 3p0 (1/2″) on all sides, click CREATE.

7. Go to the FILE menu > PLACE and select Fashion Portrait.PSD. Click on the upper left corner of the document to place it on the page. (The image is sized to 8.5″ x 11?” so it will fill up the entirety of the page with one click.)

8. Lock Layer 1 and make a new layer, name it graphics.

9. Create a text frame anywhere on the image with the type tool. Change the Font to Montserrat and the Style to Black, the size is 24pts and the leading is 16pts (we want the letters to touch top and bottom), change the alignment to Align Right in the Paragraph Panel.

10. In the text frame type the following
FA
SH
IO
N

11. Select the Text frame with the Selection Tool (Black Arrow) and then go to the TYPE menu > CREATE OUTLINES. This converts the text to vectors.
12. Scale the text graphic to the full height of the margins, make sure to hold the shift key down and drag from a corner to ensure the graphic stays in proportion. Align the graphic to the right hand side margin.

10. With the graphic still selected, change the fill color to paper (white)

11. Open the effects panel – WINDOW menu > EFFECTS. Change the Blend Mode to Overlay and the Opacity to 50%.

12. Save your file and export as a PDF (print)