Add Background Color to Page

[user099]

I'd like to add background color to a page but can't figure out how to do it. I select the color with the color picker. There are two opacity slides, but neither does anything as far as I can tell. What am I doing wrong?

[mac_heibu]

Place a rectangle in size of your page and colour it as you like.

[user099]

So, the layer does nothing?

[Aammppaa]

A layer is just a folder for containing other objects. Mostly used to organise your document as it gets more complex. 

[wobmann]

13 hours ago, mac_heibu said:

Place a rectangle in size of your page and colour it as you like.

When creating the rectangle. For print products do not forget the 3 mm bleed.

[user099]

Is there a way to resize the document without setting up a new document?

Say, dynamically re-sizing? Or to go from, A4 to A6?

 

 

[Wosven]

Hi,

In File > Spread setup

[Cyan Cooper]

There's no way to change the page default color? You have to use rectangles?

[Jowday]

29 minutes ago, Cyan Cooper said:

There's no way to change the page default color? You have to use rectangles?

Yes, it is a little peculiar that you can tick 'Transparent background' but not configure the page color if you don't tick it. It is a little half baked that you cannot change the default white now it is there and used by the program anyway. I would prefer to be able to set the background color here (and/or) from the swatches panel like in InDesign. 

You don't have to use rectangles on ALL pages though; configure one on the master page(s).

[Fixx]

If you going to print to coloured paper background colour setting would be a useful simulation. If you going to PRINT the background colour then rectangle method is sensible, reminding that bg colour is an added element. IMHO.

[Jowday]

44 minutes ago, Fixx said:

 If you going to PRINT the background colour then rectangle method is sensible, reminding that bg colour is an added element. IMHO.

Wouldn't you get that reminder from changing the default color from white to say grey, manually, as a layouter?

[Fixx]

1 minute ago, Jowday said:

Wouldn't you get that reminder from changing the default color from white to say grey, manually?

Sure, this is more like mental hygiene.. colour paper is different from paper where colour is printed on.

[Jowday]

45 minutes ago, Fixx said:

If you going to print to coloured paper background colour setting would be a useful simulation.

In this case I would personally prefer to make a coloured rectangle and then set the "do not print" attribute on it. It is was possible.

Or even better have a "simulate paper colour" option. Make it clear to the user what the feature does and what scenario it should be used in.

[Groton of Willows]

I was just looking up how to do it when I found this conversation. The method I use is to open my document in Affinity Photo which allows me to create a fill layer which I can then put at the bottom of all the layers. It would be nice to have that facility in Publisher though,

It is just as well that I have Photo as well as Publisher. When both are open on my Mac desktop it is easy to flick backwards and forwards.

Edited October 26, 2021 by Groton of Willows
Formatting

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, Groton of Willows said:

The method I use is to open my document in Affinity Photo which allows me to create a fill layer which I can then put at the bottom of all the layers. It would be nice to have that facility in Publisher though,

If you also have Photo, then you have that function in Publisher. Just switch to the Photo Persona in Publisher and add the layer from there.

[fde101]

On 10/26/2021 at 1:20 PM, Groton of Willows said:

create a fill layer which I can then put at the bottom of all the layers

As @Jowday hinted at, the problem with this method is that the application will then try to print that color over the page unless you remember to hide the layer before printing/exporting, due to the lack of a "do not print this layer" feature (as has been discussed in other threads).

[walt.farrell]

3 hours ago, fde101 said:

As @Jowday hinted at, the problem with this method is that the application will then try to print that color over the page unless you remember to hide the layer before printing/exporting, due to the lack of a "do not print this layer" feature (as has been discussed in other threads).

The topic is mainly about changing the actual page color, though, not simulating the use of colored paper for printing, as I read it. And for that, rectangles or a Fill layer seem like a good choice. But yes, for simulation, that's a good point to remember  

[Fixx]

On 10/28/2021 at 3:38 PM, walt.farrell said:

The topic is mainly about changing the actual page color, though, not simulating the use of colored paper for printing, as I read it

I would thing "page colour" IS for coloured paper. If you just want to print colour background for the layout you better use a coloured element at the bottom of layer stack, to remind you the colour is printed.

 I can think simple "page colour" feature would create a lot of printing problems for inexperienced designers.

[walt.farrell]

3 hours ago, Fixx said:

I would thing "page colour" IS for coloured paper. If you just want to print colour background for the layout you better use a coloured element at the bottom of layer stack, to remind you the colour is printed.

That would also be useful, but it is not how this topic started. 

[Rap6wolf]

On 9/15/2018 at 5:22 AM, wobmann said:

When creating the rectangle. For print products do not forget the 3 mm bleed.

what do you mean by the 3mm bleed? are you talking when trying to use a service like printful or just ... printing on paper or business card for for example?