The long shadow is a simple text effect that's really easy to create in InDesign. Making long shadows is great when you want to add a little punch to your cover design, or break up long sections of text in the middle of a document. This online tutorial gives you precise step-by-step details, showing you how to create long shadows in your own documents with ease.
- This is a really trendy effect called a long shadow.…It's different than a normal InDesign drop shadow,…which is soft-edged.…This one is flat, which some designers like,…and it extends diagonally for a long distance.…I'm gonna show you how you can make these…directly in InDesign, and then I'm going to show you…a shortcut that results in an even better effect,…but does some of the work in Illustrator.…First, the InDesign method.…I'm gonna zoom back and grab this other frame down here…and zoom back in with a Command two…or a Control two on Windows.…That's just the letter S in a text frame.…
To make my shadow, I'm first going to clone it,…that is, go to the Edit menu and copy it,…and then go back to the Edit menu and choose Paste in Place.…That makes an exact duplicate right on top of the other.…Then, I'll go to the Type menu, and choose Create Outlines.…It looks like text, of course, but I can see the outline…by pressing the A key on my keyboard,…which selects the Direct Selection tool.…There's the points.…I don't need those right now,…
David Blatner
Anne-Marie Concepción
Updated
9/20/2018Released
8/25/2011New techniques will be added to the collection every other week, so check back early and often. Find more tips and tricks at indesignsecrets.com.
Skill Level Intermediate
Duration
Views
Q: Why can't I earn a Certificate of Completion for this course?
A: We publish a new tutorial or tutorials for this course on a regular basis. We are unable to offer a Certificate of Completion because it is an ever-evolving course that is not designed to be completed. Check back often for new movies.
-
This Week's Secret
-
Introduction
-
September 2018
-
August 2018
-
351 Change default fonts5m 51s
-
352 Best default RGB4m 45s
-
-
July 2018
-
June 2018
-
346 Export to HTML55m 38s
-
May 2018
-
343 Border spacing fix4m 59s
-
April 2018
-
March 2018
-
February 2018
-
January 2018
-
325 Link text frames6m 10s
-
December 2017
-
November 2017
-
October 2017
-
313 Quick Apply preferences6m 35s
-
September 2017
-
August 2017
-
July 2017
-
June 2017
-
May 2017
-
290 Work with scripts3m 35s
-
April 2017
-
286 How to format ellipses5m 39s
-
March 2017
-
281 Share a CC library7m 10s
-
February 2017
-
January 2017
-
December 2016
-
271 Add images to an index4m 39s
-
November 2016
-
October 2016
-
260 Batch process images7m 33s
-
263 Sync master pages5m 51s
-
-
September 2016
-
August 2016
-
July 2016
-
June 2016
-
May 2016
-
240 Side-by-side tables5m 35s
-
April 2016
-
March 2016
-
February 2016
-
228 Setting text at an angle6m 24s
-
January 2016
-
222 Adding paragraph shading1m 50s
-
December 2015
-
November 2015
-
October 2015
-
September 2015
-
August 2015
-
204 Creating a8m 14s
-
205 Managing scripts5m 38s
-
July 2015
-
June 2015
-
193 Printing tracked changes5m 41s
-
-
May 2015
-
189 Placing InDesign files5m 14s
-
-
April 2015
-
186 Making long shadows5m 41s
-
March 2015
-
February 2015
-
January 2015
-
December 2014
-
November 2014
-
October 2014
-
September 2014
-
August 2014
-
July 2014
-
148 Cropping with paste into5m 18s
-
-
June 2014
-
May 2014
-
141 Inserting glyphs6m 42s
-
April 2014
-
March 2014
-
February 2014
-
January 2014
-
December 2013
-
November 2013
-
October 2013
-
September 2013
-
August 2013
-
105 Working with MiniBridge5m 45s
-
106 Customize your QR codes6m 17s
-
July 2013
-
June 2013
-
May 2013
-
April 2013
-
March 2013
-
February 2013
-
January 2013
-
December 2012
-
069 Ten uses of the Story Editor11m 39s
-
-
November 2012
-
October 2012
-
061 Embedding images7m 44s
-
-
September 2012
-
057 Text wrapping6m 54s
-
-
August 2012
-
July 2012
-
June 2012
-
May 2012
-
April 2012
-
March 2012
-
February 2012
-
January 2012
-
December 2011
-
016 Running a script9m 33s
-
November 2011
-
October 2011
-
September 2011
-
August 2011
Take notes with your new membership!
Type in the entry box, then click Enter to save your note.
Press on any video thumbnail to jump immediately to the timecode shown.
Notes are saved with you account but can also be exported as plain text, MS Word, PDF, Google Doc, or Evernote.
Share this video
Embed this video
Video: 186 Making long shadows