Using shadows to create a sense of depth in a design can really bring it to life and make it pop. Most often you might employ effects like Drop Shadow or Bevel and Emboss to make elements seem like they’re lifted up off the page (or screen). But you can also add depth by going in the opposite direction, down into a design, with the help of the Inner Shadow effect. In this week’s video I show how to use the settings in the Inner Shadow dialog box to make it look like objects are sitting at a lower level than their surroundings.

Inner Shadow can also be very effective for making text seem like it’s cut out of an object.

In the video, I also show how to apply a big, soft inner shadow to give a more subtle sense of dimension to something like this envelope.

We tend to think that lighter objects are closer than darker objects, so darkening the edges of the envelope just slightly makes the middle of the envelope seem to puff up toward the viewer.

For lynda.com members, I have another new video this week exclusively in the Online Training Library^® that explores Drop Shadow settings, including how to add noise to an object, like I’ve done to this object below:

See you here again in two weeks with another InDesign effect.

Interested in more?
• InDesign FX complete course
• Courses on InDesign in the Online Training Library^®
• Courses by Mike Rankin in the Online Training Library^®

Suggested courses to watch next:
• InDesign CS5 Essential Training
• Designing a Magazine Layout Hands-On Workshop
• InDesign CS5 New Features
• InDesign Secrets

Tags: InDesign, InDesign FX, Mike Rankin, special effects

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