You can print a picture behind the text of every page, or only around the margins as a frame, by choosing it once in Deckle's print settings: Styles → Advanced → Print & layout → Page background. It is a print feature; ebooks have no fixed page to put it on.
What You'll Need
- The artwork as a PNG or JPG. Deckle tells you the ideal pixel size for your trim size: the trim plus bleed, at 300 dpi.
- A trim size already chosen, since the ideal size depends on it.
Step-by-Step
- Open the print preview so you can see the page as you work: Inspector → preview → Print.
- Open Styles → Advanced → Print & layout and scroll to Page background.
- Choose the image. Click Choose image… and pick your file. The hint under the button gives the size that prints sharpest; smaller art still prints, just softer.
- Decide how it fills the page. Fill page covers the whole page and crops what doesn't fit; Fit page shows all of it and leaves edges.
- Decide where it shows. Whole page, behind text puts it under everything. Margins only (border) keeps the same art but clears the text block back to bare paper, which is how frames, corner pieces and head-and-foot bands are done.
- Keep the words readable. Lower Image presence (%) to fade the art toward the page colour so body text stays easy to read over it. For dark artwork, Use white text switches the text colour instead.
- Check the page, then export the PDF. Background art is printed on every page of the PDF. If it runs to the edge of the page, turn on bleed so there is no white line at the trim.
Common Mistakes
- Expecting it in the ebook. A reflowable EPUB is not made of fixed pages, so there is nowhere to pin a page background; ebook readers ignore it. The ebook is still styled by everything else in Styles.
- Art that fights the text. Full-strength artwork behind body text is hard to read for three hundred pages. Fade it, or use Margins only so the text sits on plain paper.
- Low-resolution art. Art that looks fine on screen can print soft. Use the size Deckle suggests for your trim size.
FAQ
Can I put a background on only some pages?
The page background applies to every page of the print edition. For a picture on a single page, place an image in that chapter instead.
Will background art affect my print costs?
Artwork usually means printing in colour or premium ink, which print-on-demand services price differently from black-and-white interiors. Check your printer's pricing before committing.
How do I make a decorative border instead of a full background?
Choose Covers → Margins only (border). The art shows around the edges and the text block stays clear.