Hi, I’d like to understand if there is any way of adding a background image (full page), taken from a .JPEG file, to just one page of a document? I’d ideally like to be able to have text appearing ‘on top of’ the image, so as to create a front cover/title page. I’m very new to Scrivener so any advice would be most welcome!
You can insert an image into a document, but there’s no way to do any sort of image editing or text overlay in Scrivener. For that, you’ll want to use a good graphics program that will produce a high-quality image at the resolution you need–if you’re printing you’ll need something higher than if you’re creating an e-book cover.
If you’re creating an ebook, rather than inserting the image in Scrivener, you’ll want to import it directly to the binder, anywhere outside the Draft folder. If you have a Front Matter folder with other items like a title page or dedication, you might want to drop this in there. During compile, you’ll be able to select it from the menu in the “Cover” section, and it will handle putting it as its own page, marking it with the “cover” tag, etc.
For a PDF project–e.g. if you’re compiling to go to CreateSpace or such–you may need to upload the cover as a separate file anyway, so I’d check any publisher requirements. Even if you want it all in a single PDF, it may be simpler to just add the image as a page post-compile, skipping Scrivener entirely and just using your graphics program and PDF creator or layout software. Scrivener has only minimal tools for handling images. You can do this though if you want: create a new document, then use Edit > Insert > Image From File… and select the image. (You may rather use Image Linked to File… if you’re still tweaking the image–rather than embedding the image in the project’s document, this just links to the external image file on your computer, meaning it will dynamically update if you make changes to the file. You’ll need to reload the project to see the changes.) You’ll need to size the image beforehand to the appropriate dimensions for the final compiled document.
Many thanks MM, this is really useful, and as I suspected really concerning Scrivener’s capabilities. I’m grateful for the additional advice as I’m sure this will help me to come up with a workaround. Appreciate your help very much.