L.1.3.1 Document Backgrounds

As well as containing a body, a document element can also contain the definition of the document’s background via the background element and its contents. This background applies to all printed pages within this document. A document background in WordprocessingML can have a single color, as well as the application of various drawing effects such as color gradient or pattern, and a tiled or stretched image. A single background color is stored natively in WordprocessingML using the bgColor attribute. All other background effects are provided by DrawingML, which is wrapped in the WordprocessingML drawing element.

Consider a simple background in WordprocessingML, which consists of a single color with a gradient fill applied:

<w:background w:bgColor="5C83B4">
  <w:drawing>
    <wp:anchor>
      …
    </wp:anchor>
  </w:drawing>
</w:background>

The background consists of two components: a background fill color of RGB value 5C83B4, and the background gradient stored as a DrawingML object.