A model for creaming and formation of a foam layer in an aerated system consisting of Newtonian liquid is proposed. The variation of air volume fraction in the dispersion layer is described by hindered creaming which is coupled to syneresis in the top foam layer that is described by flow of liquid through a network of Plateau borders due to gravitational and capillary forces. The present analysis accounts for the compressibility of foam layer by coupling creaming analysis with syneresis in the foam layer. The behavior of the system is described by three parameters: (a) characteristic time scale of creaming of an isolated bubble. (b) hydrodynamic interaction factor, and (c) capillary number, ratio of capillary and gravitational forces in the foam layer. System behavior is shown to be different for four different regions of initial air volume fractions for which the phase diagram and evolution of the profile of air volume fraction for batch dispersion are presented. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.