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G P Shannon
G P Shannon
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Grayscale InDesign becomes Rich Black PDF

Mar 21, 2013 6:13 PM

Tags: #pdf #export #grayscale #rich_black

I have an InDesign CS6 file with 100K black-only line art placed as EPS from Illustrator CS6. The resulting PDF is rich black and I cannot find anywhere how to control the color at PDF export. I thought saving as an .AI file would fix it, I've tried saving back to every legacy version as both EPS and AI and that doesn't work either, so it must be something happening at PDF export. My only color options are all CMYK variants.

 

Anyone have any tricks to get around this flaw?

 

Thanks,

Glen

358 Views   4 Replies   Latest reply: G P Shannon, Mar 21, 2013 10:06 PM
 
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  • Dov Isaacs
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    1. Dov Isaacs,
    Mar 21, 2013 6:24 PM   in reply to G P Shannon
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    First of all, EPS from Illustrator is absolutely archaic. Save the Illustrator as PDF/X-4 or High Quality Print and place that PDF into InDesign.

     

    Secondly, better check what color space is used in Illustrator. If the Illustrator document is setup as RGB as opposed to CMYK, your black-only line art will be actually RGB black. There is nothing you can do about fixing that in InDesign.

     

              - Dov

     
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  • G P Shannon
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    2. G P Shannon,
    Mar 21, 2013 6:39 PM   in reply to Dov Isaacs
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    Thanks- trying it, no luck yet. Saved as both types of PDF you mention out of Illustrator (CMYK color space), exported as both types of PDF out of ID... still getting the rich blacks. I'll keep trying till something works.

     

    Glen

     
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  • Dov Isaacs
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    3. Dov Isaacs,
    Mar 21, 2013 6:52 PM   in reply to G P Shannon
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    Examing the PDF saved from Illustrator in Acrobat Pro, exactly what are the color values of the line art in that PDF file? If they are not CMYK=(0,0,0,K), then you'll have the rich black problems. Let us know what your find.

     

         - Dov

     
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  • G P Shannon
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    4. G P Shannon,
    Mar 21, 2013 10:06 PM   in reply to Dov Isaacs
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    Good point- they are indeed rich blacks. Thanks for the nudge, closer inspection in Illustrator allowed me to set the color to Grayscale mode, which was hidden in a tiny flyout menu, and set the colors there. The PDF from that is now just 100K. Taking it all the way through InDesign to final PDF, it is now also just 100K. Hooray!

     

    Much appreciated!

    Glen

     
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