Same file: copied, packaged or updated and yet I have different colours.

[A-J_Smith]

I'm having an issue with InDesign which I cannot fathom. I apologise now if this is blazingly obvious, but I don't use InDesign full time and I'm self-taught.

I seem to be having issues with the colours on my files. The files should be the same as they are either copies of the original file, use the same template or are from a package, but something is happening to the files and the blue is looking, and printing, more turquoise.

I created a file to design a roller banner for our business for us at a recent roadshow. When we were happy with this I packaged the files to send to the printers. When it was printed the colour was not as expected. My blue was more turquoise and not at all as expected.

So, I reviewed my computer first rather than blame the printer (which is normally the first point people try to make). From this, I noticed immediately on my recent files preview that the colours were off and that my blue was now a horrific turquoise. Yet I had made no changes other than the name of the file.

However, when I open the files they look the same; so I'd never have noticed when working on them.

In the file preview the top line, only files 1, 3 and 6 are the correct colour.

Originally thinking that packaging the file was at fault I also tried to save the file as a new name ' File> Save As', and the same issue is occurring. As you can probably see from the extra file previews which are attempts at working out the issue.

This wasn't an issue I'd faced before and previously all of our prints have looked ok. Now this new issue has me caving in internally panicking that all future document and files will not be correct.

Now this is happening on more than one document so I am completely confused as to what is happening. Opening more and more documents to find that the turquoise has suddenly taken over, is actually frustrating me now. You cannot see the issue when working on the file or exporting to PDF, however, it’s now apparent on the banner that’s been printed, and my recent files preview.

Any help would be appreciated?

[rob day]

Was the artwork in files 1&2 created in InDesign or has it been imported from another application? What is the color space of the blue? Is the blue a process or spot color? Is there any transparent object on the pages? Use the Flattener Preview panel to check for transparency because you may not see it in a regular preview.

[A-J_Smith]

Hi, the artwork (as in the blue item with waves) is an Illustrator file which has been placed into the InDesign file. The actual layout was all created in InDesign by me. I have no clue on spot or process as I didn't create the Illustrator file.

There are transparent objects on the page but I cannot see that would be the issue as the original file had those as well.

My issue is only the change of colour from a blue to more turquoise on my file; as this has come about from either packaging, copying the original file and renaming it, and even using the file save as option. Each test has produced the change. It's essentially the exact same file with no changes made to the document at all, but still, the colour is changing. There's no change to other items within the document so it's stemming from the Illustrator image in Indesign.

The reason my printed banner was the wrong colour is due to the file I sent over; I've already checked with my printer and had they received the darker blue file then it would have printed as such. So I'm aware that the issue is at my end and something InDesign is doing to my file, but I don't know what! Especially when the original file and its then copies were created within a few days of each other on the same computer and same version of InDesign.

The same is the case for the other items on the top level preview. Previously they were all darker blue, but at some point, InDesign has adjusted the colour when the file was copied. It was a template for a newsletter so is just copied each time. And now we have acquired a turquoise colour from out of nowhere. Any copy of the document or save as renders the new turquoise.

As this happens on each new file now so I am at a complete loss when the original files were correct. Has a colour setting somewhere on my system changed?

[rob day]

I have no clue on spot or process as I didn't create the Illustrator file.

If the illustrator file uses spot colors they will appear in you Swatches panel when the art is placed—spot colors have a spot color icon like this PANTONE color:

With composite printers, which I'm assuming your printer is using for banners, all color has to be process and the conversion of spot colors can produce unexpected results.

There are transparent objects on the page but I cannot see that would be the issue as the original file had those as well.

If the Illustrator file is RGB then any transparency on the page will invoke the document's Transparency Blend space (Edit>Transparency Blend Space) and if it is CMYK the preview of the page will show you a conversion of the RGB blue into your document's assigned CMYK profile (Edit>Assign Profiles).

Another possibility is the Illustrator color is CMYK, and it was saved with a embedded profile that conflicts with your document's CMYK profile. That could also create a color shift.

Does the problem occur if you export to PDF using the PDF/X-4 preset. Is your printer requiring the package? Seems like a PDF workflow would be easier.

If you want to share the two packaged files with different color via Dropbox or another sharing service, I can take a look. Include an IDML file

[A-J_Smith]

Would you be ok with me sending them through wetransfer as two Zip files?

I've had a nightmare with this and now one of my Zip files is the only accurate copy of this as I managed to overwrite the original copy when trying to fix it earlier. So I've un-zipped and then repackaged and the colour issue is back.

I really hoping it's one simple setting.

[rob day]

Zip files are fine

[rob day]

In the ID file you do have a mix of color spaces and a couple of spot colors. I'm not seeing the color shift but it is likely being caused by the document's CMYK Transparency Blend Space. It looks like all of the placed art is RGB so you might as well match the blend space and use RGB

If you look at your Swatches panel you'll see 2 spot colors that can not be deleted. This is because they are defined as spots in one of the placed Illustrator files. You should edit the .ai files and convert the spots to process.

Also the embossed circle made in ID is using a CMYK blue. If you are looking for consistency the native color should also be the same RGB blue.

[rob day]

Here's the CC link

http://adobe.ly/2fZQBor

[A-J_Smith]

Thanks for all your help. I've lots to look over now.

Annoying that you can't see the colour shift; but I can only see this myself as well on the opening ID screen of recent files.

Looks like I'll be taking a crash course in AI now.