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The CMYK colors of imported illustrator file change in indesign

Community Beginner ,
Jan 16, 2017 Jan 16, 2017

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Here's the problem:

when I drag an Illustrator file into my InDesign document, the CMYK values are the same, but the appearance and RGB value is completely different. In both files I uses the Iso coated v2 300% color space. How can I make sure that my color value is the same and also they look the same?

These are the color values in Illustrator:

R: 204, G: 21, B: 26

C: 13, M: 100, Y: 98, K: 4

# cc151a

... and these in Indesign

R: 191, G: 36, B: 39

C: 13, M: 100, Y: 98, K: 4

# be2327

Thank you very much for your help - I´m truely lost here.

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Guide ,
Jan 16, 2017 Jan 16, 2017

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Hi

you may start reading this:

Creative Suite * Keeping colors consistent

Besides, I would recommend placing files instead of dragging them.

regards

Vinny

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Enthusiast ,
Jan 16, 2017 Jan 16, 2017

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Set the color management on the same profiles for InDesign and Illustrator. Even for the document (Assign profile/Convert to profile - Edit Menu).

Color setting.png

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Community Expert ,
Jan 16, 2017 Jan 16, 2017

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when I drag an Illustrator file into my InDesign document

Do you mean dragging the file from the finder or dragging selected parts from the open file in Illustrator to the Indesign window?

The first case is tantamount to placing, the second case is usually hugely unwise (as vinny38 pointed out).

In both files I uses the Iso coated v2 300% color space.

Is the Illustrator File CMYK (File > Document Color Mode > …)?

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 16, 2017 Jan 16, 2017

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Thank you very much for your help!

@cinziamarotta: Yes the color settings are the same.

c.pfaffenbichler​ : I dragged them from the open file.

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Community Expert ,
Jan 16, 2017 Jan 16, 2017

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@cinziamarotta: Yes the color settings are the same.

Matching the application Color Settings has little affect on existing documents because documents usually have a profile assignments which can be different than the Color Settings' Working Spaces. You have to match document profiles via Edit>Assign Profiles... in both ID and AI.

Also Illustrator has a document color mode and all native Illustrator objects are either RGB or CMYK depending on the mode. InDesign allows a mix of color modes and lets you assign both an RGB and CMYK profile.

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 23, 2017 Jan 23, 2017

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Hello rob day,

thank you for your answer. I checked the profile assignments but still couldn´t solve the problem.

These are the color values in Illustrator:

These are the Color Settings:

And these are the color values in Indesign, while using the same color settings:

Why are the RGB-values not consistent? What did I miss?

Thanks in advance.

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Community Expert ,
Jan 23, 2017 Jan 23, 2017

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Uncheck Only Web Colors in your Illustrator Color Picker.

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Guide ,
Jan 23, 2017 Jan 23, 2017

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Try turning off 'only web colours' in Illustrator's colour picker.

It's best to use swatches to specify colours, and to decide between CMYK and RGB depending on the final output. Is this to be printed or is it for on-screen use?

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 23, 2017 Jan 23, 2017

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This particular document is for on-screen use. I unchecked " Only Web Colors" and the RGB Value changes but are still not the same:

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Community Expert ,
Jan 23, 2017 Jan 23, 2017

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I unchecked " Only Web Colors" and the RGB Value changes but are still not the same:

But now you have chosen different CMYK values.

When you manually key in CMYK values, the RGB values in the color picker show how those CMYK values will convert to RGB given the current color setup. Illustrator has a document color mode, so if it is CMYK any fills or strokes you create will be CMYK even if you choose an RGB value from the Color Picker.

Here are the ID, AI, and PS pickers with your color setup and manually entering the CMYK values in your original post:

Screen Shot 2017-01-23 at 11.11.19 AM.png

If you are working for screens and want to avoid color conversions set Illustrator's document color mode to RGB and in InDesign create RGB swatches. And make sure all documents have the same RGB profile assigned.

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 25, 2017 Jan 25, 2017

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Thank you so much!!

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Community Expert ,
Jan 16, 2017 Jan 16, 2017

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I´m truely lost here.

Also, dragging and dropping between the applications is the same as cutting and pasting. Cutting and pasting lets you copy editable vectors into ID, but your Clipboard preferences in both programs affects what happens on the paste—you might get a uneditable PDF object or editable vectors depending on the prefs.

In ID a PDF object will respond differently to an eyedropper sample than the same object pasted as a vector.

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