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Participant
Mar 28, 2019 1:34 PM UTC
Answered

Color Change - Illustrator to After Effects

HI All,

I thought I would post here for answers first before reaching out to adobe. I have searched for answers on the internet, with no real result. I am having issues with the color changing when I import a .AI file to After Effects. The Document color mode is RGB. I created RGB swatches for each color and applied to the shape of the logo. I have Assigned Profile Working RGB: sRGB IE61966-2. Attached is an image from Illustrator (1) and an image from After Effects (2). Any suggestions would be appreciated.

(1)

(2)

Byron CortezCorrect answer
Community Expert
Mar 28, 2019 4:03 PM UTC

Try going to the menu File / Project Settings ... / Color and choose the same color profile.

Byron.

51 replies

caroline_sanga
Participant
Jun 12, 2023 10:09 AM UTC

I know there already is an answer to this, it didn't work for me but when I converted the vector layer to a shape layer (right click layer, create, create shapes from vector layer) the color finally changed somehow. So try this if the original response doesnt work for you. 

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Participant
Oct 25, 2024 8:23 PM UTC

For me, this issue is only with the EPS format, and I've been having the color shift issue for a few years now. I just tried converting some of my EPS files to AI format, and the colors are now coming in correctly into AE, whether or not I embed ICC profiles. I tried all kinds of things, including adjusting all of the color settings in both AI and AE, and this is the only thing that works for me.

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Participating Frequently
May 1, 2023 4:36 PM UTC

I was having a lot of issues with this on a file from a designer who usually sends me files where the colors work perfectly (patterns are janked, but that's on another post). I gave up and just "change to color"ed everything in AE after the solutions below weren't working (checked the profiles matched, etc). But the colors LOOKED wrong in AI (despite being the proper numeric values) and that didn't sit right, so I tried switching the AI file from RGB to CMYK, closed it, opened it, switched it back to RGB & reset my colors to the proper numeric values...Prest-O Change-O now they're right in AE.

 

No idea why that worked. Super annoyed to have to go through that many hoops. But ya know, Adobe, ammiright...

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Participant
Jan 18, 2022 10:55 AM UTC

It worked for me when I unchecked "Embed ICC Profiles" when saving the AI file.
It seems that there's a bug, because the embedded profile I was using was actually the same one I was using in AE. (sRGB)


Hope this works for the ones out there that couldn't find a solution.

 

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Participant
Apr 28, 2022 12:31 AM UTC

I can not for the lif of me get it to work 

I have tried everything and it has all failed I have unchecked the Embeded ICC Profiles I have checked my swatches and they are all RGB. I have put the right color option in After Effects and it still won't work. Help Me.   

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Participating Frequently
May 1, 2023 4:39 PM UTC

Change your AI file to CMYK then change it back to RGB. You'll have to re-enter all your color values (I do that globally using the Recolor Artwork window when a designer sends me print colors vs animation colors), BUT it's the only thing that worked for me. I'm using the 23 versions of the software on a MacPro (2019).

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Participant
Dec 13, 2021 9:57 PM UTC

Same exact issue, it was driving me insane! I went in my save as option for illustrator and unchecked "Embed ICC Profiles." It finally worked for me! My blacks are true black and not showing as gray anymore. Hope this helps someone.

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Christopher Power
Participating Frequently
Oct 29, 2021 3:32 PM UTC

I finally found a solution! For me, when you get to the save dialog in your RGB file from Illustrator to .AI, uncheck the box "Embed ICC Profiles". That worked for me. No change in settings in the color management stuff in AE produced any desireable effects.

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Participant
Nov 14, 2021 4:14 PM UTC

That worked for me!

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Participant
Sep 30, 2021 9:20 PM UTC

Been reading through these suggestions and none have worked properly. One thing that has worked is saving the documents as a .EPS - The colours are true when you import this into after effect. It's not a complete fix though as it doesn't recognise your layers. It's a work around if you're desparate.

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Participant
Sep 30, 2021 9:23 PM UTC

Oh and pushing assets from Illustrator to After Effects using the Overlord puglin seems to resolve the colour too.

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joshs
Participant
Aug 2, 2021 5:28 PM UTC

I had this same problem. The 'correct answer' did not fix the problem.

Illustraor/File/DocumentColorMode was already set to RGB.

As was Illustrator/Edit/ColorSettings, the CMYK was set to OFF. I was still importing files with MASSIVE color shift (you can see the blues are GREY. 
What fixed this was Select All in Illustrator. Then going to Illustrator/Edit/EditColors/Convert To RGB

It didn't fix it entirely (you can still see slight color difference), but it's closer than it was--like 90%. If anyone has any idea how to get me the last 10%, i'd love to hear it. 

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Jambelly71
Participant
Mar 31, 2021 2:11 PM UTC

Syncing colour profiles across all adobe apps and making sure the 'Embed ICC Profiles' checkbox is checked when saving a .ai file worked for me.

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Participant
Jul 9, 2020 4:22 PM UTC

I had to change my Illustrator from CMYK to RGB.

Illustrator > File > Document Color Mode

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Known Participant
Jan 15, 2021 1:31 PM UTC

So i've read all of this and have the same consistant issue. I've changed my AE to the colour space of the AI document. Doesn't fix it. I've made sure the preview colour settings are the same, no effect. No matter what i do i can't get my AI or PDF file to display in the correct colour. Have a PNG and AI of the same file, and they are differnt in AE but identical in PS. It's getting on my nerves. Any other help would be appreciated. Cheers...

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Participating Frequently
Mar 15, 2021 11:28 AM UTC

David,

 

I was always supervising color-management in the company I work for ... this has no secrets for me.

Color management in Illustrator, Photoshop, Indesign works perfect. 

 

But AE messes the colors up. 

 

The only solution is that Adobe does his work. 

...

 

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Byron CortezCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
Mar 28, 2019 4:03 PM UTC

Try going to the menu File / Project Settings ... / Color and choose the same color profile.

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Byron.
Participant
Mar 28, 2019 4:08 PM UTC

It worked! Changing the color profile in After Effects was the answer.

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Community Expert
Mar 28, 2019 4:12 PM UTC

I'm glad I helped you stephanieg16940747​

Regards!

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Byron.