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Lordrhavin
Inspiring
May 7, 2025
Question

How to create a non-trivial path in InDesign

  • May 7, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 332 views

1. Do it in Inkscape
2. save as svg
3. Import into InDesign

Do you guys use your software or are you just selling it?

3 replies

Community Expert
May 7, 2025

Fair point, @Lordrhavin that gave me a chuckle.

 

You're right that InDesign isn't exactly a sculptor’s chisel when it comes to vector paths. It's more like a butter knife. It’ll spread the basics around but don’t ask it to carve the Mona Lisa.

 

That said, each Adobe app has its lane InDesign’s built for layout, Illustrator’s the one with the fancy vector chops. Still, I totally get the frustration. You'd think that within the same Creative Cloud ecosystem, we wouldn’t have to play app hopscotch just to drop in a decent curve.

 

SVG handling could definitely use a rethink too especially for those of us trying to streamline workflows and not reinvent the wheel every time we need a squiggle.

 

Guess each tool for what it's for, unfortunately. 

 

Robert at ID-Tasker
Legend
May 7, 2025

@Lordrhavin

 

What is a "non-trivial" path? 

 

And why not do it in Illustrator? 

 

Lordrhavin
Inspiring
May 8, 2025

I use illustrator just to load vectors and copy/paste them into indesign to not "place" them. If I wanna do vector graphics, I prefer using a tool that is good at it, gives me full control over what i'm doing and has a INTUITIVE usage of mouse, hadlers, clicks and control-buttons: inkscape.

Willi Adelberger
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 7, 2025

Are you aware that SVG is not for print, it is for WEB.

SVG does not support CMYK or color management. SVG is ok for web only, screen only documents, not for print.

Why not using Illustrator?

 

Lordrhavin
Inspiring
May 8, 2025

SVG doesnt care what you do with, it is a vector format. you can print it with any color you want, but it wants a representational rgb fallback:

<color-profile name="cmyk" xlink:href="http://icc.yourcolorspace.com/cmyk/"/>
    <circle fill="#abcd icc-color(cmyk, 0.33, 0.33, 0.33, 0.33)"/>