Importing a gradient swatch from Illustrator to Indesign

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
March 23, 2017
4 replies
18190 views

Hi,

I was told from adobe that I can't add a gradient swatch in Libraries. So does anyone know how to move the swatch between these programs?

Thanks!

gradient swatch

Correct answer Steve Werner

Start as SJRiegel describes by copying a rectangle filled with the gradient from Illustrator (with the setting she describes):

(2) Paste into InDesign.

(3) Choose Object > Ungroup. Select with the Direct Selection tool to see the gradient (or click the Content Grabber).

(4) Add a new Gradient Swatch

(5) Color the text.

nickd76203846

Participant

FYI I seem to be having trouble copying in the RGB mode but in CMYK it works

A

adaminhk

Participant

Thanks! I can confirm this still works as of November 2022.

R

rudo123

Inspiring

More about gradients from Illustrator: never ever try to copy/paste a gradient containing registration color (cmyk 100-100-100-100) from Illustrator to InDesign (better not to use this color at all, except for print marks). Start to happen bad things like Invalid ColorSpace in your exported PDFs from InDesign (Invalid ColorSpace error in Acrobat, Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign too by place command). Such affected PDFs can be without problem opened in Affinity Designer/Photo, but not in any Adobe application.

Upon paste from Illustrator, InDesign match 100-100-100-100 in gradient with predefined [Registration] color and use it in new created gradient swatch (normally is not possible to use [Registration] color in InDesign’s gradient swatch definition, just 100-100-100-100, but not [Registration]). To avoid Invalid ColorSpace in PDFs, change that color in swatch dialog to any other normally allowed color.

I reported this bug to Adobe.

Eric Dumas

Community Expert

It is a shame that saving the swatches as an .ase file doesn't support tints or gradients.

Steve Werner

Community Expert

Eric,

Re: the ASE format: My guess is that it's because of Photoshop vs. InDesign/Illustrator differences in the way gradients are handled. And I don't think Photoshop has a concept of a tint.

ASE was designed to move colors between InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop.

S

SJRiegel

Legend

You can copy and paste a gradient from Illustrator to InDesign, but you will need to Uncheck Prefer PDF When Pasting in InDesign's Clipboard Handling preferences.