PDF with high pattern information

Question

I have a PDF exported from InDesign (end use is online but needs to have fairly high quality image exports in the event that it is desktop printed) that has dozens of placed illustrator images that have vector pattern fills. The resulting PDF is 30MB and it needs to be closer to 15MB. After auditing the space usage under the optimizer the pattern information is about 76% of the usage. I assume it is the illustrator pattern fills that are cause this bloat. Any suggestions on how to reduce this? TIA

william954 · Accepted Answer

Pattern fills from Illustrator are the issue. They get repeated inside the PDF and increase size a lot.

Best quick fix
Open the Illustrator files and rasterize only the pattern areas at 300 ppi. You will see a big size drop with almost no visible quality loss.

Also try this
Save AI files again and reduce pattern complexity or scale so it repeats less
Export from InDesign at 300 ppi not higher
Run PDF Optimizer and clean duplicate data

Main takeaway
Rasterizing the patterns is the fastest and most effective solution

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