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Exporting on Illustrator changes color output no matter the file type or settings selected

New Here ,
Feb 04, 2023 Feb 04, 2023

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I've been trying to figure out this problem for days, and still no dice. I've tried to everything to export this RGB vector work in RGB; making sure I'm in RGB document mode, messed around with multiple color settings, placed the art onto a new file that I was sure the settings were correct, exported for screens and for web as well as any other file type I can. The only thing that reproduces the colors I have is jpg. And even that, certain sites generate the colors much paler until you select the jpg in fullscreen. I'm not sure what's causing this level of variance. Help would be very appreciated!

I would link the file here, but the page is giving me a "content type (application/postscript) does not match its file extension and has been removed." error message, so I cannot provide the necessary information. Cool.

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Adobe
Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2023 Feb 04, 2023

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Can you please tell us the color number and how they change?

Also I don't think I understood your workflow. Could you please describe step by step what you did and which file formats you exported?

 

If you export a PNG: Illustrator doesn't embed a color profile, which might throw off the color when you open it in another application.

If you export a JPEG - the colors might be off slightly which is due to the way the file formt works.

In which application do you open the JPEG and how do you check if it's off?

 

How is your color management set up?

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New Here ,
Feb 04, 2023 Feb 04, 2023

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Sure. The primary culprit is the yellow I am using. Which is at ffb61c in my file. I've basically tried everything. I've exported as a PNG, JPG, SVG, PDF, 'exported for screens', and 'saved for web'. The only two ways to achieve consistent colors are by saving as a JPG, and of course just screenshotting my page with my computer. Every other version exports with the same color changes that switching my file to CMYK achieves. I've also noticed that if I export a PNG, its colors revert back when the PNG is placed back into my illustrator document. 

In the issues with the image not showcasing properly, the software with the issue was discord. On computer screen, the jpg is posted with lighter colors than on the file. When the photo was selected and "view original" is clicked, which brings up a full scale version in browser, the colors are fixed. On mobile in general, the logo looks accurate with or without selecting the photo from the application. I'll attach two versions of the logo here, one PNG and one JPG to see if the site alters its appearance. Navy_Slugs-04.jpgNavy_Slug_PNG-04.png

As far as my color management, I'm not entirely sure what that's defined as. Are you asking about the file color settings, or the the color settings of illustrator in general preferences?

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New Here ,
Feb 04, 2023 Feb 04, 2023

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Looking at the linked images, both exported from the document without changes in settings, they both look identical from the page. But if the JPG is selected in fullscreen, the colors present the accurate vibrancy I'm looking for. When the PNG is selected in fullscreen, there is no change.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2023 Feb 04, 2023

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For the PNG: you need to open it in Photoshop and attach a color profile (not Convert to profile).

If the issue only appears after uploading the file to a web service, then the issue could always be at that website.

 

As for the JPEG: there currently is an issue in Export for Screens that it converts to CMYK when you export 100% quality. Could you try using Save for web?

 

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New Here ,
Feb 04, 2023 Feb 04, 2023

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Huh, interesting. Feels a bit taxing to have to use another software just to export the colors needed from the illustrator file, but I went ahead and tried assigning the RGB profiles to the PNG. There absolutely is a change from the original exported colors, but is still very far from the JPGs color vibrance. At least when I preview the files on my computer. Navy_Slugs-04.jpgNavy_Slug_PNG-04.png
Save for web is something I've already tried. It exports in the same lighter colors that the PNG, and everything other than JPG did.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2023 Feb 04, 2023

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In which application do you view the files?

 

As for the color profile: yes, it should be better. There is a Uservoice report about it: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/346...

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New Here ,
Feb 04, 2023 Feb 04, 2023

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Just preview on mac. Opening them in other applications, like safari (one of the only apps available to choose from on my device) showcases the same issue.

So is there no solution then? It's just an error that isn't being corrected by Adobe for over 3 years?? Guess there's literally nothing I can do then?

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Community Expert ,
Feb 05, 2023 Feb 05, 2023

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You can vote on that bug report, set up your color management according to your needs and then you need to attach color profiles to your PNGs.

 

I wouldn't trust Apple Preview with anything. Particularly not when it's related to color.

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New Here ,
Feb 05, 2023 Feb 05, 2023

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Sounds good, it just seems again, like something unrealistic to expect from a company with this kind of legacy that also charges as much as it does for its product.

I'm with you on that. I assumed it wouldn't be accurate. That's why I've been testing it on as many applications as possible. Just had a colleague export the PNGs from their version of illustrator and the problem existed on their end. I guess there is no solution here. I'm still confused how paper documents, decals, and other physical items I am currently looking at in-hand have the right yellow brightness, but illustrator is uncapable of reproducing the same colors as pngs or tiffs. I thought they were lossless file types? 


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Community Expert ,
Feb 05, 2023 Feb 05, 2023

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Don't send PNGs for printing decals or paper documents. Or even TIFFs. You can export a color managed PDF for print. Check your PDF in Acrobat before sending (this always needs to be done, no matter how safe everything is set up. Preflight is part of the procedure).

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New Here ,
Feb 05, 2023 Feb 05, 2023

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So what are the solutions if you need a transparent background to be submitted for decals of a specific shape and size? As far as I know, PDF's don't work in this way. If they do, I'd love to know how!

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Community Expert ,
Feb 05, 2023 Feb 05, 2023

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PDFs work just fine for that.

You need to always talk to the printing service what file types they want to have. If they don't accept PDFs, you'd better run away.

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New Here ,
Feb 05, 2023 Feb 05, 2023

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Yes, but PDF's don't use transparent backgrounds. So this wouldn't help me in this situation.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 05, 2023 Feb 05, 2023

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Of course PDFs usually have transparent backgrounds - unless you put something in the background (just like with a PNG).

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New Here ,
Feb 05, 2023 Feb 05, 2023

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How do you export a PDF from illustrator with an artboard as a transparency then? If that is something that's possible, then I'm positive I've found a solution to my problem.

 

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New Here ,
Feb 05, 2023 Feb 05, 2023

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I assume you can do so by selecting the artwork, then right clicking and going with "export selection" but it doesn't create a transparency. Even then, when you select the PDF option within the asset window, you can't use the same controls for maintaining color profiles like you could with saving as a PDF from the file tab.

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New Here ,
Feb 05, 2023 Feb 05, 2023

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Foolishly, I had assumed that the PDFs taken of the artboards had no transparency when following a guide found online, that reccomended plugging them into Adobe Acrobat to remove the background from the art. From there, it seemed as if the artboard was indeed attached to the PDF. But checking other applications, Photoshop proved that Adobe Acrobat, and my 'Preview' from my Mac was not showcasing the PDF properly, and the PDFs did indeed showcase with a transparency when opened in Photoshop. But as expected, the colors still aren't correct in other applications. Creating accurate colors from illustrator to other programs just is not possible I assume. They will always be somewhat altered from how I actually intended form them to be designed. So at this point, is this just a matter of how much you're willing to let your work be altered?

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New Here ,
Apr 03, 2024 Apr 03, 2024

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The workaround I've used for this issue is to "Save As" an EPS out of Illustrator (which preserves your color profile), open the EPS in Photoshop, and then "Save As" a PNG. Works for me.

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Community Expert ,
Apr 03, 2024 Apr 03, 2024

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LATEST

@Trevor25448258bwqn  schrieb:

The workaround I've used for this issue is to "Save As" an EPS out of Illustrator (which preserves your color profile), 


 

The file format EPS does not support ICC color profiles at all.

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