Gradient colors disappear in PDF file

[maryr18]

I have a yellow gradient on an Illustrator CC project. When I save it as a PDF file the color is not there, just a white space. How can I save the color in PDF?

No problem saving as ai file.

Thanks,

Mary

[Bill Silbert]

Was the gradient actually created in Illustrator or is it embedded from Photoshop? What quality did you use? Did you use the High Quality or Press Quality settings? Try it using the PDF/X-4 as the standard.

[Marisol Maltos]

you saved me!

[maryr18]

Bill, I’m a newbie. I created the gradient in Illustrator. Where can I check the quality?

[Bill Silbert]

When you save as an Adobe PDF you will get the Save Adobe PDF dialog window. The top pull-down menu next to "Adobe PDF preset:" will have all of the quality settings. The "Standard:" area is where you'd pick PDF/X4

[maryr18]

I’ll try that.

[lambiloon]

yes there is no such error saving gradient in pdf file all is posssible...thanks

[maryr18]

That didn’t work. I used PDFX/4:2008

[lambiloon]

share your ai file i check it and tell you what is problem

[lambiloon]

hi issue is your document color mode is rgb please change it cmyk then it will be there just use illustrator defualt pdf options....thanks

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pBU_mczVNpVt5yupBLSWP8DIDjSHBvXi

[maryr18]

Perfect!  Works just fine.  Thank you for your help!

[Ton Frederiks]

Looks like a bug.

The color that disappears is an RGB Spot color used in a gradient.

I do not know why anybody would use an RGB spot color.

The color is still visible when you fill an object with it and you save a PDF, it only disappears in gradients.

When you change the RGB spot color to an RGB process color it becomes visible in the PDF, no need to change color mode.

It is not an Illustrator bug, InDesign does the same when you create a gradient with an RGB spot color.

[maryr18]

I had no idea how tricky color modes could be. I’ll study that. I’m making a logo for myself that will be used in print and on the web.

Thank you!

[pl__a]

That doesn't work, converting to cmyk conpletely changes the colors.

[Ton Frederiks · Accepted solution]

No need to change color mode, just change the color type of any Spot RGB color swatches that are used in the gradient to Process.

[antonyo61585765]

This is the final answer, you helped me a lot, thank you!

[Ton Frederiks · Accepted solution]

The disappearing of colors seems to happen when Process RGB colors are used together with Spot RGB colors in a gradient.

A gradient with RGB Spot colors seems to work fine.

Actually all colors are still there and appear when Overprint Preview is turned on in Acrobat.

[Theartofliria]

and how do I do that?

[Ton Frederiks]

Whay is not clear from the discussion above?

[mariak4932866]

I'm having this issue despite checking that my color mode is cmyk, I'm only using process colors and I exported using the aforementioned settings. And all gradients come out blank. I'm at a loss..

[Ton Frederiks]

What are you using to view the PDF? What System are you using?

[mariak4932866]

Finder / mac preview. (I'm assuming this is the same my client will be using to view it). 

I guess I could rasterize the sketch but that kind of defeats the purpose of doing it in Illustrator.

[Monika Gause · Accepted solution]

Finder / mac preview. (I'm assuming this is the same my client will be using to view it). 

I guess I could rasterize the sketch but that kind of defeats the purpose of doing it in Illustrator.

By @mariak4932866

Apple Preview cannot be trusted with anything. So maybe you should report this to Apple, because there's nothing Adobe can change about Apple's code.

You could instruct your customer to download Acrobat Viewer, which is free.

[SaintEclair]

This was the answer for me, thanks!

[Ton Frederiks]

Recent versions of Mac OS have a problem with Apple Preview and Freeform Gradients. Rasterizing the gradient part in Illustrator at a sufficient resolution could be a workaround. And don't forget to report it to Apple, it still works fine in Preview in macOS Big Sur.