RGB/CMYK Trouble importing ILLUSTRATOR files into IN DESIGN

[garn1E5678]

Hello. When I create the ILLUSTRATOR files, they look like this:

But when I bring them into In design, the colors turn all dull:

Can you help?

[Monika Gause]

So that is an RGB AI file?

And the InDesign file?

How will this be produced? Printed? Or on screen?

[Ton Frederiks]

What are your Edit menu > Color Settings in both apps?

[garn1E5678]

It appears my AI files were created as RGB — should I go in and change that? Will that fix the problem?

[Monika Gause]

When you convert that to CMYK in Illustrator, you will then also have to adjust the colors. And no, it probably won't fully solve your problem, because in print you simply cannot reproduce some colors that can be presented in the RGB color mode. They will look duller.

Can you show the "more optioons" in the color settings? I would turn on all the warning checkboyes. The US Web setting is only OK, when you're printing in the US.

ALso: check the settings in InDesign. In which color mode is in your InDesign document?

[garn1E5678]

These are my In Design settings for the file in question:

https://archive.ccwatershed.org/pdfs/54378-indd/download/

These are by ILLUSTRATOR settings:

https://archive.ccwatershed.org/pdfs/54376-frustrating/download/

This is really frustrating; I just need to the colors to be correct, not all faded.

[Ton Frederiks]

Your Color Settings are synchronised. 

Do you have View > Proof Colors active in InDesign?

[Ton Frederiks]

Are you placing the .ai files in InDesign or do you save them as something else?

Illustrator RGB files should look the same in InDesign, even if the InDesign files are meant for print or web.

InDesign does not convert RGB to CMYK when files are placed in a document.

Only the Proof Colors could change the preview.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

"InDesign does not convert RGB to CMYK when files are placed in a document."

Unless there's any transparency added to the page, even if it doesn't interact with the RGB AI file, with Document Transparency Blend Space set to CMYK. This will happen whether Proof colors is toggled on or not.

[Ton Frederiks]

You are right, forgotten about that.

[garn1E5678]

These are my In Design settings for the file in question:

https://archive.ccwatershed.org/pdfs/54378-indd/download/

These are by ILLUSTRATOR settings:

https://archive.ccwatershed.org/pdfs/54376-frustrating/download/

This is really frustrating; I just need to the colors to be correct, not all faded. I took a screenshot to create that PDF for you, and the PDF now has the colors faded (you can just see them in the background).