Photoshop Layer effects not working when imported to InDesign

[attiliol23486554]

Lately when importing a .psd file with layer effects (drop shadows w/multiply blend mode) into InDesign, the effect prints muddy grey and opaque. Any thoughts?

[rob day · Accepted solution]

Photoshop Blend Modes do not get applied to InDesign page items. What color mode and value are you using for the Photshop drop shadow

[attiliol23486554]

This wasn't always the case. I'm just recently have issues with this. Never had a problem before.

[rob day]

The Blend Mode question has come up before and Photoshop blend modes do not get applied to InDesign page items. The color mode of your PS drop shadow would affect how its transparency gets applied in ID, and an RGB drop shadow might act like Multiply, which is what I’m showing in my 2nd post.

You can see it more clearly if you place a Photoshop object that has an applied Blend Mode like Difference.

Here the red circle set to Difference blending with a green rectangle in Photoshop:

The red circle PSD set to Difference placed in ID:

[BobLevine]

This has been the case since InDesign 2.0 was released in 2002. You may have never noticed it but that doesn't change the facts.

[VBL2]

that fact needs to change. It's a basic must-have.

[Willi Adelberger]

You can use a workaround. It does not work with files with grouped layers and folders, but with 1st level layers: Open the PSD with layers in Illustrator. Make layers to objects. It will keep blending modes. Save as AI. AI files keep their blending modes in InDesign, when you import them.

[Marianne-Deiters]

• It may be due to the settings for reducing transparency - https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/flattening-transparent-artwork.html
• The right choice of transparency fill space is also important (RGB or CMYK).

[BobLevine]

Rob has already answered correctly.

This has nothing to do with flattening or anything else.

It's expected, though, undesirable behavior.

[rob day]

The reason I asked about the shadow color is you can imitate the Multiply Blend Mode by using an RGB black, or a rich CMYK black (Black + CMY) for the shadow.

0|0|0|100 CMYK set to Multiply

0|0|0 RGB set to Normal