Replace color of SVG object in Indesign

[defaultcljk743sk2gw]

I've a SVG file (heart shape) which I have imported in my project in Adobe Indesign.
I need to change the color of the heart to a specific color so the presser will add foil on that specific place.

How can I change the color of this heart object?

When I change the color of the object, the entire box will get the color instead of just the heart shape, see image below.
I tried adding a path to the existing heart but that is not exactly matching with the shapes and looks really messy.

The desired result is having a heart shape in the foil color without the bounding box.

[Peter Spier]

You'll need to change the color in the original application where you created the .svg, or draw a new heart using the pen tool in InDesign.

[Peter Spier]

Well, maybe one other possibility...

Have you tried selecting the .svg with the direct select tool? If you are able to do that and it selects the path of the heart you might be able to redefine the color. There is a complication, however. your color needs to be a spot color to create a foil die, and it doesn't look like you've got it defined that way.

If the exisitng heart is defined with a spot color fill (apparently called Named Color in the SVG Spec) you can use the Ink Manager to alias the exisiting spot color (presuming it is not used elsewhere in the document) to your foil color. If the exisiting fill color for the heart is not showing in the Swatches panel, try Add Unnamed Colors from the panel menu. I think, though, that any defined spot color would create a swatch automaticaslly on import, so this probably will not help.

[Laubender]

To change the color of that SVG file you have to open it with e.g. Adobe Illustrator.

Two options now:

[1] Change the color in Illustrator and save it as AI file. Place the AI file in InDesign.

[2] Copy the path of the heart shape in Illustrator and paste the copied path in InDesign and change the color with InDesign.

FWIW: SVG files cannot be saved as SVG with a spot color or a CMYK color.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Peter Spier]

That was my suspicion, but https://www.w3.org/TR/SVGColorPrimer12/ seems to say otherwise...

[Peter Spier]

I've managed to save spot color as .svg in Illustrator, but it does not come into ID with the spot color intact, so I guess Uwe is correct on your options.

[sfbrouw]

Try Properties: Effects (fx): Inner Glow - Mode: Normal - Technique: Precise - Source: center - Size: 0 - Noise: 0% and choose blending color.

[schultzeworks2]

This is the way. My SVG was black when placed.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

I'll just note that this appears to work a bit selectively for HTML or EPUB export. The settings that work and the actual output code make me suspicious of the reliablity of the technique for either destination. (It appears only to work if the export image is converted to PNG, which more or less negates the purpose of using SVG in the first place.)

Since SVG is not an optimal format for print, and the technique seems shady (that's a pun) for digital export... I think @Peter Spier got it right in one, up there. SVGs must be modified as a file to change their characteristics, to any useful ends, in ID.

[asrdo]

How is SVG not suitable for print? It absolutely is.

[Mike Witherell]

Perhaps he was referring to CMYK commercial printing workflows. If so, a SAVE-AS from SVG to .AI in Illustrator would help that. SVG mainly is good for RGB and meant for webpage display. 

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Really more that "it's a format you can make work, but there's rarely any good reason to do so unless you scrape all your content off the web and can't be bothered to clean up/convert it." Just like WEBP and, to a considerable extent, still, PNG.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

It's as suitable as the capabilities of the program and the skill of the user allow.

But SVG is yet another web-focused format that should be avoided in print documents unless you have the skill to edit the format at the code level.

[Willi Adelberger]

No, it is not. The purpose is web and screen. SVG supports only RGB, no CMYK,  o spot colors and no color management. 

[asrdo]

How should implement my vector designs in print then?

[leo.r]

How should implement my vector designs in print then?

By @asrdo

Illustrator's native .ai files.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

AI or PDF.

Which may or may not be an option when using the new-gen, cloud-based, EZdesign stuff that is web- and self-focused and knows only SVG (or EPS, which really should be avoided altogether these days.)

It's not hard to open an SVG in AI, edit as needed and save in AI, or PDF. And while I was snippy above, no one should just scrape content from the web (including web apps) and just drop it into InDesign without review and optimization anyway.

[misalo]

When I want to alter the color of a graphic that's been placed in InDesign, I save the graphic as a bitmap TIFF. I open the vector file in Photoshop, go to MODE > Bitmap (I use 300 for resolution and 50% threshold for method), then SAVE AS a TIFF file. When you place the file in InDesign, you can then alter the color using the direct silect tool.

[Mike Witherell]

No, never do that way. Leave vector stuff vector.

[emdiar]

sfbrouw has it, use an Inner Glow. Set the choke to 100%.

[asrdo]

InDesign cannot edit SVGs natively and otherwise treats them like a linked file.

You need to open the SVG in Adobe Illustrator and select the entire SVG, group it, then copy and paste it in InDesign. That way, InDesign treats it as a vector object with a path and allows you to directly change the fill and stroke.