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Klash Royale
New Participant
August 24, 2016
Answered

Working in RGB in InDesign

  • August 24, 2016
  • 2 replies
  • 33027 views

Good evening,

I am trying to put together a web - RGB - version of an Annual Report I've just wrapped up. The report was created in CMYK and now, when I bring in Illustrator files with updated color profiles (switched from CMYK to RGB), the swatches and display colors are converted to CMYK regardless. I'm having trouble figuring out how to keep them in RGB.

As in, if in the Illustrator doc the colors are set up as RGB spot color swatch with an RGB overall document profile. When I place it into inDesign, it converts the doc and imported swatch to CMYK. If I create a new swatch via InDesign, it shows up in RGB no problem. Ugg... I don't often fell like a dumb-dumb in InDesign, but this is very frustrating. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you!

KR.

    Correct answer rob day

    Unlike Illustrator, InDesign allows you to have a mix of different color modes on a page—RGB, Lab, CMYK, or placed grayscale. A document has two profiles assigned—an RGB profile to handle the preview of RGB colors, swatches, and placed RGB objects with no profile, and a CMYK profile to handle the preview of CMYK colors, swatches, placed CMYK with no profile, and grayscale objects.

    if in the Illustrator doc the colors are set up as RGB spot color swatch with an RGB overall document profile. When I place it into inDesign, it converts the doc and imported swatch to CMYK.

    Is there a reason for defining a spot color? Does the annual report print with extra spot plates? Try setting the AI RGB color to process not spot, and if there is transparency on the ID page set your Transparency Blend Space to RGB. Also turn off Overprint Preview, which forces the preview of all color into your document's CMYK profile.

    When you export the report to PDF you can convert all color into a single RGB space, so you can have a mix of color spaces and export to a uniform color space. Something like this which would convert everything into sRGB:

    2 replies

    rob day
    rob dayCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    August 24, 2016

    Unlike Illustrator, InDesign allows you to have a mix of different color modes on a page—RGB, Lab, CMYK, or placed grayscale. A document has two profiles assigned—an RGB profile to handle the preview of RGB colors, swatches, and placed RGB objects with no profile, and a CMYK profile to handle the preview of CMYK colors, swatches, placed CMYK with no profile, and grayscale objects.

    if in the Illustrator doc the colors are set up as RGB spot color swatch with an RGB overall document profile. When I place it into inDesign, it converts the doc and imported swatch to CMYK.

    Is there a reason for defining a spot color? Does the annual report print with extra spot plates? Try setting the AI RGB color to process not spot, and if there is transparency on the ID page set your Transparency Blend Space to RGB. Also turn off Overprint Preview, which forces the preview of all color into your document's CMYK profile.

    When you export the report to PDF you can convert all color into a single RGB space, so you can have a mix of color spaces and export to a uniform color space. Something like this which would convert everything into sRGB:

      philippanmei
      philippanmei
      Participating Frequently
      August 24, 2016

      Press Alt+E+B and choose Document RGB. Hope this is the option you are looking for...

      Thanks

        maicoa87092657
        maicoa87092657
        New Participant
        August 11, 2021

        This shortcut didn't work for me. Can you explain how I can get there from the menu? 

        L
        Laubender
        Community Expert
        August 11, 2021

        Do you mean this?

        Edit > Transparency Blend Space > Document RGB

        Edit > Transparency Blend Space > Document CMYK

         

        Regards,
        Uwe Laubender

        ( ACP )

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