Workflow Fresco -> InDesign

[SproetS]

This post should porbably not in the InDesign departement of the Support Community because it involves three Adobe apps and three Adobe cloud services, as I learned. Please comment if so! 😉

My workflow problem is this;

1. I draw an illustration in Fresco on an iPad. This because of the ease of drawing on an iPad and a special brush I (have to - long story) use in Fresco;

2. It is automaticly exported to the Adobe Document Cloud, super! I can access  the illustration in PhotoShop on my MacBook, but;

3. How can I import this illustration directly in InDesign without opening the illustration in PhotoShop first and Save it as an other file and than import it to InDesign?

Oh, there are two more topics about this:

This one and this one, sorry!

[BobLevine · Accepted solution]

AFAIK, you can't.

Would make a good feature request, I would guess: https://indesign.uservoice.com/

[Babington. Co]

Yes you can. Here's the workflow:

1. Create illlustration in Fresco.

2. Export as Psd file.

3. Place in InD file. (No need to first open in Ps.)

4. The Psd file will still be in the RGB color so if you need it in CMYK to send to Printer for print production, 

export and send the InD as PDF/X1a:2001 or PDF/X3:2002, as follows:

5. Select FILE > Export or FILE > Adobe PDF Preset

6. Select a location to save your PDF; save.

7. In Export window that appears, click Adobe PDF Preset drop down, then click either Press Quality or PDF/X1a:2001. That will ensure any RGB colors in InD file are converted to CMYK, including Fresco art exported and placed directly as Psd files. Do not modify any of the default settings. The exported pdf will have CMYK settings. 

[Babington. Co]

I wish I could edit the above because I think my stated PDF Preset choices may not all be accurate. PDF/X1a:2001 or PDF/X3:2002 are the two presets specified by Ingram Spark's CMYK file submission process. I also then saw that Press Quality preset converts RGB embedded profiles to CMYK. When I read the different explanations for each and every preset, I'm seeing potential problems with all for my Fresco illustrations for any objects without embedded profiles. (I need to understand that better.) I guess I will be going with the PDF/X1a:2001preset accepted by Ingram Spark because the only potential problem I see is that it doesn't convert line art. I need to understand if line art includes my vector line drawings within Fresco paintings. If so, it seems best to open exported psd file in Ps first and convert document color space to CMYK there before placing in InD. Hmmmm..... 

[rob day]

If you are working with Fresco on a tablet where are you exporting the PSD to—you can’t place a PSD in an InDesign document unless it is saved to a local volume?

[Babington. Co]

I export from Fresco to either of the most efficient options it offers: I either airdrop it to my MacBook Pro and save in the project sub folder within the Creative Cloud folder or I export it through the Fresco Save to Files option to either the same folder in my iPad CC folder or into a CC Cloud file project sub folder accessible in the iPad Photoshop app folder. The first option of the Creative Cloud folder is most efficient since it syncs automatically within my macOS file folder, so I can access them directly within Indesign without having to download them from the Creative Cloud.