antony_ellam

I am having a problem with the PDF's I have exported from InDesign CS using XPSP2. The CS do***ent is a 2 page A3, containing 4 placed Illustrator CS do***ents, 2 on each page (it folds into a 4 page A4 do***ent). The colour (a blue) appears fine on the screen, in InDesign and When the exported PDF is viewed in the PDF Reader.
If the do***ent is printed from within InDesign the colour matches the screen and is correct. But if the PDF is printed from PDF Reader the Blue comes out as a totally different shade (more of a bright RGB blue, the grey's also have a slight blue tint).

The Illustrator files are 100% CMYK, containing some placed (not linked) images, black text over grey boxes, with dark blue stripes containing White headers.

This has become an issue with my client. As the job was supposedly finished, then this colour issue cropped up. I have tried loads of combinations within the PDF export in InDesign over the last week or so. Anyone have any Ideas, as I have never had this issue before.

bob levine

What are you printing to? What were the export settings? Do you have
color management set up identically in ID and Acrobat?

Bob

antony_ellam

The colour calibration settings of the various PDF Readers and attached printers that will be printing these do***ents is (and will be) beyond our control, these PDF's are to be put on a CD to be distributed within a large international company (individual pages may also be e-mailed). Slight differences, as would be normal for un-calibrated equipment, would be ok. It's the fact that this is wildly out. The correct colour, and the one that is seen 'on screen' is a fairly dark blue (perhaps a shade or two darker than our names on this forum) what gets printed is a very cyan heavy, bright almost 'sky blue' colour. The strips where set in Illustrator using supplied C,M,Y,K, values for the company's 'corporate' colour chart.

I have used the built in settings for PDF export, Screen, Print, and the 'press-ready' option (even though this option produces a PDF that would be far to large), I have also tried many 'home-brew' settings. Including altering all the colours in the placed artwork to RGB in Illustrator CS, saving copies, and using an RGB output from InDesign (these are mostly going to be output on desktop inkjet printers so RGB or CMYK doesn't really matter as long as the colours end up the correct shade, both on screen and on the printouts. although of course CMYK would be better as there would be less problems if that ever chose to send them to be professionally printed).

bob levine

You need to keep in mind that most people don't have calibrated monitors
or printers. Additionally, most desktop printers are RGB devices, not CMYK.

Stick with RGB.

Bob