Expert: Kevin Stohlmeyer - 7/15/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi Kevin

I am having problems importing a logo that I created in illustrator into an
Indesign document without the white background. I am using CS2 and I am
viewing the screen performance at high display. What things should I look
out for if I want the logo to appear on a transparent background?


ANSWER: Hi Tessa,

The only things you have to watch for is make sure you don't put a white box behind your artwork (its been done) and if you are using effects, that you have changed your document raster effects settings to the appropriate ppi.

Also, I personally would save your art as a .ai file to import into ID.

Thanks

Kevin

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your help however I still seem to be experiencing problems.
I've checked to make sure there is no white box under my artwork and I have
changed the document rastor effects to high resolution (300ppi). I think it
may have something to do with the effects that I have used in the file
because when I copy and paste the logo into Indesign a white box appears
around the object with the drop shadow.

ANSWER: Hi Tessa,

There's your issue. You are copying and pasting into InDesign. This will cause errors. You need to place the image into InDesign (File>Place).

Also double check the document raster effects settings to make sure you have the effects set to transparent.


Thanks

Kevin



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Kevin

Thank you for your patience. Yes the transparent box is ticked. When I place
the .ai artwork into Indesign the object box includes the area of the canvas
size. I have tried creating the logo and the drop shadow effects in photoshop
however when I postscript the Indesign file the .ai and the .psd file both
appear in white boxes after the file has been distilled.

Answer
Hi Tessa,

Each time you write, more things come up! Ok, instead of distilling and creating a postscript file, why don't you just file>export out as a pdf?

Saving out as a postscript then distilling can cause issues as well. It seems your workflow is set up to give you a white box! (kidding). Try saving directly out as a pdf and see what happens.

So this is what I have gathered. You have a file you are compiling in InDesign with a colored background and you are placing the AI file on top of this and need to make sure it remains transparent and the drop shadow blends with the file...

There is one more "trick" I have used in the past.

First, place your image and position it as you would normally, white box and all. Then in ID, change your image blending to "Multiply" instead of normal (under transparency). This will cause your shadow to blend with the background.

Then copy and paste the same image on top of the original one and change it back to "normal". Then crop in on your image and viola! Your shadow blends. If this is a complex image, you can also save a copy without the shadow effect, and place that on top.


Thanks

Kevin