In the first part of this article I described how to create and share content between Illustrator and Photoshop. Now we’ll take the artwork and use it in Illustrator and InDesign.
After clicking ok to apply my 3D adjustments I can now save the logo for use in other applications. If I were using a traditional export format such as EPS and TIFF, I’d have to flatten my Photoshop document. This would reduce the file size but it would also make editing my various text, smart object and 3D layers impossible. As most Adobe apps understand each other’s native formats, saving as TIFF and EPS are not necessary and, therefore, neither is flattening.
I want to have a transparent background so I ensure the background, white layer of the document is turned off I then save it as a PSD file with embedded profile. This will preserve the layers and transparency settings with no decrease in quality while remaining fully editable by Photoshop.
To use the logo in Illustrator I create a new document then select File > Place.
Illustrator place file dialogue box
I make sure to deselect the Link checkbox, linking an image reduces its editable options though increases the Illustrator document size. A Photoshop Import Options dialogue box is displayed. The choices I make here will have an impact on how I can use the logo. To retain maximum control and flexibility I select Convert Layers to Objects as well as Import Hidden Layers. This will make each layer of the PSD accessible in the Illustrator document, including any that currently have visibility turned off.
Illustrator Photoshop Import Options dialogue box
On checking my Layers pane I can see that the PSD file has been imported with layers as separate elements. I can now isolate these as necessary.
Illustrator Layers panel
To use the Logo in an InDesign document, I select File>Place and make sure to check the Show Import Options checkbox.
Place PSD to InDesign
InDesign displays the Image Import Options dialogue box. From here I can see what layers are present in the file and I can alter the visibility by checking and unchecking the eyeball icons. A preview thumbnail is provided in the corner of the dialogue box.
InDesign import options dialogue box
After clicking OK, the logo can be scaled and positioned on the page. The gradient background I have created in InDesign reveals that the background of the logo has retained its transparent setting.
Logo on InDesign page
I can adjust the layer settings of the logo at any time by selecting the object and then Object>Object Layer Options. This displays the Object Layer options pane once again. I can now adjust the layer visibility and preview the results right on the page.
InDesign Object Layer Options menu
InDesign Object layer options dialogue box
By saving the logo in a layered, native format, I can access all the layers by simply clicking the visibility icons in either the Illustrator or InDesign layers panels. By using a flat format, such as EPS or TIFF, I’d have to save a new file for each variation, then import each one. If I want to change the logo, I can simply edit it and re-save from the original and update it in the layout application. This flexibility in copying and pasting content between apps as well as saving in native file formats makes working with Adobe Creative Suite files much quicker and more efficient than constantly saving versions in inefficient formats.
