Basic Design - Illustrator Files to InDesign

You can import Adobe Illustrator graphics into an Adobe InDesign layout in their native (.ai) format by simply using "Place" to put graphics created in Adobe Photoshop directly into an InDesign layout.

When you paste a graphic from Illustrator into an InDesign document, the artwork appears in InDesign as a grouped collection of editable objects.

For example, if you paste an Illustrator drawing of a soccer ball with individually created patches into InDesign, the patches are pasted as a group, which can be ungrouped and edited using tools in InDesign.

You cannot change the visibility of layers within the illustration.

(above) Illustration of soccer ball in Illustrator (left) and same illustration pasted into InDesign (right)

If you want to adjust layer visibility in InDesign:

Import the graphic using the Place command, and when you want to edit it, choose Edit > Edit Original to open the graphic in Illustrator.

For example, for a multilingual publication, you can create a single illustration that includes one text layer for each language. You can transform the illustration as a single object in InDesign but you cannot edit the paths, objects, or text within the illustration.

If you want to adjust layer visibility in InDesign:

Import the graphic using the Place command, and when you want to edit it, choose Edit > Edit Original to open the graphic in Illustrator. For example, for a multilanguage publication, you can create a single illustration that includes one text layer for each language. You can transform the illustration as a single object in InDesign but you cannot edit the paths, objects, or text within the illustration.

(above) layered file with Spanish and English layers

If you want to edit objects and paths in InDesign:

Copy the art from Illustrator and paste it into your InDesign document. For example, in a magazine, you might use the same design element in each issue, but change its color every month. By pasting a graphic into InDesign, you can change objects’ color, path, and transparency using the InDesign tools designed for that purpose.

Importing Illustrator graphics with multiple artboards:

Sometimes Illustrator graphics can include multiple artboards. When you import an Illustrator graphic with multiple artboards, you can use Import Options to specify which artboard, or “page,” is imported.

You can save an Illustrator graphic as a layered PDF and control the visibility of layers in InDesign. Adjusting layer visibility in InDesign lets you vary an illustration depending on context. Rather than create multiple versions of the same illustration, you can place the same illustration where needed and adjust the visibility of the layers as appropriate.

You can transform a PDF as a single object (for example, you can rotate it, or resize it), but you cannot edit the paths, objects, or text within the illustration.

If you’re placing an Illustrator file that includes multiple artboards, you can specify which artboard is used, as when placing multi-page PDF files.

) In Illustrator, choose File > Save As.




) In the Save As dialog box, type a filename and choose a location for the file.




) For Format, choose Adobe PDF (.pdf), and click Save.




) In the Adobe PDF Options dialog box, choose Acrobat 6 (1.5) or later for Compatibility.




) Select Create Acrobat Layers From Top-Level Layers, and click Save PDF.

Note:  Don’t place layers in nested layer sets if you want to adjust layers in InDesign