Integrating remote assets from content management service with content developed by content creation applications

In some embodiments, an asset integration service establishes a communication session between a design application and a client device for accessing source graphical assets from a web server executing a content management service. The integration service receives, during the communication session and via a design interface from the design application, a request to add a source graphical asset to a document displayed on the client device. The integration service retrieves, responsive to the request, a placement graphical asset that is a lower-resolution copy of the source graphical asset and updates the design interface to include the placement graphical asset. The integration service associates the placement graphical asset with a network link for accessing the source graphical asset via the content management service. The integration service subsequently detects that the source graphical asset has been changed and displays, via the design interface, a notification that the placement graphical asset is outdated.