Bonnet Stripes on tractors

[Titch Sanders]

Hi Folks,
can anyone assist me please, I struggle with technology and want to recreate these stripes. With graduated Black dots, from nothing into a solid Black, straight onto Silver vinyl in my Edge II.
I've seen it done and indeed had older foils with evidence of it being done by previous user of a second hand edge..but, can I work it out..
Please be gentle with me..it takes a lot of 'sinking in' these days..
The attached image is what I'm trying to recreate.. (if I can attach the image even..)
Regards all,
Titch Sanders (UK)

 

[Notarealsignguy]

google half tone.

 

[unclebun]

Do you need it to be a dot gradient, or just a gradient? What software are you using to create your artwork?

 

[Billct2]

If it's just a smooth gradient we do them all the time with Gerber Composer. When you use the "Assign Colors" box "Gradient" is one of the options. You may have to play with to get the exact same fade. If it's a "Dot" pattern made where you actually see small circles of color you have more work to do by setting up rows of circle and making them smaller as they progress, but that can also be done on an Edge.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Pretty much all of the construction and ag equipment manufacturers use a halftone rather than a gradient. I couldn't imagine that they are all screen printing these so what is the reasoning behind it?

 

[Titch Sanders]

Do you need it to be a dot gradient, or just a gradient? What software are you using to create your artwork?

Hi There,
they are physically Black dots yes..that fade away smaller to just the Silver vinyl and the other end all blend into the soild Black..if I'm explaining myself well enough...
Frustrating as I have seen it done on the edge, and a couple of years ago I managed to recreate on much much smaller prints..but cannot remember how I did it, but yes, 'dots' is the word thanks..
Fade, may not be a good way to describe the effect in reality..
Thanks so far all,
Titch

 

[Billct2]

I've never done it but you may get that effect by changing the halftone LPI

 

[Titch Sanders]

Thanks for keeping with this..but mmmm getting technical for me I think...
Titch

 

[unclebun]

I believe the Edge makes color gradients with a dot screen effect anyway, doesn't it? Normally you try to make the dots as small as possible so they are inapparent to the viewer. But if you want them larger, there should be someplace in the software to make them bigger. That's what he means by increasing the halftone Lines Per Inch (LPI)

 

[Billct2]

Yes, you can adjust the halftone and lines per inch. Usually it's done to smooth out the gradients, but I think I did some where I increased the dots.
The lower the LPI the grainer it gets. Not sure if it will work but it's worth a try. I attached pics of where it is. The only other way I know is to design it with circles.

 

[Titch Sanders]

OOh, thanks on this, I will have a go at that.. thank you.
Titch

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

Pretty much all of the construction and ag equipment manufacturers use a halftone rather than a gradient. I couldn't imagine that they are all screen printing these so what is the reasoning behind it?

I would assume to avoid banding when printing the halftones, which seems to be a fairly typical problem.

 

[Titch Sanders]

Send me your email address and I will send you what you a halftone that i created.
What file type would you like?[/QUOTe
Thank you, will attempt my computer skills at a PM
Regards,
Titch

 

[Titch Sanders]

Ah, don't know how to do it.. hopefully ok to put it here... titch@machinerydecals.co.uk
Regards,
Titch