Transparency Issue

[egood81]

I recently purchased a Roland SP-300V and I am having issues with transparency. I am using Illustrator. I am printing a graphic which contains some transparent vector logos. I save the file as a PDF. When I open the file in Versaworks the colors seem to be a bit off, maybe brighter/neon tone. I also used the text tool to add some text to the graphic but those appear to have a white box around them when viewed in Versaworks.

Thank you in advance, I am new to a lot of this.

 

[Solventinkjet]

I recently purchased a Roland SP-300V and I am having issues with transparency. I am using Illustrator. I am printing a graphic which contains some transparent vector logos. I save the file as a PDF. When I open the file in Versaworks the colors seem to be a bit off, maybe brighter/neon tone. I also used the text tool to add some text to the graphic but those appear to have a white box around them when viewed in Versaworks.

Thank you in advance, I am new to a lot of this.

The Preview in most RIPs is not an accurate rendition of the job but merely a place holder so you can setup the layout and copies etc. This saves the computer a ton of resources and loads the job into Versaworks faster. How does the job actually print?

 

[oksigns]

VanderJ said it... a preview is at a cost essentially.

However, your white box issue comes from the limitations of VW. You will need to flatten your print ready artwork as raster artwork AND then add your text. VW has issues with transparency effects and layers.

 

[egood81]

I just printed it and it has the white boxes around the text and around the one non transparent vector. The transparent vectors do not have a white box and they hardly look transparent.

I will try and flatten and then add the text and see if that works. Thank you

 

[ColoPrinthead]

If working in Illustrator, flatten transparency and expand effects should work. Rasterizing as mentioned above will solve the issue also.

 

[egood81]

I removed the text and the background and left only the transparent vectors and then flattened. I then added the text back and it got rid of the white boxes around the text. So that issue is resolved. Thank you

My other issue is the transparency doesn't really look transparent when printed. The best I can describe it is, it looks pale but not transparent. The white transparent just looks like a normal white, looks no different.

 

[oksigns]

I removed the text and the background and left only the transparent vectors and then flattened. I then added the text back and it got rid of the white boxes around the text. So that issue is resolved. Thank you

My other issue is the transparency doesn't really look transparent when printed. The best I can describe it is, it looks pale but not transparent. The white transparent just looks like a normal white, looks no different.

Hard to advise when we can't see how the file was built.

 

[egood81]

I apologize in advance if my explanation is poor and if I repeat some other things I just posted. Just want to give a full detail of what is happening.

The file is basically a purple background created with the rectangle tool. Transparent vector logos in the background set at various opacity. I have a non transparent vector logo centered on the art board. I then created text in both bottom corners using the text tool.

I removed everything except the transparent vectors and flattened. When the option box popped up I left the settings as is. The Raster/Vector Balance is set at 75. This is when the transparent look changed.

I then added everything else back to the art board and saved as a PDF.

So the issue now is the transparency does not look transparent. Just pale. The white in the vector has no transparency at all.

 

[henryz]

I usually export as an EPS and never have this issue only when I save it as a pdf is when I come across it. Try both ways another thing I do is preview the file before opening in rip software. You can also convert the entire image to tiff or jpeg the resolution should be fine for a large format banner or print I've printed 20' x 40' banners perfectly.

 

[Ultimate13]

With any transparency effects or blurs in files, we save as EPS and then in the save menu change the resolution to "High Resolution" and Language Level to 3. I don't know why this works but it has solved lots of problems with effects for us over the years. I am pretty sure I got that information from this site years ago.

Oh and we convert text to outlines as well.

 

[egood81]

I did a few things suggested and it solved the issues. The problem I'm running into now is I have some transparency hanging off the artboard and when saved as a EPS it saves the hangover unlike when saved as a PDF it trims it off. Do I just crop that in Versaworks or is there a tool to do it in Illustrator before I save the file and open it in Versaworks.

 

[oksigns]

I did a few things suggested and it solved the issues. The problem I'm running into now is I have some transparency hanging off the artboard and when saved as a EPS it saves the hangover unlike when saved as a PDF it trims it off. Do I just crop that in Versaworks or is there a tool to do it in Illustrator before I save the file and open it in Versaworks.

When you save as, you need to select "Use Artboard" in the dialog box or else it will export everything. Artboard includes the bleed as well

 

[Tizz]

I've come across transparency issues as such and took a while to get around them. Normally I'd save a copy as a hi-res pdf, flatten the artwork in PhotoShop, bring the shape back in to illy and past in the contour paths then send to VW.
However, with this method PMS cols cannot be matched with the VW swatches. I use another method when needing to col match pms, if contour cutting, transparencies and effects are included in the file.

 

[dbeere]

i have the same roland as you and when i have transperancy or gradient issues i change the pdf file to jpeg and it os usually always solved