Thanks Lee! I'm dealing with some gradient issues right now, where everything printed is giving a little color break line where the gradient ends. I just tried out these tips and am running some new test prints. Thanks for the tips and video! I just subscribed. Have a great day!
Thanks Jon! The big "gotcha" with gradients is to make sure that you have endpoints defined at the 0% and 100% sides of the gradient. I've seen lines at the end of gradients if the endpoints are dragged in and there's just clear space hanging out at one side or the other. If you're doing that then it's possible that what you're seeing is a bad calibration (linearization) on your printer. That's a totally different topic and depends heavily on what RIP and printer you're using.
@@LeeManevitch Thanks Lee for the quick reply and help. I actually made the gradient by creating a rectangle shape, in CMYK from black to white as a gradient, then I placed another rectangle under that in the colour I wanted (a deep red), then I created a mask from the two in the transparency window. Once it goes to print, it always has a lighter red colour block where the gradient is supposed to be. I tried the overprint tip in your video, but it didn't work unfortunately. Do you think it might be the customers ripping software or am I doing the gradient wrong? Thanks again for everything!
Adding that transparency mask is the problem. Can you send the file to youtube@manevitch.com so I can take a look? Just send the gradient if it's a really large complicated file.
@@LeeManevitch Hi Lee! Thanks for confirming, I figured it was something I was doing wrong. It's been driving me crazy trying to figure this out. Thank you so much! I just sent you an email. I really appreciate your time and help!
Hi Lee FOr some reason when opening the PDF file into Onyx i am just getting the black to white gradiant and the overprint does seem to work any ideas??
I didn't think Pantone could be printed as gradients. When you combine 2 or more PMS colors together in a gradient, such as PMS 7404 (yellow) with PMS Org21 (orange), the area where the colors begin to transition and merge into each other would create a myriad of new colors that aren't 7404 nor Org21 so they would no longer be spot PMS colors. So how would the printer match the PMS colors in the gradient to his swatch books/chips to get a correct match? Or would the gradient need to be converted to cmyk in which case the printer wouldn't need to use his PMS book for matching because the Pantone colors would no longer be considered Pantone spot, but process colors? Thanks for sharing.
OK let me clear up a couple of things: Pantone is a color communication system that ONLY works as planned when you're printing on a printing system that allows the use of custom inks. So, for example, dedicating an offset printer head to 7404 and actually inking that head up with 7404 ink. Or doing the same with screenprinting - printing using 7404 ink on one screen. For ALL other print processes, there's no such thing as Pantone. The color 7404 is converted by the RIP to CMYK (or whatever primaries your print process uses) and it EMULATES that color for final output. In a true Pantone environment it's entirely possible to print gradients of PMS colors - we use tints just like in my video. It's also entirely possible to overprint different Pantone colors on top of others but still only print using the two ink colors in your example. But the inks used would in fact be the correct Pantone colors; in this case you're confusing the source ink with the final output. What if I printed Orange 021 on green paper - the ink used would be Orange 021 but the output color would most definitely not be orange. That doesn't invalidate what we did, but if you measured the color then you are correct that it would not "be" Orange 021 anymore. In a process print environment like a digital printer, we're doing the same thing but the result emulates what it would look like if you actually were able to print with Pantone inks. But it's an emulation because that how all Pantone colors are reproduced on a process printer.
That error message is specific to artwork where there's a gradient between two different spot colors, so if you're not getting that error then you should be good to go.
Thanks for the insight. I'm now wondering whether this would work with multiple Pantone colours in one gradient? If this isn't possible, how does one blend multiple Pantone colours into a single gradient for print?
You'd just add layers. I've never done a gradient with more than two spot colors but overprints are global - putting an overprinting object on top of an overprinting object would work fine. The challenge is keeping good track of everything to make sure that all your colors are positioned properly from end to end on the gradient.
Hi Lee, I Appreciate you sharing this - but the idea that this convoluted way to go from a spot to procee gradient would be necessary is just ridiculous. Has this been sorted since you did the video three years ago. Cheers.
Ridiculous or not, it's still the only way I have found that allows a spot-to-process gradient to print properly via a large-format RIP. And it's been that way for almost 30 years so I'm not holding my breath about any remedy. If you've found a better way I'd love to hear about it.
Ricky, I'm not a fan of blend modes at all with spot colors - just like with gradients it can cause some weird issues like "artifacting" or weird color shifts in a rectangle around the effect. I do everything using tints and overprints and when I do that I also preview EVERYTHING prior to putting ink on media just to make sure my art will print the way I want.
Are you 100% certain the topmost element is set to overprint, AND the file's color mode is set to CMYK? If it's RGB then you have to convert to CMYK to preview it, then undo the conversion once you're done. Overprint preview in RGB only affects spot colors.
@@LeeManevitch Hi, yes, absolutely sure. The file color mode is CMYK. The objects also are CMYK. Overprint fill has been applied to the top object, and not the bottom object.
What are your gradient percentages? Generally you only have 256 steps between 0% and 100%, so if you're creating a 26 inch long gradient that's only 10% color change, then each step would be 1 inch long. Or it would be as long as my math is correct... 😝
Amazing trick! 🔥Keep it up!!
This is a great tutorial!
Thanks Lee! I'm dealing with some gradient issues right now, where everything printed is giving a little color break line where the gradient ends. I just tried out these tips and am running some new test prints. Thanks for the tips and video! I just subscribed. Have a great day!
Thanks Jon!
The big "gotcha" with gradients is to make sure that you have endpoints defined at the 0% and 100% sides of the gradient. I've seen lines at the end of gradients if the endpoints are dragged in and there's just clear space hanging out at one side or the other.
If you're doing that then it's possible that what you're seeing is a bad calibration (linearization) on your printer. That's a totally different topic and depends heavily on what RIP and printer you're using.
@@LeeManevitch Thanks Lee for the quick reply and help. I actually made the gradient by creating a rectangle shape, in CMYK from black to white as a gradient, then I placed another rectangle under that in the colour I wanted (a deep red), then I created a mask from the two in the transparency window. Once it goes to print, it always has a lighter red colour block where the gradient is supposed to be. I tried the overprint tip in your video, but it didn't work unfortunately.
Do you think it might be the customers ripping software or am I doing the gradient wrong? Thanks again for everything!
Adding that transparency mask is the problem. Can you send the file to youtube@manevitch.com so I can take a look? Just send the gradient if it's a really large complicated file.
@@LeeManevitch Hi Lee! Thanks for confirming, I figured it was something I was doing wrong. It's been driving me crazy trying to figure this out. Thank you so much! I just sent you an email. I really appreciate your time and help!
Hi Lee FOr some reason when opening the PDF file into Onyx i am just getting the black to white gradiant and the overprint does seem to work any ideas??
Can you send me the file so I can take a peek? youtube@manevitch.com
Just sent files
@@LeeManevitch
Check your inbox! 😁
I didn't think Pantone could be printed as gradients. When you combine 2 or more PMS colors together in a gradient, such as PMS 7404 (yellow) with PMS Org21 (orange), the area where the colors begin to transition and merge into each other would create a myriad of new colors that aren't 7404 nor Org21 so they would no longer be spot PMS colors. So how would the printer match the PMS colors in the gradient to his swatch books/chips to get a correct match? Or would the gradient need to be converted to cmyk in which case the printer wouldn't need to use his PMS book for matching because the Pantone colors would no longer be considered Pantone spot, but process colors? Thanks for sharing.
OK let me clear up a couple of things:
Pantone is a color communication system that ONLY works as planned when you're printing on a printing system that allows the use of custom inks. So, for example, dedicating an offset printer head to 7404 and actually inking that head up with 7404 ink. Or doing the same with screenprinting - printing using 7404 ink on one screen.
For ALL other print processes, there's no such thing as Pantone. The color 7404 is converted by the RIP to CMYK (or whatever primaries your print process uses) and it EMULATES that color for final output.
In a true Pantone environment it's entirely possible to print gradients of PMS colors - we use tints just like in my video. It's also entirely possible to overprint different Pantone colors on top of others but still only print using the two ink colors in your example. But the inks used would in fact be the correct Pantone colors; in this case you're confusing the source ink with the final output. What if I printed Orange 021 on green paper - the ink used would be Orange 021 but the output color would most definitely not be orange. That doesn't invalidate what we did, but if you measured the color then you are correct that it would not "be" Orange 021 anymore.
In a process print environment like a digital printer, we're doing the same thing but the result emulates what it would look like if you actually were able to print with Pantone inks. But it's an emulation because that how all Pantone colors are reproduced on a process printer.
thankyou very much sir🙏🏼🤩🤣
I have aquestion, if AI doesnt say anything in warning it means that I can send it to print?
That error message is specific to artwork where there's a gradient between two different spot colors, so if you're not getting that error then you should be good to go.
For some reason we are still getting the bland blend. Can't figure out what is causing it.
We are running HP Stitch 500
Contact me at CZcams@manevitch.com and we'll figure it out.
Thanks for the insight. I'm now wondering whether this would work with multiple Pantone colours in one gradient? If this isn't possible, how does one blend multiple Pantone colours into a single gradient for print?
You'd just add layers. I've never done a gradient with more than two spot colors but overprints are global - putting an overprinting object on top of an overprinting object would work fine. The challenge is keeping good track of everything to make sure that all your colors are positioned properly from end to end on the gradient.
What is the proper way to save for print so the printer can identify overprint?
I'm working on a video that hopefully will get released tomorrow, that addresses this. But essentially either PDF or EPS will honor overprint.
They can turn on Overprint in PDF preferences.
Hi Lee, I Appreciate you sharing this - but the idea that this convoluted way to go from a spot to procee gradient would be necessary is just ridiculous. Has this been sorted since you did the video three years ago. Cheers.
Ridiculous or not, it's still the only way I have found that allows a spot-to-process gradient to print properly via a large-format RIP. And it's been that way for almost 30 years so I'm not holding my breath about any remedy.
If you've found a better way I'd love to hear about it.
Thanks a lot! But It doesn't change anything when I enabled the Overprint FIll. Why?
Did you then select View > Overprint Preview from the menu bar?
@@LeeManevitch Yes. Does it also work in gradiente from dark blue to white? Or only in black to white?
@@elkadom from dark blue to white, just make the gradient go from 100% blue to 0% blue. Assuming your blue is a spot color, of course.
Do you have any tips for blend modes with spot colors?
Ricky, I'm not a fan of blend modes at all with spot colors - just like with gradients it can cause some weird issues like "artifacting" or weird color shifts in a rectangle around the effect. I do everything using tints and overprints and when I do that I also preview EVERYTHING prior to putting ink on media just to make sure my art will print the way I want.
When I change to overprint preview, nothing changes. I just see the black and white gradient
Are you 100% certain the topmost element is set to overprint, AND the file's color mode is set to CMYK? If it's RGB then you have to convert to CMYK to preview it, then undo the conversion once you're done. Overprint preview in RGB only affects spot colors.
@@LeeManevitch Hi, yes, absolutely sure. The file color mode is CMYK. The objects also are CMYK. Overprint fill has been applied to the top object, and not the bottom object.
Odd.
If you're OK with it, please send the file to youtube@manevitch.com and I'll pick it apart and see where things are going crazy.
Thanks a lot sir, so help full. cause i always got a white on the middle of gradients 🤣🤣
am I the only one still seeing very heavy banding in all solutions?
What are your gradient percentages? Generally you only have 256 steps between 0% and 100%, so if you're creating a 26 inch long gradient that's only 10% color change, then each step would be 1 inch long. Or it would be as long as my math is correct... 😝