Can you not print spot colors that involve gradients?

[scarface]

I have recently printed out a Roland color chart in VW and used the swatch table in Illustrator. My problem is when something for example fades from red to black, i have both red and black as a spot color so it recognizes them in the RIP (VW) but when it prints it's not a smooth transition, it's like solid red, light red, light grey, dark grey and black.

Anyone have a fix?

 

[Fred Weiss]

Illustrator has a control for blends and gradients that will add steps to smooth it out. Not so sure though about whether or not you can do them as a batch. You may have to change each one individually.

 

[Malkin]

So far I have usually converted from a spot color to either the CMYK or RGB values, but that may not always be an option.

 

[Mike Paul]

Versaworks won't accept a simple two spot color gradient when using their using their own color system.
The spot color box will be grayed out.

 

[Rooster]

It requires two layers to achieve a smooth gradient with spot colors.

On the bottom layer have a solid block of red. On the top layer you have a gradient from white to black. Set the top object to "multiply" in the transparency palette.

That how I set the files up in illustrator anyhow. Not sure if you're using versaworks for design. I have no experience with that program.

 

[trik]

Are you just dragging your spot colors to the gradient tool? If so are you making any adjustments there? I just did this today, but do it all the time, but I have had no problem printing through VW, no matter what the color? Any pictures to what your result is?

 

[Mike Paul]

It requires two layers to achieve a smooth gradient with spot colors.

On the bottom layer have a solid block of red. On the top layer you have a gradient from white to black. Set the top object to "multiply" in the transparency palette.

That how I set the files up in illustrator anyhow. Not sure if you're using versaworks for design. I have no experience with that program.

Versaworks is Rolands rip not a design program. The Roland Color System is a swatch palette that can be imported into your design program for bright/accurate color when ripping through Versaworks. You can apply the swatches to all your graphics except for gradients.

 

[sjm]

scarface, are your yellow to red gradients smooth?

 

[scarface]

I haven't tried any other gradients. I'll try the multiply tip though.

Thanks!

 

[sjm]

Don't think it worked. Would like to read otherwise. Red to Yellow, Blue to Green, Magenta to Red are you picking up a pattern?

 

[schpoe]

I have had similar problems with a black to red gradient. I solved it by selecting the gradient and using the flattening the transparency, it is in the objects menu. Also I have had banding problems with large gradients. I just made it into 2 or three gradients stacked together to make one. hope this helps.

 

[Farmboy]

We do a lot of fades on banner designs. Have never seen this (knock on wood), but we do 90% of our designs in Corel and export as an EPS