Ink fade on clear? How to...

[Stacey K]

Hi All! How do I do a fade like this so the bottom is clear when printed on clear window cling? Would I need to use a halftone screen?

 

[Boudica]

Nah, no halftone needed. Set the bottom (clear) end of the gradient to 0 opacity - and adjust it so it is smooth. Are you using photoshop or Illy?

 

[Stacey K]

I have Flexi - which I just tried and it won't let me select transparent. I'm going to try it in Corel...

 

[JBurton]

Corel will do it just fine, using fountain fill on the object properties panel, you'd be selecting white and green.
If drawing a large green rectangle and applying a lens effect (transparency) to it, you'll have less control over the pad areas, and it'll generate a much larger file that on occasion Onyx doesn't like.

 

[gnubler]

If the software doesn't have "no fill" or transparent, then white will do the same thing (provided your printer doesn't print white).

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

Are you printing with white?

If not simply choose Green to White as mentioned and print on clear. If you are printing with White, you would have to duplicate the layer and change the Green to a SPOT1 color to white and it will print the white in place of the SPOT1 color and then the Green on top of the white. Be sure to choke the SPOT1 layer to prevent white speckling on the edges of your green.

 

[Stacey K]

Not sure where I'm ordering them yet because they just changed it from white background to clear. Normally I would get from Signs365 but they don't sell clear. Any ideas are welcome!

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Half tone, then there's no surprises with the output.

 

[Boudica]

Not sure where I'm ordering them yet because they just changed it from white background to clear. Normally I would get from Signs365 but they don't sell clear. Any ideas are welcome!

Without any idea of the "vision" of this project... You do realize that printing on clear... Even the solid green is going to be translucent... Light will go through, and consequently wash out the color. Perhaps I don't understand the goal... But you should be able to just print that gradient...

 

[JBurton]

Yeah, any printing on clear really needs to go on a white substrate, or it's a special use case, like some dummy wanting his logo ghosted on his window to see from inside. We've mistakenly done clear door prints like twice, and they are practically invisible during the day.
So yeah, stacey, what are we doing here? And why bother ordering when you could just get a roll of clear?

 

[jochwat]

I have Flexi - which I just tried and it won't let me select transparent. I'm going to try it in Corel...

Signs365 does have clear window cling.

Go to ADHESIVE / WINDOW CLING.

Answer the prompts (I would guess, it will be installed on the inside, to be viewed from the outside.

It will make a recommendation of CL or WH (Clear or White).

-Joe

 

[Stacey K]

So it's a window cling of a business name that I believe they are giving all the farmers to stick in their windows. The bottom inch or so should be clear

 

[JBurton]

So it's a window cling of a business name that I believe they are giving all the farmers to stick in their windows. The bottom inch or so should be clear

View attachment 166713

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Want me to run a piece on clear so you can see how bad this is going to look? Or heck, is that a clear sticker sample they gave you? Slam that on a window and witness the worthlessness yourself!
Like, for instance, the white rims on those tubs, yeah, they're clear in this case, and they're going to look either mirror or tint colored...

 

[Boudica]

So, what I would do, print it on our Agfa, use white ink and set it to a variable pixel mask. Then the top would be opaque, but the bottom would fade out to clear - the white would only print behind the pixels, and as the color thins out, so would the white. I know Stacy is grateful that I have explained this, since she does not have this kind of printer or capability - but I would think Signs 365 could do this... not sure, as we don't order from them.
OH wait, that won't work because of the white lettering. and the white rims Burton pointed out - so Nevermind.
The white would have to be set up in the artwork as a spot color - duplicating the gradient. I wonder how that would work - now I have to try it to see if it's even possible.

 

[Stacey K]

OMG - this is way over my head and doesn't seem like a good idea at all!

 

[Boudica]

OMG - this is way over my head and doesn't seem like a good idea at all!

Tell them clear on the bottom is not possible. The simplest way to do this is reverse print on clear, and back it with a white vinyl with clear adhesive.

 

[jochwat]

Or just print it on white cling. Why must it be clear? WWHHHYYYYY??? Tell 'em what they really need, and don't need.

 

[Gino]

Would offset printing work ?? Much more expensive, unless you're gonna run 100's or 1,000's

 

[Boudica]

Or just print it on white cling. Why must it be clear? WWHHHYYYYY??? Tell 'em what they really need, and don't need.

2nd surface print, that's why.

 

[jochwat]

2nd surface print, that's why.

Shouldn't the cling still "cling" regardless of the side it's printed on?