Printing Bevel Copy from Corel

[blufftonsignguy]

I am attempting to design a new logo for myself. I am using a gradient fill inside of the oval with bevel copy. I am operating in Corel X5 and printing to a Roland SC545EX. I am exporting the file as an eps.file (postscript3) to get the best colors. When it prints, it has a grainy look to it kind of like it's a low resolution image (in artistic mode). This is my first attempt to print with the gradient fill and bevel letters. My question is, am I doing something wrong? Your help is much appreciated!

 

[bob]

There is no standard for gradients and transparencies, every file type and software package deals with them differently. None of them do it gracefully.

If it were me I'd export the entire image out of Corel as a 150ppi RGB jpg with no smoothing, no compression, no imbedded profiles, no nothing. Just a plain old smell my butt RGB jpg.. Send this jpg to your RIP, set your rendering intent for bitmaps to 'Perceptual', and left it sort things out, which it will do far better than any graphics software package you might have. Print the 150ppi image at 720 dpi. Less and you might have some color degradation, more and you achieve nothing besides dumping a pant-load of unnecessary ink on the vinyl.

If the resultant printed gradient shows banding, something to be expected with Corel gradients, then first convert the gradient to a 150ppi bitmap and add a bit, like 10% plus or minus, of noise to it, then export and print exactly as described above.

Doing it this way what you see should pretty much be what you get.