5 Replies Latest reply: Feb 13, 2011 11:38 AM by Canned Pug RSS

    Banding on Transparent Gradations & Dithering

    Canned Pug Community Member

      Hello...

       

      In Photoshop:    I have an image  that I converted to CMYK where I checked the option to dither. I then added a color-to-clear gradation after I re-sized, saved it as a tif and pulled it into my InDesign file. I notice banding, went back and see that it's in my Photoshop file as well, as a .psd file so isn't caused by InDesign.

       

      Does anyone know if it will print this way and if so have to correct for this? I haven't found anything on the forum.

       

      Secondary question:  Though I didn't do it on this image, I'm wondering if Sharpening can shoot yourself in the foot and defeat the purpose of Dithering?

       

      Hugs in advance.

        • 1. Re: Banding on Transparent Gradations & Dithering
          BobLevine CommunityMVP

          If you see it on screen it will be even worse in print. Try adding a bit of noise.

           

          Bob

          • 2. Re: Banding on Transparent Gradations & Dithering
            Canned Pug Community Member

            I could do that, but I don't understand why it's there at all?? I've 

            printed other artwork done in the same way with great results....don't 

            know what the common denominator is...Thanks for your input. If i knew 

            why I could fix it...

             

            `o(

            • 3. Re: Banding on Transparent Gradations & Dithering
              P Spier CommunityMVP

              The differences in the colors and the distance over which you spread the gradient can influence wheterh or not it exhibits banding.

              • 4. Re: Banding on Transparent Gradations & Dithering
                Canned Pug Community Member

                Yes, maybe I've been lucky up til now...I'm also wondering if applying a gradient several times over one area in different directions could be the problem as well, but the area is asymmetrical...

                 

                I'm doing a transparent red-to-clear gradation. I tried the noise but even a little bit destroys the color, and if I do it enough to get rid of the banding, it becomes, in effect a grey-to-transparent gradation and very grainy to boot (70%, Uniform, Monochromatic).

                 

                Ugh. If I make it a less intense, ie lowering the % of the layer it's on, it is less noticeable, (which I don't know if it will also show less in printing, or not. Actually the banding may not show either, because I hasn't on my own printer).  Or I could take a Gaussian Blur to it, enlarge it to go past the areas where it needs to be tight up against some edges, and erace it back.

                 

                Some of the forums were talking about playing with 16-bit and 8-bit and OpenGL turned off, etc( which I couldn't find in my PS (CS3) preferences anyway to even experiment with) and I felt I was sinking down the rabbit hole. I haven't gotten any work done for the last 2 weeks in trying to ready my work for print. So at this point my hair is tearing out in patches where it hasn't fallen out with stress!

                 

                Double Ugh.

                 

                thanks for all the feedback...I have tried all suggestions.

                • 5. Re: Banding on Transparent Gradations & Dithering
                  Canned Pug Community Member

                  As an addendum, all this has happened since I:

                   

                  1. calibrated my monitor

                  2. started working in CMYK and otherwise fooling around with file color profiles, monitor color profiles, Blurb.icc color profiles, converting color profiles etc etc etc and letting the app handle the color instead of the printer.

                   

                  Whereas before I was a happy dumb camper.