InDesign 5.5: Strange Printing Transparency Issues

Hey Bob,

Thanks for the quick reply, but that's not quite the issue. The black box sits over the image, and then the black box, for whatever reason, is letting a little bit of the image show through when the document is printed. Not exactly your normal transparency issue, which is why I'm scratching my head. It's not an overprint issue, and as far as I can tell, it shouldn't be printing that way -- could there be a universal setting or something?

So, simply create the new swatch, make it 100% black, and that will solve the issue?

Couldn't I set the standard 'Black' swatch to not overprint somehow?

Hi Bob,

I created the new swatch, and moved everything over to the new one. I'm still getting the same problem, even while not using the [black] swatch. Don't suppose you have any more reccomendations?

Jay

It's in print. An 8x8, coated paper. Standard 80# I believe is what it's being run on.

It's generally terrible picture quality, but here's a brief snap I took with my phone earlier: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/833/img0052yr.jpg/

That should be black, but the black has printed on top of the image itself. Really confused about it -- I've been told by a press agent that in order for that part of the image to *not print* I need to crop that section of the image.. But that can't be right, can it?

No problem, Peter. I've included a few shots from various pages (the problem stems to all black boxes placed over images over the 64 page document) on the links below.

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/5964/88392023.jpg

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/9741/93991019.jpg

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/7883/10837728.jpg

The third one is the page that I took the picture of the printout with my phone.

I've tried this on an offset press and a digital press; with 'knockout group' ticked and not. For the life of me, I can't understand why the black is still overprinting on the image when it shouldn't be.

Separations Preview is giving me the CMY values necessary -- when I put it on black, it shows 100% black. As far as checking with the printer, I've got the assurance of my pressman that everything's set up properly.

Rich black is probably the way to go, but right now I'd settle for not having the images show through. I made a new file in InDesign and did exactly what the client has done in the file, and no image printed underneath.

I'm sure it has to be a setting somewhere.. :/

Strangely, I never considered that, but after a thorough analysis, no, none of the images have any effects on them at all. I've been on this for a week or so now, and it's starting to keep me up at night. I know it's something simple (a tick box here or there), but I can't put my finger on it. The file was designed by graphic design students, so I know I'm going to find out that someone hit the wrong button or selected the wrong setting.

I've tried exporting with /1a and no standard at all, only to get the same issue on both counts. I've got everybody and their dog going over this one.. And I'm sure it's a simple fix.

In most cases I would, but the sum total of the files and all the necessary links passes the 3gb mark. It's a big, big production.

The RIP settings are 100% correct -- I've checked those myself. I'm actually the prepress guy for a print house, so to verify that requires simply going into another office.

I tried the rich black path once more, only to have it have the same issue. It's almost like the black is being told to be slightly transparent, and I can't find the setting for that particular box.