transparent image on background problem

[smatros]

client sent us a pdf (made in illustrator) file with an image that has transparent background placed on a larger solid color. when printing it the background color around the image becomes darker then the rest of the page. any suggestions how to resolve this (besides converting everything to a bitmap), it is not visible anywhere on screen - tried with acrobat, illustrator, mac preview and on rip that runs on xp. any advice is appreciated.

 

[zoran]

It looks like you might have issue with setting in your rip or rip can not tackle transparency, of course if file is ok as you say.
If the image has hard edges, maybe you can mask it so it doesn't rasterize portion of the background?

Does your rip have different profile handling for images and vector objects?

Can you post PDF so someone can try on their end?

 

[Grnofslt]

Sounds like the client's artist forgot to flatten the image for output. Not sure just how to do it myself, but I've read in many places that if one uses transparency in an Illustrator file, that one has to flatten the transparent areas (rasterize) so it will output properly. I'm wondering if you could open the PDF directly in Illustrator and flatten the transparent areas in order to output the file correctly.

Not sure if that will help, but hope it does point you in the right direction

Bill J

 

[Lukas Engqvist]

Is the file RGB or CMYK? If you open the file in Acrobat and view output separations you can see if the picture is a different colour space, if the objects are flattened if there are calibrated colours or spot colours in the document.
Saving the file as a PDF x1a will flatten it, and make the issues crystlze.

To go more in depth would need to know colour settings in Illustrator and your RIP, what RIP you are using and see the file.

 

[cbucheli]

I had the same problem and saved the file as a PDF x1a and it worked!

 

[GordoMac]

for RIPs that do not support transparency, you can export or save your file as a Press Quality or Press Ready PDF and then import the file directly into your RIP - do not print from an application. If you're unable to do that, then do print it from Acrobat but invoke [print as image] if you're on Acorbat 8 or higher - you should not have to use the print as image trick if you're submitting the file from Acrobat 7.x. Again, this would all depend on the RIP itself.

 

[smatros]

I had the same problem and saved the file as a PDF x1a and it worked!

This helps, but the colors become more pale and some background depth is lost.

 

[alarson]

I am trying to put this new Biodiesel in my '68 Delta 88 and there's some strange noises. Can I just added octane boost?

It's the CPSI dragging you down. Actually more like flattening your productivity instead of your drop shadows.

 

[mschilling]

How many colours in the file? Spot colours?

 

[Colorblind]

Make sure you check "Simulate Overprint" in the print dialog box.