I was hoping someone here familiar with Illustrator 10, Illustrator CS and digital printing might have an answer for me.
Here's the deal: I originally created a file that had text (converted to curves) with an outline, for digital printing in CorelDraw9, exported it as an Illustrator file, imported into Illustrator 10, where I converted colors from RGB to CYMK.
The text in question was black, which I further enhanced by assigning the values of C:80%, Y:80%, M:80%, K:100%, the stroke was assigned the same values above. The file then, due to it's size, was burned to a CD and brought to the individual who does my digital printing work. When I received the finished product everything that had a stroke was printed a shade of grey, C:6%,Y:0%,M:0%,K:34%, instead of the desired enhanced black. The stroke color that was printed just happened to match one of the other colors in the file.
So. . . we pulled up the file on his computer and sure enough, it showed the grey stroke . . . when I returned to my computer I put in the CD and the stroke is black.
To complicate the picture even more, a slight hairline stroke appeared on some other elements of the design making them look like a trap was missing, (which I have never used when using the ink jet type of printing but always use when doing foil printing). These elements had no stroke assigned whatsoever.
So. . . if your still with me, my question is did this happen when the Illustrator 10 file was opened in Illustrator CS, or maybe when the file was ripped, or is the other shop that does the printing messing with my head and files?
Thanks for listening, can't wait to hear your theories, and, if anyone would like I will gladly email a portion of the original file that was saved as an illustrator.eps as requested by my printer.
Bruce
Posted by TJ Duvall (Member # 3133) on :
That is why I always send a color proof when you have something printed by someone else.
As far as your question it could be the way the color profiles are set on the 2 computers. If they are different it can translate differently the information in your file. And the hairline stroke could be if there is a clipping mask on something, it could be the image "peaking" out from behind the mask.
Posted by Tim (Member # 1699) on :
Sounds like a rip error to me. I've had the same thing happen on a couple jobs I've outsourced for printing. Every once in awhile, it will take an area that should print black, and substitute it with another color from the file. It's happened with outlines as well as fills. Printer guy says it's a rip error. Why? I dunno, and neither does my printer, but he always makes it right when I point it out to him.
Posted by Kelsey Dum (Member # 6101) on :
This may be nothing, but you said you converted text to curves with a stroke. Did you "convert the stroke to outlines" as well? The data (I think) will be read differently from a "stroke" and an "outlined stroke"... maybe this helps?
Posted by Mike Faig (Member # 6104) on :
quote from above- "Here's the deal: I originally created a file that had text (converted to curves) with an outline, for digital printing in CorelDraw9, exported it as an Illustrator file, imported into Illustrator 10, where I converted colors from RGB to CYMK." end quote
Something I have found when converting from AI to Corel is that oftentimes there are mysterious outlines. The outlines don't have a color. They just appear, like a duplicate or cloned object. Sometimes solid objects become divided and have vertical "cuts" in them.
This said, why convert to AI? You're developing a file for output. Build it CMYK, export it as a jpg at full resolution and burn it to a CD.
[ October 20, 2006, 09:13 AM: Message edited by: Mike Faig ]
Posted by Bruce & Deb Newton (Member # 2312) on :
Thank you, one and all for your replys!
TJ - you are so right about always sending a color proof, can't go wrong with that.
Kelsey - I went the easy way and just applied an outline in Corel to fatten up the converted text, which, of course, is a stroke in Illustrator. Next time I'll do the conversion.
Tim - The rip is still a mystery to me!!!
Mike - I have seen the clone object 'problem' before when converting Corel files, I have also seen the solid objects become divided and have vertical "cuts" in them when a Corel file is exported and imported into different programs. The shop that does my printing has always requested an .eps file, probably due to having a contour cut path. - This however, was a banner- so maybe, the .jpeg would have worked.
Posted by Jerry VanHorn (Member # 4704) on :
Why do you have to take to Illustrator to convert to CYMK? Choose your CYMK color palette in Corel for designing and send your design out as EPS to rip program. One less program to deal with in the process.
