Banding question: which is a better workflow?

M
Posted By
Maxxlava
Jan 19, 2007
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281
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I need to create a 4c job with a gradient background of a neutral grey. To lessen banding, do I create gradient using all 4 channels, or just black channel for the gradient?
(in conjunction with working in 16 bit, adding noise, large file size,etc)

Thanks.

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CS
Carl_Stawicki
Jan 19, 2007
How much do you trust your printer to hit the 4C neutrals on press? If there’s a danger of one of the inks shifting, then your neutral grey will end up tinted.

On the other hand, a black-only neutral will guarantee no shift in color, but banding can be more of an issue.

Sometimes you have to decide between the lesser of two evils with neutrals grey: banding or color shifts. If your printer can hold the 4C neutrals, then go with that, but if not, then I feel black-only with some noise would be less-worse.

Carl.

EDIT: If you can, create some test files done both ways and take them to press.
M
Maxxlava
Jan 19, 2007
A 4c image is being overlaid in inDesign, so it’ll be printed 4c. I just didn’t know if a black ink only background would band less than a 4c neutral bg.

So you are saying all things being equal, a black plate only gradient bands MORE than a 4c of same?

Thats what I am pondering.
PC
Paul_Cutler
Jan 19, 2007
I would think not. If you are using a rich black then the undercoating colors will be weaker than the black making larger steps in the gradient. Leading to banding.

0% – 100% black
0% – 40% cyan

Spread over the same area the cyan is going to band more.

I just tried it for fun and the rich black had more bands in it.

peace
PT
Phil_Taz
Jan 21, 2007
The smoothest bands you can make in photoshop are 16 bit cmyk with a little noise and converted to 8 bit then placed in ID.

The result before adding noise has more bands (in number) but smaller, and the noise breaks up the bands so they blend into each other.

As for neutrals, you must colour manage to achieve a true neutral in a modern cmyk workflow, so if your files are correctly set up and the printer is using a correct colour managed workflow, you should get a neutral. Don’t just send a file with equal values of CMY and expect it to be perfectly neutral. The balance between CMY changes to compensate for the colour of the stock and ink characteristics.

BUT….since 100% colour management is totally impractical, you need to let your printer know that you are expecting neutrals and I am sure he will make the necessary tweaks.

The reason I say it cannot happen automatically is that almost no printer can predict the outcome of *every* stock and ink combination they use, even with electronic tools so make sure they understand what you are aiming for and I am confident they can please you if they are respectable tradespeople.

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