Need help/advice on an art file

[Shanarchy]

I'm having trouble with an art file I was given. It was created in illustrator and they used a mask to help create a gradient. I can't seem to do anything with it. When I bring the file into my template to separate, etc it changes. I'm guessing something needs to be done to it (create outlines, merge, unite, etc) but I have no idea what.

Help!

Thanks!

[sqslabs]

There some tools in the Pathfinder which may help, but if there's no luck with those I'd either recreate the shape/gradient and delete the existing one, or open the file in Photoshop and separate from there.  I usually go with the latter in these instances as working with the flattened image is usually much quicker than trying to work with a mind bending Illustrator file.

[jvanick]

Many times if they've done wierd masking/overlays/etc... it seems to help to do an Object -> Expand
and then use the pathfinder to merge.

[IntegrityShirts]

Post the file, or portion of the file, that needs help and we can probably guide you through it so you'll know for next time.

[Shanarchy]

Here it is!

[Colin]

The fades in all the different letters have been Clipping Masked in.  You need to double click on each letter/blend (this isolates the selection) if you want to change any of the blends.

They at least used a spot red for everything.

What is it you need to change?  Base white/red/highlite white with halftone fades?

[Shanarchy]

Well, I guess that could also be a good time to see if my plan of how to print this makes sense.

I wanted to separate this to create one screen to print everything in white. Print/flash

Then create a halftone screen for the red gradients to lay over the white.

Possibly a highlight white on the small text going around the box, but I'm pretty sure I can print it and make it look good without the highlight white.

When I put this image in my template, it does some weird stuff. I can do what I need to do to create the white, but the gradients are completely gone.

[Sbrem]

They have those extra diagonal stripes adding a transparency effect, which make breaking it up a pain. Photoshop, much faster...

Steve

[Shanarchy]

They have those extra diagonal stripes adding a transparency effect, which make breaking it up a pain. Photoshop, much faster...

Steve

Yeah, those were killing me.

Photoshop....I am horrible with it! I'll see if I can make my way through it. I may have more questions.

Is this something that my quickseps software (I bought a few years back and forgot about) would be helpful?

[Colin]

If you use a photoshop plug in:  Change the RGB value of the spot red in the vector file to -

R: 255
G: 0
B: 0

When sepped, it should give you a better red channel.

[Shanarchy]

If you use a photoshop plug in:  Change the RGB value of the spot red in the vector file to -

R: 255
G: 0
B: 0

When sepped, it should give you a better red channel.

Thanks Colin!

[zanegun08]

Here it is!

Here is a file that can be printed from with a rip.  I converted the colors to spot colors, and set it up so if you just do Base Flash Base and then Red on top it would work.

But if you do Base Flash, Red, White you can have a bit more control over your gradients.

I think the first option would be suitable though, and you would only have to do two screens.

[Shanarchy]

Here it is!

Here is a file that can be printed from with a rip.  I converted the colors to spot colors, and set it up so if you just do Base Flash Base and then Red on top it would work.

But if you do Base Flash, Red, White you can have a bit more control over your gradients.

I think the first option would be suitable though, and you would only have to do two screens.

WHOA!!!! How about that for a first post! Thank you SO much!

I'm working with it now and I'm pretty sure this is going to be perfect for me.

My plan is just to do a base white with the red gradient/halftones over it. The outside text is pretty small and I'm pretty sure I can lay down an acceptable white for it with one pass. Plus it's on Next Level CVC tees so those are pretty thin and I feel that a hair lighter opacity in exchange for a better hand works better on them.

Now what exactly did you do to make this work?

[Sbrem]

Welcome Zanegun08, great post, it was fairly unusual the first time I saw a white halftone overlay at the end to control the tones, and something we use whenever the need arises.

Steve

[tonypep]

From a print standpoint 3 screens DC magenta, warm red, white all wet on wet no flash