Taking for ever to process distress design

[rmonks]

Is there a trick to getting destress aka grung designs created in CorelDraw to process faster, and it is taking forever to get filmmaker v4 to rip and print. The design distress was created using the power clip feature

[Dottonedan]

The thing about vector and distressed patterns is that vector programs are dependent on physical ram unlike Photoshop that runs off of both physical and virtual or HD space.
So with vector programs, you literally can max out it's capability with physical ram and processing speed.  A sure fire way to resolve that is by separating out of photoshop for those complex type files.If you are unsure of yourself in Photoshop, you can Frankenstein the job. Create and use the distressed pattern in Photoshop as a black and white tiff file, then place and link into the vector file and color process white or shirt color for example. With that tho, you run in to choking issues. If it needs choked to no base shows, then you may ant to do both those colors in Photoshop.
To start, make sure all of your art is to size. Then draw a empty filled box around the outside. Copy and paste the texture along with the box. This assures it lines up when you paste in to the vector file. Select all and align.  You can even do your choke in photoshop and bring both the color and the base of that in the vector file.

[aauusa]

it will vary on the distressed pattern.  I use CD alot with power clips  and there is 100 ways to get it where it is faster.  some thing to look for is... when the distressed patter is selected is it a bitmap or vector,  if vector how many objects is it(located at the bottom of the screen in the info bar when selected),  if is is 1000's object this wll cause a slow down,  see if you can combine or weld,  if not change the filter to a 1 color bitmap and then trace to get a 1 color vector that is 1 object(do not use corel trace as it will not make it 1 object but 1000,  i use vector magic for some conversions). 

I also use advanced artist fashion factory for very detailed 1 color bitmap conversions(the filter would never work as a vector object).  you can change the color of the bitmap by changing the outline and fill.  very useful tool

but without looking at you file the distressed is 1000's of objects or a bitmap which is not a 1 color bitmap.   really would have nothing to do with the power clipping.

or shoot me an email with the file and will look at to see what I can tell that is slowing it down and will rework.  dan@aauusa.com

[Homer]

corel = monochrome bitmaps with the help of Fashion Factory. only thing to stay vector is text...it will change your world

[TheGhost]

Whatever you are using as a pattern for distress pattern open a new file up with just that in it.

Convert it to a 1 color bitmap aka a monochrome by selecting it and then going to bitmaps>convert to bitmap>1 bit black and white (no need to check any boxes)

For monochromes in corel the outline is the fill, fill is the background. So normal click the x box to make the background transparent, then make the distress pattern whatever the shirt color you are printing on is by right clicking that color as if you were doing an outline.

This method will save you tons of time and make it very easy to work with distressed images.

I for some reason missed AAusa's post before I posted this, but he is basically telling you the same thing I am with a little more words.

[BRGtshirts]

The thing about vector and distressed patterns is that vector programs are dependent on physical ram unlike Photoshop that runs off of both physical and virtual or HD space.
So with vector programs, you literally can max out it's capability with physical ram and processing speed.  A sure fire way to resolve that is by separating out of photoshop for those complex type files.If you are unsure of yourself in Photoshop, you can Frankenstein the job. Create and use the distressed pattern in Photoshop as a black and white tiff file, then place and link into the vector file and color process white or shirt color for example. With that tho, you run in to choking issues. If it needs choked to no base shows, then you may ant to do both those colors in Photoshop.
To start, make sure all of your art is to size. Then draw a empty filled box around the outside. Copy and paste the texture along with the box. This assures it lines up when you paste in to the vector file. Select all and align.  You can even do your choke in photoshop and bring both the color and the base of that in the vector file.

Dottone, I'm reviving an old thread as it has some context for my question. Regarding choking back vintage/distressed in Photoshop, what's you're best recommendation for doing that? Because of this whole COVID thing we unfortunately had to let our best Photoshop graphic designer go, (so much of what we do is vector stuff).. so trying to figure out how to create a good underbase on a distressed tiff file.  Do you duplicate the layer then reduce back the pixels somehow? Is there more to it than that?   Thanks and hope you're doing well.

[Dottonedan]

In raster,  I choke back by 2 pixels for a file that is 300ppi. If 600ppi, I choke back by 3 pixels.  4 seems too much and 3 has worked well.  Separately from the choke, is the amount of base. SO lets say the top color might be a solid fill of 605 halftone. I will make a copy of that 60% area and reduce the opacity on my base. So that I have much less white base than my halftone color above it. This way, no white shows through.  For solid areas, you base the same amount, as you normally would for that color, but you choke it back.


Now, I used to do this manually for each element (referring to the halftone textures). I would copy my halftone area, Chile it, and then make that solid...and select again, so I am filling with  a lighter bas eon my halftones....and fill that consistently with a lighter base fill than my top color halftone would be.  I felt it was more consistent and a better sep.


I saw someone doing it to what I thought would be a cheap crappy way to do it that would end up making the halftones more choppy. They would select the solids and halftones together, and then choke EVERYTHING. Even every % So, halftone art, texture and all, would be choked back 2 pixels.  This did make the separation look funky. Do it that way and you will see the ugly texture it makes. To me, this looked junky...but I’ve seen it work on press with no issues. So it’s quicker.  In print, you don’t see any quality degradation if there were any. It’s hidden in the base. So, I dunno.  But, I still do it my way. Just makes me feel better.


I guess I had better also include the steps to choking in Photoshop.  I’v seen people do this a few different ways and most use menu bar  items and save a cop and another file and this and that etc, but I like to do it this way.


1
This is where I often break the distressed channel up into tow channels. A solid, and the area to be underbased and choked). I may do that with levels or curves to burn out one from the other. Then, I choke and fill just the base and control my fill of the base.


2 Command or Control Click on the channel to be choked. This selects EVERY PIXEL in that channel that you have isolated as just the tinted distress fill and is why I will turn that part solid (personal preference).

3, GO to Top menu bar and go to SELECT, MODIFY, CONTRACT.  Enter in 2 pixels (for 300ppi).

4, Go to a new channel that would be your new base white. Fill as desired (less than the top color).  When I do it this way, my fill has no ugly texture.  Nice and consistent fill. I like that.

5, Do the same for your solid areas.


(SIDE NOTE).

The above, is when you are manually creating a base.
When I create a base for sim process, I have a specific way of doing it to where I have the right percentages in all of my areas pretty much automatically. So, once I have that in place in my channels, I then make a duplicate of that, and then select each of my colors and add it onto that duplicate of the white base...fill every selection solid onto the white base (dup), essentially making a complete mask that is solid. If the color selection are not dark enough, I will adjust with levels or curves.   Then, I choke that by 2 pixels...and then inverse my selection (Command I or Control I) so that I am deleting from the outside only, by 2 pixels. I delete from my good base. So that all of the base (surrounding the art) is choked back on the outside only. Then, I make a selection of my top white, and fill that onto my base. This make the whites print over top of each other with no choke, but the colors are overlapping the base by 2 pixels. And there ya have it.

[BRGtshirts]

In raster,  I choke back by 2 pixels for a file that is 300ppi. If 600ppi, I choke back by 3 pixels.  4 seems too much and 3 has worked well.  Separately from the choke, is the amount of base. SO lets say the top color might be a solid fill of 605 halftone. I will make a copy of that 60% area and reduce the opacity on my base. So that I have much less white base than my halftone color above it. This way, no white shows through.  For solid areas, you base the same amount, as you normally would for that color, but you choke it back.


Now, I used to do this manually for each element (referring to the halftone textures). I would copy my halftone area, Chile it, and then make that solid...and select again, so I am filling with  a lighter bas eon my halftones....and fill that consistently with a lighter base fill than my top color halftone would be.  I felt it was more consistent and a better sep.


You are freakin the man! (I accidentally had caps lock on first time I typed and almost left it!).  Thanks so much. I follow ~80-90% but I think my artist will get the gist. I'd like to say I follow the sim process but I'll reread a few times and maybe will get it haha. Again thanks a bunch. I like your process and think we'll get good results!

I saw someone doing it to what I thought would be a cheap crappy way to do it that would end up making the halftones more choppy. They would select the solids and halftones together, and then choke EVERYTHING. Even every % So, halftone art, texture and all, would be choked back 2 pixels.  This did make the separation look funky. Do it that way and you will see the ugly texture it makes. To me, this looked junky...but I’ve seen it work on press with no issues. So it’s quicker.  In print, you don’t see any quality degradation if there were any. It’s hidden in the base. So, I dunno.  But, I still do it my way. Just makes me feel better.


I guess I had better also include the steps to choking in Photoshop.  I’v seen people do this a few different ways and most use menu bar  items and save a cop and another file and this and that etc, but I like to do it this way.


1
This is where I often break the distressed channel up into tow channels. A solid, and the area to be underbased and choked). I may do that with levels or curves to burn out one from the other. Then, I choke and fill just the base and control my fill of the base.


2 Command or Control Click on the channel to be choked. This selects EVERY PIXEL in that channel that you have isolated as just the tinted distress fill and is why I will turn that part solid (personal preference).

3, GO to Top menu bar and go to SELECT, MODIFY, CONTRACT.  Enter in 2 pixels (for 300ppi).

4, Go to a new channel that would be your new base white. Fill as desired (less than the top color).  When I do it this way, my fill has no ugly texture.  Nice and consistent fill. I like that.

5, Do the same for your solid areas.


(SIDE NOTE).

The above, is when you are manually creating a base.
When I create a base for sim process, I have a specific way of doing it to where I have the right percentages in all of my areas pretty much automatically. So, once I have that in place in my channels, I then make a duplicate of that, and then select each of my colors and add it onto that duplicate of the white base...fill every selection solid onto the white base (dup), essentially making a complete mask that is solid. If the color selection are not dark enough, I will adjust with levels or curves.   Then, I choke that by 2 pixels...and then inverse my selection (Command I or Control I) so that I am deleting from the outside only, by 2 pixels. I delete from my good base. So that all of the base (surrounding the art) is choked back on the outside only. Then, I make a selection of my top white, and fill that onto my base. This make the whites print over top of each other with no choke, but the colors are overlapping the base by 2 pixels. And there ya have it.

You are freakin the man! (I accidentally had caps lock on first time I typed and almost left it!).  Thanks so much. I follow ~80-90% but I think my artist will get the gist. I'd like to say I follow the sim process but I'll reread a few times and maybe will get it haha. Again thanks a bunch. I like your process and think we'll get good results!