Problems with banding in Desktop Print

[imann08]

This doesn't have to do with a photograph but I know there are a few printheads here that may be able to help me out. I have created a graphic with a layer for a black background and a layer above it for a circular gradient of a color to give the appearance of a spotlight for a product. The problem is that when I send it as a PDF to the client for them to print it on their desktop printer, they get banding (posterization) on their print. I am not having the same trouble with the same file on my printer. I had them go up to the best quality on their printer and that took some of it out but it is still there. The file in PS was sRGB at 300ppi.

Does anyone have any suggestion to get rid of this banding or reduce the chances of it coming out that way on print? Is it an issue on their side of things? Any help would be extremely appreciated and I will give you my first born in return.

[jdryan3]

What type of printer are they using?

[imann08]

I don't know but I may have figured out the problem. I switched the colorspace to CMYK and the banding that was now showing up on my printer disappeared. I normally make files for desktop printers in RGB but this one was showing some fairly large out of gamut areas and I guess that had something to do with it. I thought that printers preferred RGB files and made the conversion themselves but obviously not too well.

[Andy]

Bump any help here?

[Andy]

Can you link me to the file? I'd like to see it.

[imann08]

Can you link me to the file? I'd like to see it.

Andy, I would like to link you to the image but I don't currently have a site to put it on and don't know any place that I can put an original PS doc for you to link to. I would really love for you to see the original as it's probably necessary for you to know what the problem really is. The PS files that I have (I have four versions of this in different colors but they all concern the same problem) are about 6.5MB on average with all the layers intact. If I flatten them the file size goes down to about 2.5MB. I can send the PDF that goes to my client so that they can print them and those files go down to about 1.5MB. Let me know what you want and the method you suggest that I use to get them to you. This is part of the reason that I emailed you to begin with. I know that sending this type of file wouldn't work on this forum.

I really really appreciate your willingness to help. Even though this helps me with a current issue, I know I will run into this in the future so this is something that is really causing me headaches. I am actually quite surprised that I haven't run into this before but with this type of project, I normally am sending the file to a printer and not having it printed from an inkjet as is the case here. As I said in the email, I have tried blurring it, adding noise, and other things to no avail. Thanks a bunch.

[Andy]

Andy, I would like to link you to the image but I don't currently have a site to put it on and don't know any place that I can put an original PS doc for you to link to.

http://pages.google.com is free :thumb

[imann08]

Thanks, I'll get it to you soon.

[imann08]

OK, here is the link to get the PSD of what I have been talking about. BTW, thanks for the link. I didn't know that existed.

http://tinyurl.com/2qf9uz

[slapshot]

OK, here is the link to get the PSD of what I have been talking about. BTW, thanks for the link. I didn't know that existed.

http://tinyurl.com/2qf9uz

I only viewed the file on my screen, did not print. There was "banding" clearly apparent in the background; the green to black gradient was not very even, with very visible steps between shades. Is this the banding your client experienced?

[imann08]

The gradient was created with the gradient tool so I don't think it could be any smoother out of PS. As far as the banding goes, I didn't see the client's print but what I am getting are vertical light and dark strips across the gradient. I think this is different from what you are seeing on the monitor. What I get is the same as how my client described her problem but I didn't see it to verify it.

[SloYerRoll]

I don't even need to see the image to tell you this is a problem on their side. This is very common though.

Banding is created by loose dithering through the printer heads. (read, their printer isn't nice enough)
You can try printing "against the grain" of the gradient for nominally better results.

Printing against the grain of the paper also helps this situation. I'd never try to tell this to a client.

By the sound of it. Your clients printer color spaces aren't calibrated either so you don't even know what colors they are seeing either.

Best practice for this process is sending a CD of images w/ a 'to scale' (within reason) print of what this product should look like. This way everyone knows exactly what they are getting. When your dealing w/ corporate identities, some vendors even send 1 & 1/2 proofs so they keep a half for color matching purposes.

If you can divulge what the end purpose for this flyer is and how they intend to print this. I'd be happy to let you know the best way to get everyone through this as smooth as possible.

EDIT: I took a look at your original. Very good color scheme!
-Jon

[DavidTO]

The problem is the gradient tool itself. It creates a gradient with steps that are finer than the printer can produce. You need to gunk it up somehow. The CMYK conversion helped because it did just that. Often a small amount of added noise is what's needed to break up the smoothness of the gradient.

[SloYerRoll]

http://pages.google.com is free :thumb
Thanks for this link Andy!
I use google for so much and never heard of this yet.
Nice quick n dirty file transfer on the cheap!

[imann08]

In case I hadn't mentioned this before, I am getting similar problems with my prints and I think my printer is good enough (Canon i9900). I have also tried the process of adding noise to the image to no avail.

I may be using the wrong term when I say "banding" but what is happening is I am getting vertical lines of equal widths across the image. In my prints I don't think that they are as bad as what my client says is occuring with their printer.

While it may be a bit much, I suggest you actually print it out and see what happens on your printer. Since I am using a pretty decent printer, I don't think that is an issue. I also may have not mentioned that when they set their printer to photo quality, the "banding" disappears. I am just trying to avoid forcing them to use that much ink. It doesn't seem right that it would be necessary.

FYI, this is going to be a DVD case cover and not a flyer. I simply haven't put anything on the back yet. There are four separate covers, each of a different color (blue, red, gray, and the green you see).

[SloYerRoll]

I also may have not mentioned that when they set their printer to photo quality, the "banding" disappears. I am just trying to avoid forcing them to use that much ink. It doesn't seem right that it would be necessary.
The addage, 'you get what you pay for' comes to mind.

It's pretty tough to squeeze a dime out of a nickel.

-Jon

[imann08]

I'm not sure why this wouldn't print just fine in standard. I refuse to believe that that is the only way to get around this.

[SloYerRoll]

I'm not sure why this wouldn't print just fine in standard. I refuse to believe that that is the only way to get around this.:dunno

Please update us when you figure this out. You'll be on your way to being very rich if you patent it.

-Jon

[imann08]

Thanks for your help anyways. I appreciate it.

[Andy]

I can't add more than sloyeroll and davidto have added.