Banding issues w gradients – Dither feature in latest AI ?

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
February 4, 2025
1 reply
1047 views

Dealing with banding issues, normally solved in Ps using dither.

But my file is AI, and the Texture > Grain ain't cutting it.

Anyone achieved a dither effect in Illustrator to obliterate banding. And how? Thx.

B

Bobby Henderson

Community Expert

Dither is essentially a pixel-based thing. A true vector-based gradient won't use a cheat like that. Or at least it shouldn't.

Are you seeing the banding problems on screen or in print output? What is the color depth of the gradient fill? A gradient fill that uses only one color channel, such as a grayscale gradient using only black ink, will have only so many possible color steps between gradient stops. A grayscale gradient using all four CMYK inks will have a smoother tonal range that is less prone to banding.

In print output the features within the printer (or RIP application) will matter a great deal. A printer that has an Adobe certified PDF print engine will print vector-based gradients from Illustrator-generated artwork more smoothly and accurately.

S

SundayGladiatorAuthor

Legend

'Are you seeing the banding problems on screen or in print output?'

Great question. Not in print only monitor. Monitor is playing tricks on me?

Here's a screenshot. Just between two shades of CMYK grays.

That said should I just sanity check with my printer's prepress dept and ensure that their RIP application will smooth out gradients?

Or what specifically should I ask with my printer?

And thank you for your prompt response! Much appreciated at my 11th hour of prepping this file. 🙂

B

Bobby Henderson

Community Expert

The screen shot looks like the banding is coming from either the monitor or the graphics board. Is the image from a GPU Preview setting or CPU Preview? Computer displays and graphics boards are going to be only so good at displaying grayscale gradients without visible banding.

For print output, it definitely helps a great deal if the RIP application has an Adobe certified PDF print engine. It's also important for the application to be fairly current if it will be printing advanced Adobe-centric effects, such as the free form gradient shown in the screen shot image

If the RIP application can't handle Adobe PDF content natively it's likely some problems will be visible in print output. Gradients may have visible banding. Some objects may display yucky discolored box syndrome -faint boxes around objects that have clipping masks or other transparency effects. I see this all the time in drawings printed out of our office color laser printer. The same artwork prints perfectly out of our large format RIP applications.

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