Skip to main content
Participant
March 19, 2025
Question

Silkscreen halftone Gradient Printing - Gradient Banding issue

  • March 19, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 768 views

 

I am working on a silkscreen printing project, creating gradients as halftones for film printing.

At the 50% point, where the halftone dots transition into a checkerboard pattern,

gradient banding occurs.

Is there a solution to this?

2 replies

c.pfaffenbichler
Community Expert
Community Expert
March 19, 2025

Could you please post screenshots taken at View > 100% with the pertinent Panels (Toolbar, Layers, Options Bar, …) visible? 

Participant
March 19, 2025

I am using Korean, not English, within the program. Please keep that in mind. This is the state at 100% view. The resolution is 2500 dpi, and the LPI is 50.

Participant
March 20, 2025

I fail to see banding in the screenshot, so are you talking about the actual printed result? 

What material are you printing on? 


Yes, there is banding in the printed results. I am doing silk screen printing on glass. I used a mesh of 300 and an LPI of 50.

Stephen Marsh
Community Expert
Community Expert
March 19, 2025

There are multiple ways to create halftone screens in Photoshop (which isn't a proper halftone screen RIP). How specifically are you creating your screens and at what resolution and LPI value?

 

https://the-print-guide.blogspot.com/search?q=Euclidean&m=1

 

https://the-print-guide.blogspot.com/search/label/Dot%20Shapes?m=1

 

https://the-print-guide.blogspot.com/search/label/AM%20Screening?m=1

Participant
March 19, 2025

I am working with bitmap at 2500 dpi and applying 50 LPI (lines per inch). The screen mesh used is 300. I noticed banding occurring at the 50% point of the halftone pattern, where it turns into a checkerboard. There is dot loss, dot gain, and the gradient transitions are not smooth and look abrupt. What should I do?

I am working on a single-color print gradient, not a two-color print.

Stephen Marsh
Community Expert
Community Expert
March 19, 2025

@agile_Spirit8314 

 

The bitmap mode halftone conversion is generally best, I would usually avoid the more "artistic" halftone effects. This will transition from round/square/round which is generally best.

 

What is your K angle? 45° or shifted to something like 52.5°?

 

Do you have a TVI/Dot Gain curve applied to the contone file before the bitmap mode conversion?

 

How are you creating your positive films? Inkjet? Laser printer?