Illustrator Transparent Shadows Won't Print From Quark File

[Carla_Lark@adobeforums.com]

I have a logo that was originally done in Photoshop as a DCS 2.0 file. However, the quality of this file seemed to always come out with jagged edges, so I wanted to use Illustrator instead (although I'm not sure why the PSD image looked so bad since it was used at it's exact size, and not enlarged??)

Anyway, I'm using AI 9 and the logo has an Inner Shadow on top of type. This shadow came out great in Photoshop, but is not easy to create in Illustrator as 2 spot colors: Red type and Black shadows with a smooth gradation for the shadow. I was able to create the shadows (Stylize-Drop Shadow) and separate them as different elements from the type. The difficult part is that they are Inner Shadows (not outer), so I had to create some funky shapes to get the inner shadow shape with a clipping mask over it, so nothing shows outside of the letters (Let me know if any easier or better way to do this!)

So I now have all Red type on one layer, and Black Inner Shadows on another layer on top of type. I saved this as an EPS file and used in Quark 4.1. The printer tells me they cannot separate the 2 colors because of a transparency problem with the EPS file. I guess it's not recognizing the transparency of the Black shadow layer, but I need to see the red letters underneath the shadows as the shadow gradually fades.

Please advise on fixes or workarounds to this problem. Thanks.

[Joan_Connors@adobeforums.com]

We have a similar problem with a logo that looks fine when you make a pdf and view it on screen, but when you print the pdf out you just see the gray shadow gradation and not the red color underneath. Help!!

[Michael_Gianino@adobeforums.com]

I'm pretty sure that Quark 4.1 doesn't support transparency. Also, you should be careful that you aren't doing something that will change your spot colors to process (blends and transparencies sometimes do). To see, print out seps for all colors from Quark. If you get an image on the C, M, or Y plates, you don't have a spot job anymore.

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

If you want this in a Layout Program you will have to get ID a Quark does not support transparency in any version.

[Scott_Weichert@adobeforums.com]

Object > flatten transparency

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

That won't work, they want it translucent once it is in Quark so they can see the type created in Quark with the shadow over the text. This is not supported by Quark.

[Scott_Weichert@adobeforums.com]

yeah.... true... if that's what's needed. But if you just need a shadow in Illustrator over another Illustrator object, it will work.

>The difficult part is that they are Inner Shadows (not outer), so I had

to create some funky shapes to get the inner shadow shape with a clipping
mask over it, so nothing shows outside of the letters (Let me know if
any easier or better way to do this!)

>So I now have all Red type on one layer, and Black Inner Shadows on another

layer on top of type.

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

I read that wrong yes as Scott suggested. I goofed.

Except that the drop shadow from Illustrator will probably separate as process if I am not mistaken unless they use an opacity mask perhaps I am mistaken about this as well.

I still would like you to consider the fact that this would a be a since in ID and you wouldn't have to jump through loops.

Also the reason I want this spot color only mode, but I think that will happen anyway.

[T.J._Harley@adobeforums.com]

Make the switch to InDesign!

[Scott_Weichert@adobeforums.com]

Oh without a doubt Indesign would be best. :)

[Foster_Gary@adobeforums.com]

I have the same problem all the time. Seems AI9 images cannot print to a Postscript level 2 RIP. Try outputting your spot color without the shadow over it. Then create a new file with the shadows in place and just output the shadow without the spot.