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Printing and saving transparent artwork


    When your artwork contains transparency, Illustrator performs a process called flattening before printing or saving the artwork. During flattening, Illustrator looks for areas where transparent objects overlap other objects and isolates these areas by dividing the artwork into components. Illustrator then analyses each component to determine if the artwork can be represented using vector data or if the artwork must be rasterized.

    In most cases, the flattening process produces excellent results. However, if your artwork contains complex, overlapping areas and you require high-resolution output, you can control the degree to which artwork is rasterized.

To specify rasterization settings for high-resolution output:

  1. Choose File > Document Setup.
  2. Choose Transparency from the pop-up menu at the top of the dialog box, do the following, and click OK:
    • Specify a Raster/Vector balance. The higher the setting, the less rasterization is performed on artwork. Select the highest setting to represent as much artwork as possible using vector data; select the lowest setting to rasterize all the artwork.
    • Specify an output resolution for rasterized artwork (except for mesh objects). In most cases, 300 is sufficient. The path output resolution affects the precision of intersections when flattening. (See Changing the path output resolution.)
    • Select Convert All Text to Outlines to ensure that the width of text stays consistent during flattening. Enabling this option, however, will cause small fonts to appear slightly thicker.
    • Select Convert All Strokes to Outlines Strokes to ensure that the width of strokes stays consistent during flattening. Enabling this option, however, will cause thin strokes to appear slightly thicker.
    • Select Clip Complex Regions to ensure that the boundaries between vector artwork and rasterized artwork fall along object paths. Selecting this option reduces stitching artifacts that result when part of an object is flattened while another part of the object remains in vector form. However, selecting this option may result in paths that are too complex for the printer to handle.
    • Select Preserve Overprints When Possible if you are printing separations and the document contains overprinted objects. Selecting this option generally preserves overprint for objects that are not involved in transparency and therefore improves performance.

    Important: Illustrator always flattens overprinted objects when printing a composite, regardless of how you set the Preserve Overprint When Possible option.

  3. If your artwork contains raster-based effects (effects applied using the Effect menu), choose Effect > Rasterize > Document Raster Effects Settings. Select High (300ppi) for Resolution, and click OK. (See Specifying raster effects settings.)
  4. For more information on transparency, flattening, and high-resolution output, see www.adobe.com.