Printing in clear

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jonathan Leppert
  • Start date Start date
J

Jonathan Leppert

Hi,

I am making window cling decals. I am using transparency clings that are ink
jet printable but I can get other media. The problem is I would like a clear
section of the image. In clear I mean a clear overprint where you can tell
something was printed, just that it is transparent (like a coating). I need
to print this as a graphic, about 300 dpi or so at least. What kind of
printer (consumer/prosumer) grade can do this?

I already have one of the old ALPS which would seem logically for this
application but its finish ribbon, which it can print graphics in, is
invisible when printed.

Anyone have any suggestions? There has to be a printer that can do this that
isn't an entire screen printing setup. If not, could I refill, say, a
cleaned black ink cartridge with clear finish ink?

Thanks,

Jonathan
 
...I would like a clear section of the image. In clear I mean a clear
overprint where you can tell something was printed, just that it is
transparent (like a coating).
Click to expand...

If I understand what you're asking, the easiest way to do this would be to
add monochrome 'noise' to the white areas of your graphic. As you're not
using white ink, no ink is laid down in the white part of a graphic, so it
comes out transparent. If you get the level of noise right (sufficiently
spaced pixels of the right ink density), the noise pixels will obscure the
transparent area just enough to show the area's been printed on.

Jon.
 
Jonathan Leppert said:
Hi,

I am making window cling decals. I am using transparency clings that are ink
jet printable but I can get other media. The problem is I would like a clear
section of the image. In clear I mean a clear overprint where you can tell
something was printed, just that it is transparent (like a coating). I need
to print this as a graphic, about 300 dpi or so at least. What kind of
printer (consumer/prosumer) grade can do this?
Click to expand...

All you need to do is print a very light shade of any colour (try very light
grey).

Since most printers can't print white you will get a translucent effect.
Think of it like this....

No ink at all = clear.
A very thin layer of ink = translucent
A normal/thick layer of ink = solid colour.

If you select the lightest shade possible and if that is still too
dark/solid you need to increase the colour depth and try again. Increasing
the colour depth give more shades - so you can choose an even lighter one
from the palette.
 
I am making window cling decals. I am using transparency clings that are ink
jet printable but I can get other media. The problem is I would like a clear
section of the image. In clear I mean a clear overprint where you can tell
something was printed, just that it is transparent (like a coating). I need
to print this as a graphic, about 300 dpi or so at least. What kind of
printer (consumer/prosumer) grade can do this?
Click to expand...

My Epson R800 has a gloss optimizer cartridge that will print a gloss
oversheen on areas not printed elsewise on glossy paper so there is an
overpint of the whole surface and hence a uniform sheen.
________________________________________________________
Ed Ruf Lifetime AMA# 344007 ([email protected])
http://EdwardGRuf.com
 
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