# Fast Artist Edges Pixelated



## bloodsweatandink (Jun 23, 2008)

I have a couple of designs that are in 300 dpi. I always take the design, put it in photoshop (with a page 16x20) line it all up, save it, then import it into Fastartist (so it can handle the underbasing). Usually this technique works great and I have no problems. But for some reason I have a bunch of designs from a customer and after importing them into fast artist all the edges are pixelated, you can see little pixels of whites around the edges, yet you cant when your viewing the image at 100% on photoshop. The image was originally 300dpi, and I had to actually shrink it to fix size it correctly.

I have to push this order out today yet I cant get past this problem. Anyone have any ideas?


----------



## csquared (Sep 8, 2006)

does the image have a drop shadow? what format are the images saved in?


----------



## bloodsweatandink (Jun 23, 2008)

No drop shadow, the images are all in PSD format at 300 dpi. I get on the customers images and then also on their images that are just text (text is an image not an actual font). I take their PSD layers, send them to my PSD template for my shirtboard, size it up (they are much larger so I shrink them down), align them, merge all layers and then save and import to fast artist.

I just dont get it, it looks great in photoshop then Fast Artist botches them up.


----------



## csquared (Sep 8, 2006)

that is odd, is there multiple layers in the design? You might want to save it as a jpeg and see if that works


----------



## bloodsweatandink (Jun 23, 2008)

Problem with Jpeg is the background needs to be transparent because I have to undercoat the image.


----------



## csquared (Sep 8, 2006)

I have noticed that fastartist does not always give the most accurate view of my image especially if I am using effects from photoshop like outline but when I print the design it is fine. Have you already tried printing the shirt?


----------



## bloodsweatandink (Jun 23, 2008)

Yeah, I always ignore what it looks like in fast artist and just print it because their interpritation of it is usually way off of what the machine actually prints. But I have printed a few now, this one coming out the machine I vconverted to png (so I can keep the transparency) and its coming out now and its also jagged. Not sure what is going on, if anyone has any ideas let me know. Ill post here if I solve it myself.


----------



## bloodsweatandink (Jun 23, 2008)

Hmm alright it looks like it may be the underbasing causing the problem, i just printed on a white shirt and it came out great.


----------



## csquared (Sep 8, 2006)

glad you found out what was going on. I have had an image that I up sized come out jagged because a faint blur to the image I didnt notice.


----------



## CoopersDesignCo (Nov 14, 2007)

Hi Adam,
Make sure there are no adjustment layers, or Channel Masks in the photoshop file.
Also, convert to RGB, merge visible layers, remove hidden layers, and crop to the exact print size at your desired resolution.
Also, when saving the PSD file, make sure you're not embedding any color profiles, and that color management is set to OFF. For some reason, FastArtist is fickle.
Might be best to save as a png file anyway...
Hope this helps!


----------



## bloodsweatandink (Jun 23, 2008)

I found out the problem, for some reason when importing the customers psd into my template psd it was getting screwed up. Customers psd was at 300 dpi but image was only 6", he wanted it 12 in. But when I imported it into my 16x20 300dpi template it was twice the size of my template and so I shurnk it down and it looked correct. idk some kind of bug or hiccup. very wierd, it should of imported much smaller.

anyways how do i shut off color management? i have been trying to find it but cant.


----------



## CoopersDesignCo (Nov 14, 2007)

bloodsweatandink said:


> anyways how do i shut off color management? i have been trying to find it but cant.


Which version of Photoshop are you using?

In PHOTOSHOP 7 through CS2 -> Go to Edit -> Color Settings
Drop the "Settings" drop down box to: Color Management Off

You may want to make a check off list for yourself for preparing files to go to your DTG machine. 
Also, I always do a mini-sample print about 1/4 the size of the original to make sure colors are looking good and that things are the way they should be. Keep a few extra pretreated shirts laying around that you can just throw on before you start your job.


----------



## cavedave (Dec 5, 2006)

The problem sounds like Anti aliasing,
If you type text (or other vector type objects) in PhotoShop then it applies an anti aliasing to the edges (zoom in and you will see) edges of the text are not sharp, but use a blend of pixels that go from the text color to the surronding color. 
If for example you had red text on a white background and you knockout the white background the anti alias pixels (red to white blends) remain and get underbase and appears as a white halo.

You need to remove these pixels.

You can use KnockMeWhiteOut script we provide in PhotoShop for this. Or make sure anti aliasing is off when you type the text or remove it with the magic wand.

Best regards

-David


----------



## bornover (Apr 10, 2008)

Adam,

I do all my work in Photoshop and then save to PNG with a transparent background to bring it into FastARTIST. When I bring a PSD into FastARTIST, I usually have problems more times than not. One thing I have learned that causes the same symptoms you describe as well is; if you have PSD or PNG file with translucent (by translucent I mean see through) edges that fade into the transparent background, you can get the same problem. FastARTIST, more times than not, will incorrectly interpret the translucent parts of the file. How I solve this is create a solid color underbase inside of Photoshop of the whole image so there is opaque (solid) color under the whole image. I pick a color, usually black, that keeps the color of the translucent parts of the image correct. Then I save it to PNG. FastARTIST has no problem trying to interpret the PNG when imported because it no longer has any translucent areas.


----------



## cavedave (Dec 5, 2006)

Mark,

PSD shouldnt be a problem, you need to make sure that you have a single layer (with transparency), so collapse all the other layers and also make sure you have maximise PSD compatability on (in Preferences - File handling in PhotoShop). If you still have a PSD file problem, please send it tome.

When you bring the image into FastARTIST, are you using the create underbase from the transparency settings or are you selecting no to this and using the wizard ?.
When the underbase is created directly from the transparency (best method), areas that are partially transparent (for example 50%) will get 50% white ink, this way you can blend your design into the shirt. 
You can use the gamma adjustment to make 50% more or less ink (works the same way as levels does in PhotoShop).

Best regards

-David


----------



## bornover (Apr 10, 2008)

cavedave said:


> PSD shouldnt be a problem, you need to make sure that you have a single layer (with transparency), so collapse all the other layers and also make sure you have maximise PSD compatability on (in Preferences - File handling in PhotoShop). If you still have a PSD file problem, please send it tome.


Yes, that is exactly how I do it in CS2 and CS3. And my color management is off. All I get in FastARTIST is a very small non-editable black square most of the time.



cavedave said:


> When you bring the image into FastARTIST, are you using the create underbase from the transparency settings or are you selecting no to this and using the wizard ?.
> When the underbase is created directly from the transparency (best method), areas that are partially transparent (for example 50%) will get 50% white ink, this way you can blend your design into the shirt.
> You can use the gamma adjustment to make 50% more or less ink (works the same way as levels does in PhotoShop)..


I have been canceling the "Create Underbase from Transparency" when I import a file into FastARTIST. When I went to the T-Jet class at US Screen, the instructor told me that the wizard was the best way to create an underbase, so I have never done it the way you suggest. I will try it and see if that helps me.

Thanks for your input David.


----------



## cavedave (Dec 5, 2006)

Send me your PSD 
[email protected]

I would like to have a look at why it doesnt work.

If you create the transparency correctly, it provides a much better solution than the wizard. I can send you some new docs that will be shipping as part of FA 2.0 (being released shortly) that might help you understand the process better.
What is your e-mail address.

Best regards

-David


----------



## bornover (Apr 10, 2008)

Hi David,

OK, here is where I am at after your input. I double checked my settings in Photoshop CS3, and low and behold I found my color management was on! So I turned it off, and double and triple checked to make sure it stayed off. Now my PSD files import into FastARTIST correctly every single time. Cool.

Then, I did as you said, I used the dialog that opens up when you import a PSD to create the underbase from transparency instead of canceling it like I always had before. In my defense I was told to cancel it and use the wizard in the training class at US Screen. Immediately I could see that the underbase hatch lines looked correct. I ungrouped the image and peeled off the underbase layers and my image with translucent edge was there correctly. Wow!

I wish I would have found this out a long time ago. But, oh well, at least I know now and it saves me time.


----------



## bornover (Apr 10, 2008)

I just wanted you all to know that David from CADLink worked with me privately through regular email to solve the mysteries of my problems. It turns out I had two problems. The first one, the problem I had importing PSD files into FastARTIST was this: I was working on two different computers for creating my graphics, my desktop and my laptop. It turns out that I had Maximize Compatibility set to “Never” in Photoshop on my laptop. So when I went to import a file into FastARTIST that I had created on my laptop, I had problems. Once set to “Always”, it cured my ills.

The second problem I had with pixilated edges of graphics in FastARTIST was because I had been told to not use the Create Underbase From Transparency dialog box that opens when you import a file into FastARTIST. I would cancel that option and use the Underbase Wizard in FastARTIST instead. This is the wrong thing to do when importing files created in other graphic creation programs. Using the Create Underbase From Transparency dialog solved the last issue and now saves me significant time when working with files that are for printing on my T-Jet.

David was very helpful and responded very quickly each time I emailed him. I wish more companies would have the kind of support and response David from CADLink has given me.


----------

