unwanted background shade behind jpg at printing

[AliceAliceAlice]

WHY does this tinted background appear behind my jpg when printing? 

Here are the specs I'm using:

1.) The image was loaded per AFPub2's recommended process (frame tool then place tool).

2.) The frame includes no stroke and fills 100% white.

3.) The "noise" shows as none (full color white). 

4.) The shaded area does not display on the active file even when zoomed in close. It only shows at printing. 

What I want is for the sheet to print "paper white" with no added shaded area behind the text and image.

Thanks for any help!

Alice

p.s. Please disregard the paper white of the jpg not being a true white. Only consider the unwanted contrasting darker shade that is visible. The shaded area displays as the dims of the frame (vs the dims of the uploaded jpg) and is surrounded by the rest of the page (the lighter value).

[PaulEC]

It looks as though the “shading” is actually part of the image, but it’s difficult to tell without having the original file.

[AliceAliceAlice]

Thanks for your quick response! 

The jpg image actually fits and lives within the shaded area, so it seems the jpg's edges would show if the image was the culprit. I've also confirmed that the jpg layers in the image's original (unflattened) file are all set to 100% white.

The dimensions of the shaded area match the dimensions used for the frame tool's box. As far as I can tell the frame tool settings are in order (set to 100% white with zero "noise") but perhaps I'm missing something.

I've also tried applying a filled (100% white) rectangle shape layer behind the frame tool box (with the jpg) in a new document and the shading remains.

Hmmm...

 

[PaulEC]

It might help if you could upload the original file here.

 

[AliceAliceAlice]

Will do (either later tonight or tomorrow). 

Thanks.

[AliceAliceAlice]

Hi, 

Here are two files. They're both really straight forward (black only and just a jpg) and both print with the same shade problem.

Cheers

AB BC gang FORUM.afpub AB BC test FORUM.afpub

[NathanC]

Hi @AliceAliceAlice,

Does it make any difference on the printed result if the white background on the image (and picture frame) is removed altogether? I've attached a version of your 'AB BC gang FORUM' file where I have removed the white background on the picture frame, and then in the Photo persona used the 'Erase white paper' filter found under Filters > Colours which results in an image with a transparent background.

However, I did manager to print your document prior to making these changes and the white background surrounding the logo appeared as expected.

AB BC gang FORUM WB removed.afpub

Edit: This could also be an issue during colour conversion process when your document is being printed. Your image is going from Adobe RGB -> Web Coated CMYK (Working Document Profile)-> CMYK Print profile. If you try just right click > rasterising the image, see if this makes any difference on the final print without removing the background.

 

[AliceAliceAlice]

Hi and thanks for your input. After testing things out, here's what I've got:

1. Your return file (with the 'erase white paper' filter) printed successfully. 

2. I had added the white fill to the frame tool after the original transparent fill printed with the tint (I started trying anything)

3. I've now removed the white fill and have applied the 'erase white paper' filter to my working filer and the file is printing successfully.

4. It appears I'm able to copy the updated picture frame (with logo) to build a gang sheet of BCs and have it print successfully. 

5. I tried rasterizing the logo image (changing the fill to transparent first) without applying the 'erase white paper' filter and the problem returned. 

6. When I look in the file's color settings (File > Document Setup) it appears I'm in my files; am I looking in the wrong place for this? 

7. Also, in that color settings dialog box there is a checkbox for 'Transparent Background'; it's unchecked (even with the 'erase white paper' filter applied), does checking that box for the file provide the same results as applying the filter? 

 

COMMENTS (please pass along)

It sure seems like an awful lot of extra steps are required to print a simple black-only image on a sheet of white paper. Also, as new user of Affinity, those steps were not easily found, I never would have discovered the process had it not been for the forum. 

Which leads me to THANKS! to everyone for getting this sorted out. I really appreciate you input and quick responses!

[NathanC]

Hi @AliceAliceAlice,

Good to hear that you managed to get a printout of your document without the shaded/noisy white background. I wouldn't say that removing the background from an image is normally necessary to prevent this strange effect from printing, and my additional suggestions were to help confirm at what point the issue is occurring.

15 hours ago, AliceAliceAlice said:

5. I tried rasterizing the logo image (changing the fill to transparent first) without applying the 'erase white paper' filter and the problem returned. 

6. When I look in the file's color settings (File > Document Setup) it appears I'm in my files; am I looking in the wrong place for this? 

Images placed into your document from an external source are known as 'Image' type layers which preserve all the original contents of the image, such as the colour space and resolution. By rasterising the layer you are converting it from an 'Image' type layer to a 'Pixel' type layer so the image is essentially using the colour space of the working document rather than it's own. However, as you mentioned unfortunately this didn't resolve the issue, indicating there could be something going wrong at the conversion stage between the document Working profile -> Print Profile.

You can check the colour space of your placed images in 'Resource Manager' under the 'Document' menu by clicking on that specific image.

15 hours ago, AliceAliceAlice said:

7. Also, in that color settings dialog box there is a checkbox for 'Transparent Background'; it's unchecked (even with the 'erase white paper' filter applied), does checking that box for the file provide the same results as applying the filter? 

This just sets your page(s) background to transparent instead of a matte white which will allow you to see whether or not your images have a transparent background, it won't have any effect if your images already have a white background, so it doesn't apply the same results as the filter.

I would also be interested to see the printed result (with a white background still on the image) if you were to export out of Affinity to PDF, and then try printing the PDF externally from a PDF reader.

[AliceAliceAlice]

Hi, 

I'm familiar with the difference between images, vectors and pixels, I just had never experienced a jpg background changing from white to a shade. It's all working now! :)

I've worked with color profiles as well, though not in Affinity. I'ill keep them in mind for future files.

Thanks for explaining the 'Transparent Background' box. I figured it wouldn't affect a file's filter but didn't know its purpose otherwise, but now I do!

The finished file is printing perfectly in both the afpub and pdf formats. I just ran a quick test using an older file version so I'm not entirely sure the status of the 'erase white paper' filter (I couldn't find a reset to default for it), so it's likely still on. That said, I added a filled white rectangle behind the jpg for one of the images and printed it. The problem returned to both the afpub and pdf versions. 

Hope this helps and thanks again for your support.

[R C-R]

2 hours ago, AliceAliceAlice said:

I just ran a quick test using an older file version so I'm not entirely sure the status of the 'erase white paper' filter (I couldn't find a reset to default for it), so it's likely still on.

The Erase White Paper filter has no settings so there is nothing to reset. Plus, it is a destructive filter so once applied if you save the file (& Save History with Document is not enabled) there is no way to undo its effect.