“Discover 3 simple steps to entirely eliminate color banding or gradient banding in your photos with Photoshop! In this lesson, we’ll learn how to use the right bit-depth to avoid banding in the first place and then explore several filters to dissolve the banding and add texture.”
Find more of Unmesh Dinda’s content here.
Learn more in my digital photography and digital printing workshops.
If your Blurb book was damaged in shipping or has a production defect (like banding or improper binding) Blurb will replace it. Simple email them a picture of your problem to start the process.
There are a number of things that can go wrong that Blurb can’t cover, which you can control by carefully checking a file before you upload it.
Here’s Blurb’s Return Policy.
Blurb guarantees your satisfaction with the workmanship of your book. On the off chance your book arrives damaged or with a manufacturing defect, contact us via Blurb’s Customer Support within 14 days of receipt. We’ll make things right. Please understand that Blurb does not provide refunds or cancel orders, and except for the cases expressly described in this return policy (i.e., your book arrives damaged, with a manufacturing defect or a defect in workmanship), Blurb cannot otherwise accept returns.
Please note that each book you order from us is individually made by one of Blurb’s top-notch professional book-printing partners. There may be minor differences across different prints of the same books and/or across books printed by our different book-printing partners, including, but not limited to, slight variances in color fidelity and binding type. While we work very hard to keep our product as consistent as possible, this variation is a normal occurrence and is not considered a manufacturing defect or a defect in workmanship and does not qualify for a reprint.
When Purchasing Your Own Book…
Your book is all yours: Blurb does not proof, edit, or change your content in any way. This means it’s your responsibility to review your book before you publish, and fix:
– Typos, grammar, unfinished text, or other text errors
– Low-resolution images that may appear blurry in print
– Dark images that appear dark on screen (Blurb doesn’t lighten your images to match what you see on a backlit screen)
– Design issues, including book format, organization, style, color, and page layout
– Any other creative choices you made in Blurb BookSmart® or PDF to Book you want to revisit
We strongly recommend printing a hard copy of your book on your local printer for a final once-over. (You might ask a friend to look it over, too.) If you find changes you’d like to make, no problem. Just make them in Blurb BookSmart® or your original PDF to Book file, upload the revised book, and then order as many copies as you’d like.
When Purchasing a Book From the Blurb Bookstore…
Blurb is not responsible for the quality of the content of any book in the Blurb Bookstore. Each book you purchase from the Blurb Bookstore is custom printed only upon your order, and we don’t warehouse books, therefore we do not accept returns or process refunds for any reason, except to the extent we guarantee your satisfaction with the workmanship of our books, as described above.
Learn more with my Bookmaking Lessons.
Learn more in my Fine Art Digital Printing Workshops.
Problem
I’ve got white micro-banding in my print(s).
Solution
Check for nozzle clogs with the Printer Utility.
Realign the print heads with the Printer Utilities.
If the problem persists, adjust print speed slower with Advanced Media Control’s Paper Feed Adjustment.
In rare cases, the media feed speed can’t be adjusted with software adequately and that means it’s time to send a printer in for servicing.
Read more Printing Tips.
Learn more in my Fine Art Digital Printing Workshops.
Problem
I’ve got colored micro-banding in my print(s).
Solution
Unclog the nozzles with the Printer Utility.
Colored micro-banding means one of the inkheads isn’t firing. It’s not always uniform.
Read more Printing Tips.
Learn more in my Fine Art Digital Printing Workshops.
Problem
I’ve got dark micro-banding in my print(s).
Solution
Realign the print heads with the Printer Utility. If printing on High Speed, try printing with High Speed off.
If the problem persists, adjust print speed with Advanced Media Control’s Paper Feed Adjustment.
Dark micro-banding happens when lines of ink overlap each other. Imprecise head alignment is the most common problem. Less frequently, the speed media is feed through the printer is slightly off. In rare cases, the media feed speed can’t be adjusted with software adequately and that means it’s time to send a printer in for servicing.
Read more Printing Tips.
Learn more in my Fine Art Digital Printing Workshops.
Problem
I’ve got broad linear banding in my print(s).
Solution
Make sure your data transfer from computer to printer is fast and uninterrupted.
Do use a fast connection like USB2 or Ethernet.
Don’t use a cord that too long – less than 12 feet.
Don’t tie up your computer up with tasks other than printing.
As this is a data transfer issue, it affects larger prints (more data) more than smaller prints (less data).
Don’t confuse this type of banding with micro-banding (small thin lines) or non-linear banding (in the file).
Read more Printing Tips.
Learn more in my Fine Art Digital Printing Workshops.
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The videos in the Epson Print Academy are packed with information. Epson’s Larry Kauffmann, a source with over a decade of direct real world insider experience, quickly dispels many myths and provides clear information.
Here’s one tip. Epson printers provide both USB2 and Ethernet. Both are fast enough for the highest quality printing. USB2 has length limitations, so it’s used when printing from a computer near a printer. Ethernet is used to print over longer distances.
As an aside, fast data transfer prevents banding. If you encounter banding check a few things. Check head alignment. Check the cable delivering the data – type and length. Check to see that the computer spooling the data isn’t taxed performing other functions.
Learn more at the Epson Print Academy.
Learn more in my workshops.
We’ve been finishing the last prints for my annual open studio exhibit where I unveil New Work from 2008 for the first time. We ran into subtle banding in a few prints. So how do we trouble shoot it?
First check the file at 100% screen magnification. If it’s in the file add a touch of noise. If you need to use more noise than you’d like, use Noiseware afterwards.
Second check the printer. Is the data transfer fast enough? (Don’t perform other calculation intensive operations while printing. Close other programs if necessary. Make sure your cable connection isn’t too slow or too long.) Are the heads aligned? Are you sure it’s banding and not nozzle clog? (Nozzle clogs are tiny light lines. Banding is dark lines, often thick with soft edges.) Are you printing at high speed? (Try printing it slower.)
Third, as a last resort, rotate the image 90 degrees and try printing it again. Huh? Right! Many of my files are particularly difficult to print – semi-neutral fields with very smooth gradations. These types of images display incompatibilities with printer drivers and their screening frequencies that just don’t happen in most images. It has to do with screening frequencies. Why does rotation help? I don’t have an explanation for it. But it works.
Hopefully all of this will help you with your prints.
Get information on my Annual Exhibit here.
Check my blog for the most up to date information on the event.
Check out my blog during the event to see video of my new installation events.
Check out my Gallery to see more images.
Check out my Gallery during and after the exhibit to see new images.
Check out my workshops series The Fine Digital Print here.