Transparency
Drop shadows, opacity settings and blending modes are all transparency. The PDF/X-4 format preserves them cleanly. Build your transparency effects in CMYK, on CMYK objects, to avoid a colour shift at flattening.
Overprint
Overprint prints an object on top of the background instead of knocking it out. Handy for black text and varnishes, but dangerous by accident: a white object set to overprint disappears, and a coloured one can blend into the background. Check the overprint preview before exporting.
Check before you send
- Exported as PDF/X-4 (transparency preserved)
- Transparent objects in CMYK
- No white set to overprint
- Overprint preview checked
Frequently asked questions
Why did an element disappear in print?
Usually a white object left set to overprint: it prints “transparent”. Turn overprint off on anything white.
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