(see also: Job Properties Overview)
The Transparency Tab allows you to dynamically apply a transparency or contour cut to a vector or bitmap image from the convenience of the Job Properties window. While this workflow was primarily designed with DTG/DTF setups in mind, there are still numerous other uses this can apply to.
If you plan on using the same options repeatedly, you can set these options up in Default Job Properties to apply these options to all future jobs to streamline your workflow.
Create Transparent Background
When you first check the "Create transparent background" box, your cursor will transform into an eye dropper; on the preview on the right, select the color you want to transform into a transparent background:
Tolerance
The Tolerance bar will adjust how strict it is on the color being removed. If the tolerance is at zero, it will remove only colors in the picture that fit exactly the same RGB or CMYK value. Increasing the Tolerance will increase how much of that white color will be picked up. For example, there is still some white around the logo in the above example. Increasing the tolerance will pick up the last bits of white around the image to clean it up.
"Select Similar Areas" will cut out interior portions of that color as well.
Create Contour Paths
This will create contour cut lines dynamically around the boundaries of the image. It will only go inside transparent objects so if you haven't checked "Create transparent backgrounds," it will just go around the rectangular boundary of the image it if is not a vector. The Contour line is indicated by a bright magenta path.
"Offset" determines the distance from the boundary of the image the line will be placed.
"With Holes" will apply contour cut lines to transparencies inside the image.
| Without Holes | With Holes |
Remove Data in Texture patterns
This feature has relevance to DTG applications, allowing for breathability through the printed area on the garment. You can control the shape and size of the data removal to produce small holes or lines to increase breathability and flexibility.
| Circles | Dashed Lines |
White Backing
You can lay down a white backing from this setup as well. This is especially useful for DTG and WTF applications. In order for these options to be available:
- You must have a printer that supports printing white ink
- You must have a color profile selected in the Color Management Tab that supports white ink in its Color Mode.
| Channel | Selects the ink channel to print the white from. Only useful if you have more than one White channel. |
| White Option: |
Use Driver Setting: Uses the current setting as it exists o the printer Solid Under: Prints white within the non-transparent area of the image, matching the profile of the image, but respects the holes set by the "With Holes" option set above Variable Under: Creates a variable density layer of white within the boundaries of the image, changing the density to match the density of the top color (more color ink = more white) Inverted Variable Under: Same as Variable Under, except it inverts the white density dependent on the top color (more color ink = less white) Spot Color: Prints white only where there is a white spot color in the image (Spot color name MUST be "White"). |
| White Density | Determines the maximum density for the white layer. Solid and transparency mask will print at this density. |
| Use Alpha Channel Data for White | Use with "Use transparency mask." For use with PNG and TIFF files with transparent backgrounds. |