![]() This image shows how the vector flattener has created three new vector paths that no longer overlap (moved apart for the purposes of illustration), with the color of 2 representing the blend evident in the original artwork. The shapes are rasterized (at somewhat low resolution for the purposes of illustration) and you can see the jagged edges that result. The result of regular raster-based flattening. The rectangle indicates the zoom area for the next two images. In this example, two partially transparent shapes overlap, and set to use a multiply blend. Using existing APIs that apply De Casteljau’s algorithm to decompose Bézier curves and a new method to trace around shapes, flattened content can retain its device independence and printing quality. In the latest release, Global Graphics Software’s Mako Core SDK (v6.2.0) adds this capability to its raster-based transparency flattening API. This requires dividing the artwork down into smaller parts that no longer overlap, then tracing the edges of the new shapes with a vector path. The alternative is to retain vector geometry, including text, as vector objects. 02 Raster effects in Illustrator work in a similar fashion to using Smart Objects in Photoshop, and all elements remain editable when effects are applied. We often use raster images in Adobe Illustrator, for example, for the Live Trace, Mosaic Effect, Halftone Effect, or simply as a reference image. If the version is higher than 8, then much transparency is maintained. Flattening may be necessary when you print or when you save or export to other formats that don’t support transparency. If you are saving your artwork for someone using Illustrator, just save the file in the appropriate version. As artwork becomes more complex (mixing images, vectors, type, spot colors, overprinting, and so on), so does the flattening and its results. ![]() Of course, increasing the resolution of the rasterization can mitigate that problem, but doing so takes longer and adds to file size. Flattening divides transparent artwork into vector-based areas and rasterized areas. Flattening usually involves rasterizing areas of the page that are subject to transparency effects, which could mean replacing sharp-edged vector content with a jagged-edged bitmap. When you print PDF content or save or export it to other formats that do not support transparency, it will need to undergo a process called flattening. ![]() ![]() This week, Mako™ product manager David Stevenson explains vector flattening: ![]()
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