iGen_DesignersGuide_lowres

Gradients
When printing a Microsoft Office file that contains a gradient fill within non-
EPS graphics or vector objects, banding may occur in the printed output.
Office does not render gradient fills into PostScript gradients. Instead, Office
uses the Microsoft Windows Graphical Device Interface (GDI) to generate
halftone steps that are then sent to the press.
The banding effect may appear more obvious with larger gradients and
depend on the percentage of colors used. For the smoothest gradients, you
may want to create them in Illustrator CS3 and in the [File] menu select
[Save for Microsoft Office]. This gradient.png file can then be placed into
the Microsoft Office document. Also, processing an Office file into a PDF
with [Convert Gradients to Smooth Shades] selected in Acrobat Distiller may
improve smoothness or reduce banding. Experimentation is recommended.
Design
Digital Printing Reference 81