Soft Masks / Feathering Detected

Our system detected an image or object in your file utilizing a soft-edged mask (such as a feathered edge, a faded drop shadow, or a gradient mask).

Why This Matters for Printing Soft masks are a complex form of live transparency. While your computer monitor easily renders fading gradients and soft edges, commercial prepress software reads these soft masks mathematically. If they are not flattened, the faded edges can unexpectedly render as solid white or harsh black boxes, ruining the design.

How to Fix This Issue You must flatten the soft edges into a solid image before uploading:

• Rasterize the Object: In Adobe Illustrator, select the graphic with the soft mask. Go to Object > Rasterize. Choose CMYK color model, High (300 ppi) resolution, and select "Transparent" for the background. Click OK, then save your PDF.
• Export as PDF/X-1a: You can also try exporting the entire document using the PDF/X-1a:2001 preset, which forces all transparencies and soft masks to flatten.

Need more help? If rasterizing creates a white box around your image, ensure you selected the "Transparent" background option. Contact our team if you need further help!