Print resolution question
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- jerkyjake
Total print hack here, in need of some advice. I'm doing some booth art for a tradeshow.
When something is printed in a very large format like my current project (10 ft. high by 20 ft. wide) do you make the Illustrator file exactly that gigantic size? Or do you create a proportionally correct file and let the printer enlarge it on their end? Or is it question of resolution? I can't imagine you'd need 300 dpi at those dimensions. What do you pros recommend?
Thanks in advance. I appreciate it!
- detritus0
You talk to the people who are going to print the thing for you and they will give you guidelines to work to, but no - you'll very rarely (if ever) do large format printing at 300dpi.
Typically it'll be a quarter- or a half- or some percentage- sized.
- jerkyjake0
The finished product will be a mix of vector and photography. The photos they've supplied are huge and full res, so they shouldn't be an issue.
I am planning on talking to the printer, but didn't want to go into it knowing nothing. Best to get educated from you guys, who I trust, first...so that I can be sure it turns out nice.
- JayCee0
1/4 scale @ 300 DPI.
- rascuache0
It's best to talk to the printer to find out what resolution they're going to print at, and work backwards from that. I usually go for 1/4 size at 400dpi, assuming the final, full size material is printed at 100dpi.
Also if it's a trade booth, is it broken down into panels? If so, I'd recommend using indesign to set up each panel as a page at your calculated size. Then it's easy to arrange a spread to get all your artwork together, then export PDFs/EPSs etc as separate pages.
- MrT0
+1 for Gnash - I always set up artwork at 10% of final size, it's much easier to deal with. I've never known a printer that can't scale an artwork.
For your design I've always worked to an average eye-level of 1.4m (about 7 hands and a beaver's tail in American measurements) - good to bear in mind for smaller copy that you'd read on the stand/booth.
- Wait, is that the width or length of a beavers tail?Amicus
- jerkyjake0
I really appreciate these guidelines! Thanks so much for taking the time. I'm sure I'd hate my life if I were trying to wrangle a 10x20 foot (or 14 hands, two thumbs, a belt buckle, and three beaver paws) monster file about. Also, good tip on the eye level. I'll be purposely placing some graphics above head level as well.
- wcargill0
We do large format printing (up to 64" wide) at our shop and our printer's resolution requirements are 100dpi for raster files. Anything else is wasted ones and zeros. I agree with the above posters to check with your provider though.
- bainbridge0
Lol at "two thumbs, a belt buckle, and three beaver paws".