Resolution of vector smart objects when printing

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
March 13, 2019
3 replies
2820 views

I have a few myths I need debunking about smart objects and vector graphics in general.

Let's say I link a vector file from illustrator to a photoshop document that is fully rasterized (pixels). I know that this vector link is now infinitely scalable in the photoshop document i.e. whatever size I print at the vector smart object will look good, independent to the rasterized image. However, what exactly designates "good" for a vector smart object when printing. More specifically, what is the ppi of the vector smart object when I print. Can I control this? Does a vector smart object in photoshop print as well as printing the .ai file directly? In digital space, say I export this hybrid illustrator/photoshop file as a pdf. Will my vector smart object appear crisp and smooth? How smooth?

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Danny Whitehead.

Legend

In addition to Monika's accurate information, vector shapes and live type set in Photoshop (but not vectors in smart objects) do remain vector, but only if you save the Photoshop files as PDF.

S

samueld6911674Author

Participating Frequently

when you mean "set in photoshop" you mean created in photoshop, correct? i.e. text or shapes that I create using the ps type tool or the pen tool, respectively. On the other hand, anything linked to a photoshop file, such as an illustrator file, will always raster -- I'm assuming.

Danny Whitehead.

Legend

samueld6911674 wrote
when you mean "set in photoshop" you mean created in photoshop, correct? i.e. text or shapes that I create using the ps type tool or the pen tool, respectively. On the other hand, anything linked to a photoshop file, such as an illustrator file, will always raster -- I'm assuming.

You got it!

M

Mariam Hovhannesyan

Community Expert

Try to save photoshop file in maximum quality jpeg or png and save as illustrator file in 600dpi png, then make your full design in indesign and save your file as 600dpi and print, I think that's the best way to work

Monika Gause

Community Expert

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Mariam+Hovhannessian schrieb
save as illustrator file in 600dpi png,

Vector files don't have a resolution.

So it's best to save the Photoshop content as a raster file format at whatever appropriate resolution for the printing process. And save the Illustrator file as AI/PDF. Then combine both in InDesign.

Monika Gause

Community Expert

The vector smart object will be automatically rasterized in the size it has within that PSD file. You can scale it to a different size inside Photoshop, but soon as it's printed, it gets rasterized.

So yes, quality is better when printing it from Illustrator or a layout application

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