Do I need to vectorize an art image if I will be printing it out to 74" x 40" on paper?

[Arcade26]

Do I need to vectorize an art image that I an placing into Illustrator if the plan is to

print out the document to 74" high by 40" wide?

[Monika Gause]

Depends on the printing process, the way you display the printed image and the nature of the image.

You might want to add some detail.

[Arcade26]

Thank you Monika Gause.

When you say "you may want to add some detail" are you saying I need to tell you more

about what final result I want before you can help me with my question or do you mean

that I may want to vectorize the art image but it depends on whether I want to add more

detail to the image?  Not sure what your words meant.

[Monika Gause]

You need to tell us more about the nature of the image. Is that a photo or your logo?

Will that poster be attached to a wall at the busy highway or will people watch it close?

How will it be printed? What are the specifications? Have you already talked to the printing folks?

[Arcade26]

It will be printed on Vinyl that will be attached to the side of one of those 1980s

arcade cabinets.

[Monika Gause]

And have you talked to the printer? What do they need from you?

Please get these specifications. Without those everything is just guesswork. You just need to pickup the phone.

[jdanek]

No.  Like Monika says, talk with the print vendor.  Sounds like large format, probably inkjet, but could be dye sub.

[Arcade26]

Thank you jdanek.

I asked the printer what specifications he needed for the .AI file

with regards to whether it needs to be vectorized or anything and these are his exact

words via email:

"You can just send me the ai file and I'll take care of it.  Thanks."

[Monika Gause]

Phone them and ask them until you know exactly what to do.

Because contrary to popular belief we don't have crystal balls.

[Arcade26]

Thank you Monika Gause.

  I will do that.