Large format printing and scaling to size

Forum|Forum|15 years ago
September 8, 2010
3 replies
58732 views

Hi all,

I've searched and cannot seem to find an answer.

I'm creating a Banner to go behind a stage for a press conference. The size is 7200 MM x 3300 MM which is too large for Illustrator to handle. So I'm working at 1/4 the size.

My background art is full size created in photoshop, but I scaled it in illustrator. Illustrator has a step and repeat pattern of the company logo on top of the background art.

Now my question is this, How do I generate a print ready PDF at full size? The files are going to be produced in Japan and I'm afraid there may be a language barrier if I ask them to print at 400%. I would prefer to send them a file where all they need to do is print it and not worry about it especially considering the time difference.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

Chris

Print and publish

C

chardmont007

New Participant

Base on my experience I recommend you to finalize it in photoshop as actual size with 72 res just to be sure. as you said they will produce in Japan. put your self in safe side. AI for vector & line drawing. PSD for image.

Scott Falkner

Community Expert

EA Chris wrote:
Now my question is this, How do I generate a print ready PDF at full size?
Thanks in advance.
Chris

You don’t. Save your PDF at scale and let the printer scale it. Leave no doubt that your artwork is to scale and should be output at 400%.

A

Anonymous

I currently work for a Large Format Printer. Building files to a smaller scale (ie: Half Size, Quarter Size) is perfectly acceptable.

You should also be aware that the resolution of your raster images only need to be 72 DPI at final output size. So if you are building at half size, your images only need to be 144 DPI. If building at quarter size, the images would need to be 288 DPI.

A

Anonymous

I agree with Russell here. Working with files that large at 600 dpi would bring any current system to a crawl.

600 dpi = output resolution at 100%; dpi = dots per inch; not 600 ppi; ppi = pixels per inch = image resolution = 144 ppi.

Russell, I understand that 72 ppi will do fine from a distance and you can get away with that image resolution using large format inkjet technology. I based my numbers on the conventional thinking of resolution = 2x the line screen, hence 72 lpi x 2 = 144 ppi @ 100%. Document / raster resolution should equal the output resolution. In this case, that should be 600 dpi, so if the file is going to be enlarged 400%, the document resolution should be 2400 dpi. Document resolution is not image resolution. Russell, you are correct in that if the file's image resolution is 72 ppi after being enlarged 400%, then the reduced pdf image resolution should be set to 288 ppi. So, document resolution ( or output resolution ) at 2400 dpi / image resolution at 288 ppi will equal 600 dpi / 72 ppi respectfully when enlarged.