Workflows that need large canvas / artboard

[rama_ai]

Illustrator supports maximum artboard size of 227 x 227 inches / 577 x 577 cm.  In which workflows you would use canvas / artboard size greater than 227 x 227 inches / 577 x 577 cm?

Those who create design for billboard and large format printing, would you prefer design in actual size instead of scaled design (1/10 or reduced proportion of actual size)

-Rama

Illustrator Team

[PicaGrove]

Awesome, thanks

[daviesdesignated]

We regularly do Graphic Design work which gets sent to large format printers.

I found this forum while searching for a reason why illustrator and indesign have bleed limits and document size limits.

At times we just do the artwork at full size at 150dpi, but are asked to supply 50mm bleed.

My current document is almost 4 metres wide by 2 high.

The annoying thing is that i can expand my document size to allow for that much bleed but I can't use the document bleed settings. It seems an unnecessary stumbling block. I have to draw my own crop marks and export a pdf without bleed.

If you and the team were to increase the maximum bleed area to something ridiculous like 100mm maximum, that would be so helpful.

thanks.

[happybana0]

Working in actual size would be greatly appreciated. When I'm designing a mural, a billboard, or signage I prefer to work in actual measurements. Trying to scale things just leaves way too much room for error and takes extra time trying to calculate everything to a scale that will work for the artboard. With the computing power at our fingertips in even cheaper laptops these days, there is no reason why we shouldn't be able to do this.

[PicaGrove]

See Pariah Burke post above and the link - Feature Request/Bug Report Form

I've sent off a request a couple weeks ago, you guys should do the same.

[Pariah Burke]

Indeed, please do send the request via that form. Adobe's product managers and engineers prioritize new feature development in large part on the number of requests they receive for a feature or change. Thus, the more requests, the higher the priority for development.

[taylormadeideas]

YES PLEASE!

I'm trying to do a hockey rink billboard that is 264" x 30" and this is now becoming a real pain.

[angular_fashion5C72]

so what do we do in the mean time so annoying , especially as vetcors are preferable to bitmap for size

[onepixeldesign]

Actual size!

[jimmmmmmm]

I have the same issue. Working at a reduced size leaves too many variables open for error. I would like to see a larger canvas and artboards for large-scale graphics, or at least the option to break large scale graphics into smaller slices.

[M Umar Riaz]

There are a Huge PROBLEMS if Working with Scale as listed below:

1) If used Raster Image, Calculate its Resolution (Proportional to its Physical Position)

2) If used Repeatable Pattern on Background, and when i am Fully Satisfied with the Pattern Size, i will Sent it for Printer RIP and he will Simply SCALE UP the Pattern 10 TIMES! If i could design at 1:1, i would rather Repeat pattern instead of Scaling.

3) The Allowed Maximum Size is TOO SMALL that we cannot even Design at Scaled Ratio of 1:10 and 1:12, which is usually Required by Printers and Easy to Calculate. Myself I need to Design a Banner which is 206 Feet Wide. Can't Design it in 1:10 (Bigger than 227 inches), neither in 1:12 (bigger than 200 inches which is a BOTTLE NECK by PDF)!

SUGGESTION:

Remove the Export Limit from illustrator to PDF (which is currently set to 200 Inches!), We want to Send Print Ready PDF file which don't need further scaling.

If you can't Remove the Limit entirely, at least Extend it so that Most of the Time we would work on 1:1 and for Exceptional Case, we would be able to work on 1:10 or 1:12.

[alisonv25218141]

Yes please, it should be bigger.

Also, there is a bleed limit I just noticed, of 2.54cm, which should be increased.

[AC Brand team]

I want to be able to work at 100% and I need a bleed that goes beyond 25.4mm.

I'm creating signage templates (1120mm x 2300mm and 1420mm x 2990mm), which due to the substrate and manufacture process, require a bleed of 50mm and 100mm. I don't want to have to add the bleed elements within the artboard.

Also, please remove the bizarre export limit from illustrator to PDF. Why doesn't it match Illustrator?

While we're at it, can we please have a preview mode like InDesign so I can see hide everything not on the artboard.

Thank you!

[crunkysteezo]

Looks like the Illustrator feature request for this has over 400 votes but it needs a new Product Manager:

Remove canvas size limit – Adobe Illustrator Feedback

[doritoe]

I often work on large format designs (that currently do not fit into the IA canvas size) and it would be very helpful to be able to work in 1:1 size rather than having to reduce the size proportionally. This is especially true because some vendors require a minimum ratio and sometimes that ratio is still bigger than the IA canvas!

I am with the rest of the group here. Please make this correction and offer us a larger canvas size!

thanks!

[doctortao]

So how do I create a 25'x11' billboard in illustrator?

[Terry Tobin]

I need to do a billboard at 294" wide X 90" deep. Illustrator only lets me do 227" wide. How do I work around that?

[Steve Werner]

You scale it down. Most large format printers are used to receiving scaled down jobs. Please consult with them.

[Terry Tobin]

Thanks, my file is half size, which is what they (Billboard Company) wanted at 300 dpi in Illustrator. I do have a call into them. I could scale down proportionally to 227" but was trying to avoid that, thought maybe there was a way to make the artboard bigger. This is helpful tho, thank you.

[creativeadvantech]

1:1 is my vote.  After countless reprints and money down the drain,  business owners cannot afford to keep losing money due to workarounds.  In print, accuracy is if not the most important factor.

[Hermond]

I am on the same boat as everyone in here, need to make an adhesive billboard of 1,6 meters by 1 meter, and I can´t of course. The only way is to scale down things, but when upscaling I am afraid that things won´t look exactly as I draw them, let´s hope that my printer knows what they are doing. I can´t understand why is not possible. It is 2020 after all...

[MRPJ]

Working at actual size would be an amazing option to have! Also, the limit to a 1 inch bleed within Illustrator is frustrating. This should be malleable as well.

[imperialtextile]

We're a textile company and we have templates that we use to place artwork and then print that template once it goes into production. It is about 260" wide and does not fit into the space of 227" x 227". If I scale it down and then once it get to my Production team, they'd have to rescale it on their own. This leaves room for error and possibly wasting materials. If I am unable to expand the canvas size and we want to reduce risk of error, we have to change the way we produce our product...which again can lead to errors and wasted materials. So for me, being the one that creates the production files, it would be easier for me to work in full size rather than scaling down. 

[tamerhad]

577.955 X 577.955 cm

[Arkan_dafsdfsdf]

I work with both billboards and murals, for most instances working with scaled artboards are ok but if there was a possibility to work 1:1 that would be much preferred as integration with psd's and other types of artwork sometimes adds a lot of extra work...

[Monika Gause]

The new version 24.2 does have larger canvas.

You might want to wait a little, because there still is a bug with the Align function.