Exporting a Larger Scale

[mmzentz]

Hello,

I am using Adobe Photoshop CC 2018, release 19.1.5, and I am looking to export a large banner, 42X120inches. However, when I go to export it the scale will not let me exceed 46%. Any suggestions on how to fix this?

[Michael Bullo]

Could you provide a little more info on what this is for as it could influence any suggestions.

For example, if you were printing this and it were to be viewed at a distance you might not need as high a resolution as you think. In this case, you might be able to get away with exporting out a significantly smaller file.

Could exporting this thing out in pieces be an option?

[mmzentz]

Yes its to be hung on a railing in the student center on a college campus. The campus printing service needs to to be in a PDF file. So I typically export from Photoshop as a JPG and then convert it to a PDF on my Mac using the Preview application. However, when I do so the whole banner is too small and that is when I realized it is scaled at 46%, which is not 42x120inches. The printing service told me that the PDF of the banner needs to be enlarged 1090%.

[Michael Bullo · Accepted solution]

Resolution is a critical factor here. Have you been given any guidelines by your printing service? Graphics for documents are generally 300dpi but the numbers are often much lower for things like banners.

Also note that Photoshop can export out a PDF. From the Save As menu change the Format from Photoshop to Photoshop PDF.

[D Fosse]

mmzentz  wrote

The printing service told me that the PDF of the banner needs to be enlarged 1090%.

Yes, but that's the physical print size, not the pixel dimensions. When you enlarge a raster file for large printing, you just set the dimensions, which will cause the pixels per inch (ppi) number to drop as size goes up. Larger print size = fewer pixels per inch of print.

Open the Image Size dialog, uncheck Resample Image (it should normally always stay unchecked), and see for yourself. Print size and ppi are inversely related. One goes up, the other goes down.

At some point, printing a raster file larger and larger, the pixel density drops too low. But depending on your original file, you may not be there yet. The thing is, as the print gets bigger, you will step backwards to take it all in. If it's big enough, you need to go across the street to see it. So the optical resolution stays the same - which is why the very same file can often be used whether it's a magazine spread or a wall-sized banner.

For a large wall banner, ppi can be as low as 15 or 20 ppi, and still be crisp and sharp.

The PDF file format has physical print size as a main parameter, as do vector apps like InDesign and Illustrator. That's what the printers mean. What can be confusing here is that Photoshop doesn't work with size, it works with pixels only. Size is determined afterwards, by setting a ppi number. So set print size in Photoshop Image Size, and then decide whether the file has enough pixel density (ppi) for that size.

If there's text involved, you should really use InDesign anyway.