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Flora5E7E
Participant
May 4, 2021
Answered

How do I make a low dpi image into a 4 metre poster!

  • May 4, 2021
  • 4 replies
  • 2104 views

Hi all,

 

I have been asked to upscale some low dpi images to be used for posters sized either 3 or 4 metres. This is my first time doing something like this and I don't even really know where to start! Sorry if this is a very silly question with a very simple answer. 

For example; one of the images is 406kb, another is 1.91mb, 5.12mb, 1.86mb and 2.20mb. 

 

The client really hasn't given me much more information other than the images he wants resized and how big he wants them! 

 

Please help out a newbie!

 

Thanks in advance.  

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer D Fosse

You can't just upscale a small image. Technically you can, but it will look exactly like what it is.

 

Unfortunately, a lot of people think Photoshop is a magic wand that can fix anything. They generally don't know what they're talking about, but those are the expectations we have to deal with. Sometimes we need to educate the client, to save them from a disaster. This is such a case.

 

The old saying is still true: garbage in > garbage out. In this case, it's mostly garbage. 1170 x 833 is out. That's a web image and will never work. The larger ones might work, if the image is of top quality to begin with, but anything below 3000 pixels long side can safely be forgotten. It's just too small. Unless it will only make up a small part of the total.

 

But to be clear, this would be a rescue operation, even for the bigger images. And it all depends on viewing distance and general context.

4 replies

D Fosse
Community Expert
D FosseCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
May 4, 2021

You can't just upscale a small image. Technically you can, but it will look exactly like what it is.

 

Unfortunately, a lot of people think Photoshop is a magic wand that can fix anything. They generally don't know what they're talking about, but those are the expectations we have to deal with. Sometimes we need to educate the client, to save them from a disaster. This is such a case.

 

The old saying is still true: garbage in > garbage out. In this case, it's mostly garbage. 1170 x 833 is out. That's a web image and will never work. The larger ones might work, if the image is of top quality to begin with, but anything below 3000 pixels long side can safely be forgotten. It's just too small. Unless it will only make up a small part of the total.

 

But to be clear, this would be a rescue operation, even for the bigger images. And it all depends on viewing distance and general context.

    F
    Flora5E7EAuthor
    Participant
    May 5, 2021

    Ok thank you for all of this. I will let the client know!

    Jumpenjax
    Community Expert
    JumpenjaxCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 4, 2021

    Oooo, hopefully you have the original photos. The dpi is located under image>image size>Where you can control size height and width and resolution (dpi). But From the sizes of the images you explain you may have an issue with quality.

    Lee- Graphic Designer, Print Specialist, Photographer
    c.pfaffenbichler
    Community Expert
    c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 4, 2021

    The larger the viewing distance the lower the effective resolution can be without becoming noticable. 

    http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/what-print-resolution-works-for-what-viewing-distance/

     

    Photoshop offers different Resample Methods, Camera Raw recently added an upscaling option, additional Sharpening may also help, …

    Alternatively you could also look into other software. 

    https://topazlabs.com/shop/

    F
    Flora5E7EAuthor
    Participant
    May 4, 2021

    I'm a bit stuck because the client hasn't given me any info as to what the viewing distance is going to be or what he is even going to use them for! He has simply asked me if I can scale them up to be good quality as 4metre posters. 

     

    Can you help me? Do you think this is going to be possible? I don't usually do this - hence me being a complete newbie!

    Derek Cross
    Community Expert
    Derek CrossCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 4, 2021

    What are the dimensions of each of the original images in pixels? 

      F
      Flora5E7EAuthor
      Participant
      May 4, 2021

      Hi Derek, the dimensions are as follows;

      1) 1170 x 833

      2) 1997 x 2598

      3) 4323 x 3307

      4) 2362 x 1706

      5) 3701 x 2150

      Derek Cross
      Community Expert
      Derek CrossCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      May 4, 2021

      Are the images to be collected together in one image, perhaps with some lettering added, or five separate posters?

      For a large poster that's to be viewed from a distance, you can use a really low resolution – experiment between 25 and 50 PPI. 

      (By the way, the correct terminology is Pixels Per Inch (PPI) – DPI, Dots Per Inch is for printer resolution.)

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