Printing and Resolution

Okay I've got a pretty nice sized project coming up and I've got some questions before I start. Okay I guess I'll start by telling you what I have to do. I'm doing the printed materials for a Alice In Wonderland a play that is being put on by our theatre group.

Now for my question.

I need to make posters that are 8.5w x 11h, now this will have a border it just has to fit on this size paper, now at what resolution would this be best created on. There will be color versions as well as b&w.

Secondly, this poster will also be shrunk down to the size of the program 5.5w x 8.5h, now will I have to do this for a second time or can I shrink it without loosing the quality??

Would it make sense to do this in Illustrator then bring it to photoshop for details??

Thanks for the help.

your best bet is to build your supporting graphics in photoshop and then do the poster layout in Illustrator... and a second layout in illustrator for the smaller piece using the same supporting graphics..
That's the way its done....use an image editor for the graphics and a layout program for the typography. Just be sure when you take it to the printer to take not only the illustrator document but ALL the supporting graphics as well.

For resolution... you will get away in most cases if you just stay with 300 DPI


After all that I also will tell you that it will help a bunch if you get in touch with the printer that will be printing the pieces and find out what they expect.

hope this helps.

tornup is right . . .

Allow me to add a few thoughts, resolution for printing depends on the way it will be printed; most large print shops use a 200 line screen for process color (CMYK) now-a-days, some smaller shops use 133 line screen while newspaper printers (Web-Presses) use a 85 line screen. The way you figure your resolution is by doubling:

200 line screen = 400 dpi
133 line screen = 266 dpi

BW is a whole different animal, most shops use 133 line screen.

300 dpi is definitely the safe way to go, but like tornup suggested call your print co and ask what line screen they use, once you go 300 dpi you can't go to 400 dpi without shrinking the entire image . . .

I do a ton of work for productions like the job you are describing, almost always I build the background in Photoshop, and the poster in Illustrator. I do all the type in Ill, and create outlines - Print companies love that :D

One additional thought, don't use any fonts below 8 pt. for anything printed at 85 line screen . . . or less.

it sounds like you've probably got all the advice you need, except for one thing. Font issues.

I run into this all the time, too. I work on a PC, my pre-press dept. has Mac G4's. As you may know, the fonts don't jive.

Depending on your software, you may be able to skip the illustrator step - Photoshop 6 does as well with text as illustrator does (Vector based type) -BUT- be sure to rasterize all of your fonts and any effects ("create new layer" from layer effects menu) if you end up using Photoshop to create your poster.

Oh, and if you shrink the .psd file, you'll be okay, just be sure to run a slight Unsharp mask to get back any lost quality.

good luck

-BUT- be sure to rasterize all of your fonts and any effects ("create new layer" from layer effects menu) if you end up using Photoshop to create your poster.

This is the EXACT reason I say use something other than Photoshop for typography.... rasterized text stinks. (unless its some huge ass "graphics element" that just happens to be text. BOdy text looks ratty when rasterized.

Do NOT "rasterize" text.

Make it paths/outlines.....in like Illustrator, FreeHand, or Corel(rkgraphics is right. We printers LOVE it when art comes in where the text is paths.) but don't "rasterize it.... it just looks bad.


>anal display<
just to be "nit-picky" the way you figure printable resolution is
LPI x 1.414 = DPI <--minimum

most people use LPI x 1.5 or even like rkgraphics said, LPI x 2. If you ever get into trouble and need that little extra size you can go as low as 1.414 without pixelization.

tornup has very good points, for sure.

I was referring to crossing platforms with a .psd - IF you choose to build it that way. I'll try to clarify more next time. Or, stay in an area I know better. My bad, as the kiddies say...

You're absolutely right, though, build it with Illustrator if you can. Then, hit up teamillustrator.com, teamfreehand.com or teamcoreldraw.com. I'm sure they can help you out more there.

(yep, I'm a smart ass. All in good fun, though. )

Peace, & Happy designing

Then, hit up teamillustrator.com, teamfreehand.com or teamcoreldraw.com.

hehe, that was pretty funny

Just givin' a printers point of view... and if you except as many outside disk a day as I do.... you would start getting a little asshole'ish too. :D j/k

I'm waiting on Adobe to let Illustrator and Photoshop "shake hands" a little tighter. I mean they use the same filters! There HAS to be a bridge somewhere.

good info in this thread.

I've been waiting for that for a long time, too. (version 4- text was even more butt.) I don't think it will happen though. You'd only have to sink enough cash for one software package!!! God Forbid!

I even dropped that very topic on a couple of Adobe beta testers over lunch last summer at a Thunder Lizard conference in Seattle. All they could say was "just you wait until version 6 comes out!" while shaking a finger at me.

Uh, still waitin' fellas...