i make designs using adobe photoshop and illustrator and now i need to design a large poster and get it printed at some printing office.. should i create the design with the actual poster dimensions? and what kind of file extention should i give to the printing office? thx
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It depends on the size of your works.
If you’re designing a poster in photoshop with 100×70 cm, you can work at actual size, regarding the resolution isn’t above 75 dpi. This will prevent your file from being irrationally huge. Or you can work at 25% of actual size, with 300 dpi resolution. It will have the same amount of Mb as the one with 75 dpi at 100%.
The principle is: the amount you reduce your work is inverse to the amount of your work’s resolution (1/4 of actual size = 4 x resolution).
If you’re working on Illustrator, you can work at 100%, as this program is mainly a vector program. You can scale your draws without jeopardizing their quality. This is valid if you don’t have pictures in your file. In this case, previous rule is applicable.
Prints should ALWAYS be created at 300 dpi.
And ALWAYS made at actual size.
This will give the printer the best document to work with. It would be awful for you to get to your deadline, or even PAY for prints that were anything less than their best. It wont cost you more to make the prints at actual size and 300 dpi, but your results will be MUCH better than if you compromise to try and make a smaller document size.
Check with your specific printer about what types of files sithey prefer to recieve.
Also, any fonts you use in your print: Make sure you save a “Printers version” seperate from your original, where you “Expand” the fonts to outlines. In Illustrator you click on your type box and choose Type > create outlines
In Photoshop, it may not be as important, but if you are saving it as a PDF, choose to raterize your fonts.
InDesign and PDFs are what we use i my design office to make posters, brochures, etc..
If you want a bleed around your edges I reccomend using InDesign instead of Illustrator or Photoshop.