Let's dig a little bit deeper into the topic
of image resolution as it relates to large format output.
How do you determine the correct image resolution?
Well, one of the things you have to take into consideration
is the distance at which the output is going to be viewed.
For example, a piece that's going to be viewed at say
two to three feet, 200 pixels per inch is probably adequate.
So something like a poster on a wall that people
can get a couple of feet away from, 200's probably alright.
If they're going to be farther away, say three to
10 feet, 150 pixels per inch might be perfectly adequate.
Farther away, 10 to 20 feet, 100 pixels per inch might be fine.
And if they're going to be really far away, think of a bill
board, 75 pixels per inch for a final size might be perfectly fine.
Now if you were raised like I was on the notion that 300 pixels
per inch is that magic number, this may be making you sort of twitch.
But keep in mind when people are far enough away
visually, 100 pixels per inch when you're 20 feet away, that's
equivalent to what a 300 pixels per inch image looks
like up close unless you have the eyes of an eagle.
But keep in mind that these are just general guidelines.
Of course you'd want to ask your printer for the precise value that he wants.
So for example, a 36 by 48 inch poster.
You build it at half size, you plan to out put
it at 200 percent to get it up to full size.
You're building it at 18 inches by 24 inches.
The image resolution in your working file is
300 when it's output at that 200 percent.
The effective res is going to be 150 pixels per inch.
If you were building at full size and outputting
at same size, 100%, in other words, you are
building to that 36 by 48, well then you'd
use the final image resolution, 150 pixels per inch.
I know it's a lot of numbers, but it
starts to get easier after you've done one of these.
But the true answer is always ask your printer.
So don't guess what the appropriate resolution is going to be.
Too much information means it's going to take longer to process.
Too little data, of course, may mean some deterioration in the look of the image.
So, take the numbers in this movie as just sort of a general guideline
to give you an idea of how you may be asked to prepare your artwork.
But, before you go too far, ask the printer.