Help: Software for large formats

[pelican]

I am posting for a friend who is a neophyte graphic designer. She uses Adobe Illustrator for her lay-outs but since her project right now requires a bigger size (one that cannot be supported by illustrator) what can she use instead? Other people have been suggesting that she use Corel Draw x11 since this is compatible with MAC, but we haven't figured out a way to install it until now. Thank you.

[dominiquejames]

How big is big?

[Satoshi]

I am posting for a friend who is a neophyte graphic designer. She uses Adobe Illustrator for her lay-outs but since her project right now requires a bigger size (one that cannot be supported by illustrator) what can she use instead? Other people have been suggesting that she use Corel Draw x11 since this is compatible with MAC, but we haven't figured out a way to install it until now. Thank you.

she can actually import and 'scale' the illustrator file to photoshop, tell her to just 'open' her illustrator file in photoshop and a dialog box will appear. lalabas yung details like changing size and DPI and since the file's in illustrator, it will be rasterized without any lossy quality (unless it's an image edited in illustrator but I don't know if people edit images in illustrator anyway)

i hope that helps.

[pelican]

How big is big?

4 x 6 meters.

[pelican]

she can actually import and 'scale' the illustrator file to photoshop, tell her to just 'open' her illustrator file in photoshop and a dialog box will appear. lalabas yung details like changing size and DPI and since the file's in illustrator, it will be rasterized without any lossy quality (unless it's an image edited in illustrator but I don't know if people edit images in illustrator anyway)

i hope that helps.

Thanks. I will tell my friend.

[kaffee]

4 x 6 meters.

Hmm, about 13ft x 19ft. That's a manageable size in Illustrator. Just don't attempt to do this in Photoshop unless you've gigabytes of RAM to spare.

In general, your friend can ask the print supplier for a desired reduced image size without loss if your friend's machine cannot handle to save the actual output size. Printers usually are helpful with tips, espcecially concerning their machines. Ask, too, if the printer can rip Corel files.
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If your friend, a neophyte graphic designer, is truly interested in pursuing the career, best to stick with Adobe and/or Macromedia (now Adobe-owned).
IMO, not only is Adobe industry-standard, Corel is a memory hog, not to mention that you have to be very specific with colors, so if you can manage with Illustrator, stick with it.

[ltp]

4 x 6 meters.

contrary to kaffee's post. 4x6 meters is still 'small ' for photoshop.
For large formats, e.g. tarpaulins, 100dpi is good enough. With the 4x6 meter requirement with actual size at 100dpi, the resolution is just around 15700x23600 pixels. 1gb RAM can still handle it. You can even get as low as 50dpi for very large billboards.

You can still layout / edit in Corel, just export your file to .TIF for final output. Most large format printers use TIF. Just ask (printing company) what color space they are using if sRBG or CMYK profiles. AFAIK Roland uses CMYK and DGI uses sRGB

[kaffee]

contrary to kaffee's post. 4x6 meters is still 'small ' for photoshop.

That's correct, assuming his Photoshop is PPC compatible, unlike Photoshop [CS2, for ex.]-Intel (unless it's CS3) which can really crawl. I guess, I'd say we've to also assume the user is on Mac, not PC, where resource management and specs differ in terms of file-handling and such (the hardware configuration stuff, the app configuration and so on).
4x6 meters, I agree, is a manageable size in either apps; we just don't know the exact machine the user is on because it wasnt stated. I assume it to be basic specs based on the nature of the inquiry

For large formats, e.g. tarpaulins, 100dpi is good enough. With the 4x6 meter requirement with actual size at 100dpi, the resolution is just around 15700x23600 pixels. 1gb RAM can still handle it. You can even get as low as 50dpi for very large billboards.

Right. Best to consult printer supplier on their min/max requirements vis-a-vis machine used.

The biggest billboards in EDSA, Pelican's friend will be interested to know, is really around (output resolution) 35-50 dpi only. (But the mother file or graphic is still resolution-dependent, meaning, don't expect a match from low-resolution input (cameras, e.g.) as the high-res ones.)

You can still layout / edit in Corel, just export your file to .TIF for final output. Most large format printers use TIF. Just ask (printing company) what color space they are using if sRBG or CMYK profiles. AFAIK Roland uses CMYK and DGI uses sRGB

Hmmm, don't you think it better in the long run to invest some learning in Adobe apps

[dinxcarin]

thanks for this useful thread. I am taking down notes...

[suavecito]

Yeah i remember doing a billboard size design using a 25-30dpi image. Just make sure to place the image and do the vectors/typos and final layout in Illustrator.