Do you need to vectorize you entire artwork before sending to the printer?

[80sarcadegames]

My instincts are telling me that since you "enlarging" the art work to print a huge document (ie the side of an arcade cabinet etc).
the art work needs to be completely vectorized (everything on the arboard) because since you are "enlarging" the document,
the artwork is being "expanded" and therefore you are subjected to "pixelation/blocky edges" UNLESS you vectorize, right?

Just like if you take a non-vectorize piece of art work in Illustrator and you ENLARGE it, your quality of the art work will be lost
as you ENLARGE it and the edges will be "blocky".  Same issue with PRINTING to an ENLARGED scale printer?

Or is vectorizing have nothing to do with the fact regarding how you are going to print it to an ENLARGED scale (ie the printed copy
will keep the resolution/quality even if you don't vectorize anything)?

[lilshawn]

depends on the printer and whether it has the ability to print a vector file directly or whether it is converted to bitmap data anyway. either way you are limited by the DPI of the physical printer itself. you can have a 10,000 DPI graphic... doesn't make a lick of difference if the printer is 90dpi.

The printer I use (i say printer as a print company not a physical printer) wants data in vector format. what they do to it there is beyond me. But I make the graphic, give them the AI file and tell them I want it X by Y in size. (i mean i make it in that size, but i also specify it to them so there is no mess ups) Because it's vector, it's infinitely scaleable without degradation whether it be 20 inches or 200. I wouldn't export the file as a PNG or anything and submit that to them because then the vector graphics are converted to a raster graphic like a bitmap and if i didn't match the capabilities of their printer exactly, i'd end up with nasty looking prints or mismatched sizing.

[thomas_surles]

I use vector art but i use Photoshop to scale and arrange everything and give the printer a pdf file.

[opt2not]

Vectorizing is mainly beneficial for resizing things. In the artwork making process one tends to shape and scale elements a lot before reaching the end result. all those transformations and deformations can make raster elements blurry and jagged.

Also, if you're making an image that has to scale up later, for say if you want to print a billboard or large poster from a smaller image, vectorizing helps with maintaining image quality. but if you know your print size target and aren't planning on changing it to a large form print, I personally don't recommend wasting time on vectors. Just use a high enough pixel count for the space you need to print for. You get much more control over raster images than vectors, and it saves time too.

My rule-of-thumb for cab art is:
Full-sized sideart - 240-300dpi
Control panel - 200dpi
Marquee - 160-200dpi
Bezel - 200dpi (depending on the size)

For bartops you shouldn't need more than 200dpi for any of the art.
 

[Marcoqwerty]

My rule-of-thumb for cab art is:
Full-sized sideart - 240-300dpi
Control panel - 200dpi
Marquee - 160-200dpi
Bezel - 200dpi (depending on the size)

For bartops you shouldn't need more than 200dpi for any of the art.

mmm i take a picture of my cabinet sideart at 300 DPI (3000x4000 px res from border to border not the real artwork design), i cant vectorize the image, only a retouch with GIMP and after send it to printer.... the image was taken at 1 meter of distance;
the picture will be good (detailed) enought to be printed and keeping a good detail?

the real size are showed on the picture below

[opt2not]

Yes.