Adobe Illustrator question

[Zinfari]

Anyone know how you setup dimensions in Adobe Illustrator.  Apparently (and after I think about it it makes sence) pixels and dots are different.  So I'm creating my CP overlay and using 150 pixels per inch for my drawing (as I wanted a resolution of 150 dpi).  When I go to print it's about 4 times larger than than I think it is.  (really dont need a 16' CP  )  Anyone know how to set up printing so 150 pixels = 1 inch?

Thanks,
-Zinfari

[TazMan]

Not certain I quite understood the question; but, here goes:

It sounds like when you're printing the document it is much larger than you anticipated?  In Illustrator I work at 100% scale. That is, if my CP is 27"w x 14" h.  I set my document size to those dimensions.  Anything you create in Illustrator itself will be vector line art - therefore the dpi isn't really an issue.  Any raster (jpeg, tiff, bmp, gif, etc) images you place in Illustrator are what they are.  That is, if you have a 300 dpi tiff image that is 3" h x 3" w and you place that in your Illus. document, it would remain at 300 dpi as long as you don't alter the image size (ie enlarge or reduce).  Again, I have found it easiest just to work at 100% scale for any raster images (like in Photoshop).  So, if I need a 300 dpi image that's 8" h - that is what I create and then place into Illustrator.  Did that make any sense?

[Zinfari]

Yea that makes sence and that's what I thought I did.  What happened is that I asked around about what resolution you should create your CP layout at to get good results.  Most folks said that 150 dpi was the way to go so I did.

The problem is that I assumed that pixels=dpi.  So I now have a control panel that is 46" x 20" or 6900 x 3000 pixels.  I didn't see an option for inches when I created the image with pixels.  Now in opening a new drawing I see that 1 in = 72 pixels (I created a new 1 in x 1 in drawing and it was 72 pixels so i need to scale my image 150 to 72...

Thanks for the help I just never tried to put in inches... should have, but didn't.  I got it now.

-Zinfari

[Amra]

I use Photoshop, so Im not sure about Adobe illustrator, but I can tell you this much...

DPI is not the same as Size... DPI is Dots per Inch, meaning you can have 120, 300, 600, even 1200 DPI in a 1" x 1" square.

300 is good quality, 600 is great quality, and 1200 is Super High Quality!

Personally, if I was going to do an Overlay, I would do it at 600-1200 DPI, the only problem with doing it that high, is the file sizes are HUGE.  

For example, a 27" x 15" picture, at only 72 DPI is 6 Megabytes, while the same picture (27" x 15") at 300DPI is 104 Megabytes, now go up to 600 DPI, your at 417 Megabytes, meaning the one picture alone you are going to have to burn to CD to get it printed at Kinkos.  Wanna know how much 1200 DPI is for that same Image?  Let me put it this way... only 1000 DPI at 27" x 15" is 1.15 GIGA Bytes.

Now, what does all that mean?

Well, ill show you... Please print each of the next three images, now if you open them, they will appear diffrent sizes, yet when you print them, they will be the exact same size, so dont worry about wasting ink, they are only 1" x 1"

Image 1, at 72 DPI

http://207.76.168.55/upl/72dpi.jpg

Image 2, at 300DPI

http://207.76.168.55/upl/300dpi.jpg

Image 3, at 600DPI

http://207.76.168.55/upl/600dpi.jpg

Also, the reason the higher resultion images are larger on the computer is becuase your Screen goes by DPI as well, your resolution determines your DPI, if your desktop is 800x600 then you have a total of 480000 pixels, now a 1" x 1" image at 300 DPI is about 90000 pixels, meaning that a 1" by 1" image at 300DPI on a 800x600 Resolution will take up about 20% of the onscreen image, that would be about 5.5" of a 19" monitor, even though it is only 1" x 1" when printed....

As you can see, after you print those three pictures, that you will want at least 300 DPI for any image you use to print.  Anything less (even 120) is going to print pixelated and grainy.

Hopefully this has helped you understand the diffrence between the DPI and the Size of any given image.

[Zinfari]

The problem that I have is what resolution is Illustrator printing at or how do I set that?

Under document section there is an Output Resolution that seem to logically make sense, but I figured if I changed that the graphics would change as well... but they haven't..

Hmmmm

Anyone know for sure?

-Zinfari

[TazMan]

Output resolution is typically controlled by the type (capability) of the printer it will be output to.  That is, if you have a wide format printer that only prints up to 300dpi - there is really no sense in sending a 1200 dpi file to it.  

What I would do is find out what resolution the print shop's printer is capable of and make your design from there.  If they have a 600 dpi printer, then all the raster images you create could be done at 600 dpi at 100% scale  (in Photoshop) and then placed into the Illustrator file that is also at 100% scale.

That way when you send the file to the printer, the elements of the file (placed images) match the printer's capability.

[Frostillicus]

The problem that I have is what resolution is Illustrator printing at or how do I set that?

Under document section there is an Output Resolution that seem to logically make sense, but I figured if I changed that the graphics would change as well... but they haven't..

Hmmmm

Anyone know for sure?

-Zinfari

Yes.   Setting up an artboard in illustrator is not the same as with Photoshop or paint shop pro simply because you aren't specifying a resolution to begin with - it's vector graphics you're dealing with in AI.  

-Make the artboard the exact size of the CP.  Do not worry about output resolution just yet.  
-Do your stuff, make the art, dance the dance full size as it would appear on the CP
-Then when you are done with the art, you have 2 options for the best result:
   1. Go to Export...  and select file type of TIFF.  Name it, hit OK and specify a CUSTOM resolution of 300dpi or 600 dpi(depending on where you will print it).  or...
   2.  "Save as...."  an EPS, not AI in case printer can't read that(versions mismatch sometimes, but everyone can read EPS)

Actually, do both, and the printer will say which one they prefer.   If you have questions about what size it is turn on rulers, or look at document setup..artboard size.

What are you printing the file in? AI? Photoshop? Make sure the units are setup right and you're not importing a hi-res TIFF into a low-res photoshop file.

[Zinfari]

Thanks Frostillicus that helps.  File is all ready to go... will get the B&W version (dimensions/cutouts only) and see how that looks.  If all goes well I'll try the full graphic color one later this week.

Wish me luck,
-Zinfari

[Zinfari]

Ok so I tried to save as a tiff and it says something like "the file is to large or complex to save as a tiff try turning of anti-aliasing" which I unchecked and got the same message.  So I guess that .eps is the only way to go.

As a side note I know that Kinko's has Illustrater 10 (I'm using 10 and 11 depending on if I'm on a computer at work or at home, but the only difference for me has been that 11 has a font I want to use.  If I just start using the .eps I see there is a include font checkbox.  Would that allow me to use the font from 11 on 10?

So since I have access to Illustrator how do I ensure that I'm getting the output that I want (i.e. 300dpi, is that the output resolution inside of Illustrator.  That seems the obvious choice, but I really only want to print this once!)

-Zinfari

[TazMan]

As a side note I know that Kinko's has Illustrater 10 (I'm using 10 and 11 depending on if I'm on a computer at work or at home, but the only difference for me has been that 11 has a font I want to use.  If I just start using the .eps I see there is a include font checkbox.  Would that allow me to use the font from 11 on 10?
-Zinfari

Once you have the type set in ver 11, convert the type to outlines - it will no longer be an editable font; but, you will be able to open it up in ver 10 without having that typeface installed.

[Zinfari]

Thanks Taz... that helps since I want to use the font from 11, but wasn't sure how to accomplish that when the printer only had 10.

-Zinfari

[Amra]

Didnt realize Illustrator used vector graphics, thanks for the insight

Yeah, with Vector Graphics you dont need to worry about DPI until you save the file, just make sure you save with at least 300 DPI.

Good Luck!

[Frostillicus]

Ok so I tried to save as a tiff and it says something like "the file is to large or complex to save as a tiff try turning of anti-aliasing" which I unchecked and got the same message.  So I guess that .eps is the only way to go.

As a side note I know that Kinko's has Illustrater 10 (I'm using 10 and 11 depending on if I'm on a computer at work or at home, but the only difference for me has been that 11 has a font I want to use.  If I just start using the .eps I see there is a include font checkbox.  Would that allow me to use the font from 11 on 10?

So since I have access to Illustrator how do I ensure that I'm getting the output that I want (i.e. 300dpi, is that the output resolution inside of Illustrator.  That seems the obvious choice, but I really only want to print this once!)

-Zinfari

Sounds like you're good to go!    Always fun to get your work printed up.  And yes, always convert text to outlines(so you don't have to send fonts with the file) and if you save it as a native .ai file it will be the smallest size out of all the options.    That tiff problem you mentioned sounds like you might not have enough memory.  Also, seems a little weird you don't have access to a font in 10 but you do in 11.  They draw on the same fonts folder(unless you are using a font manager like adobetype).  Just make sure the font you want is in your windows font folder, that should make it available to all programs.

Finally, when kinko's prints from ai it will print at the highest resolution the printer itself will allow.   Printing vectors directly from the vector program usually results in really sharp stuff, even using default settings.  That's what I do with signs and banners.

Post pics when it's done, now I wanna see it

[Zinfari]

If you want to see pics I have a thread going in the projects section or head over the the web site in my sig.

-ZInfari