Question about the needed size of a file in Photoshop

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VoyagerTrekkie

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Hello friends. I have a question about photoshop. If I am wanting to print an actual print, that is about 3 by 5 feet or 4 feet by 5 feet, than how many pixels should my document size be? And what should I set the PPI to?

Thanks!!
 
Hello friends. I have a question about photoshop. If I am wanting to print an actual print, that is about 3 by 5 feet or 4 feet by 5 feet, than how many pixels should my document size be? And what should I set the PPI to?

Thanks!!
You want to print something 3x5 or 4x5 feet?

Don't know the answer to your question but you must have one heck-of-a printer!
 
huh... interesting answer... doesn't have anything to do with my question... but I must presume, nobody has any experience with printing any large size posters or signs.
Perhaps the people who visit these forums dont have places like Staples, or Office Max, Office Depot. They print large things for money.
 
huh... interesting answer... doesn't have anything to do with my question... but I must presume, nobody has any experience with printing any large size posters or signs.
Perhaps the people who visit these forums dont have places like Staples, or Office Max, Office Depot. They print large things for money.

  • The best resource to answer your specific question is probably calling the store
  • Many go to those stores (myself included) but the subset of those who go there and visit these forums and print 4x5 foot posters is probably quite limited
  • But am sure their counter clerks would know the answer (though not necessarily visit these forums)
  • Sorry couldn't be more helpful then referring you to a store who deal with these specifics daily

//* EDIT *//
But seriously.. if your computer should freeze up, crash, devices not work, etc. I hope you'll return here as lots of people here can answer those type questions
 
I print stuff like this all the time, but normally using Illustrator. But if I have to use photoshop (when I'm stuck working with raster art instead of vector), I don't ever pay attention to the number of pixels. What I do is i set the photoshop document to the final size. So something like 48x60in, with the resolution at 300, so what ever that pixel size comes out to be.

If I have a file I need enlarged I normally let VersaWorks (the print interface for the Roland printer we have) do the enlarging. It does a better job with enlarging that photoshop does.

But if you can I would recommend working with vector art in Illustrator. Must smaller files.

I hope this helps.
 
I second what Tortured said in the previous post. I read this thread earlier and thought to myself, "Why aren't you working in vector instead - use Illustrator or something. If you really want to know what size your document is going to print at without losing quality due to stretching then why don't you start your canvas by specifying the number of inches instead of pixels?" Keep in mind that if you do this with raster instead of vector your file sizes are going to be so big that it might be slightly painful to work with them, especially if there are multiple layers.
 
... Keep in mind that if you do this with raster instead of vector your file sizes are going to be so big that it might be slightly painful to work with them, especially if there are multiple layers.

Yah, it will take a while to save or do any processing. One way to speed that up instead of applying adjustments (Brightness/contrast, things like that) directly, add them as an adjustment layer. There is almost no processing done just by adding a layer like that, and you can edit after its been added. All the processing is done when you save it. And be prepared to take a lunch while its saving. After working with files that were similar dimensions to the one you mentioned, I hit save and it took 30min.
 
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