Canvas Prints

[Trigger]

I have my own large format printer which accepts 54" wide rolls of media. I plan on printing a number of photos on canvas, and am wondering about a few things:

- If I wish to make a 30" x 40" print, what is the correct way to re-size the image in PhotoShop (CS6)? Out of my Panny G3, the image is 4592 x 3448 px, so do I simply punch in 30" x 40" in the "Image Size" menu, and then select "Bicubic Smoother (for enlargement)"? (see attached image).

- Some of the images were shot in Raw, but some as JPG. For the ones that were shot Raw, should I also save them as JPGs before printing, or is TIF better? My RIP will handle JPG, TIF, PDF, EPS.

 

[Big Mike]

The important thing is that you have enough pixels. 30x40 at 240PPI will give you 7200x9600 pixels.

The decision you'll have, is what PPI you think will be adequate. The rule of thumb for 'photo prints' is usually 300PPI, but many use 240PPI without any problems.
With larger prints, you can often use less, maybe down to 100, because the print isn't meant to be viewed up close.

Also consider that with canvas, the texture will hide some level of pixelation, so you can afford to go lower.

Using a lower PPI is helpful in that it creates a smaller file size and you don't have to interpolate as much information (the bigger you try to make the image, the lower the quality will go).

I have a 50" x 30" canvas that was printed from a file from an 8MP camera. I can see some pixelation when I'm really close, but by the time I'm a couple feet away, it looks great.

 

[Pallycow]

don't "resize it", just crop for the print ratio.

edit...

at work so don't have time to get into it, but I tell people that to keep it simple. so many try to "resize it" to 30x40 or whatever and make it 300 ppi which adds pixels to the image and ruines quality.

just keep the original/edited file saved as you like it, and crop for the appropriate ratio, todays cameras and labs can handle larger prints without having to mess with it.

 

[KmH]

30 x 40 is a 4:3 aspect ratio. So is 4592 x 3448 px. So yes you are good to go on re-sizing.

However, based on the experience of some well known photographers/Photoshop experts like Scott Kelby and Vincent Versace, the Bicubic Sharper algorithm is actually better for making images larger.

Of more concern than file type, would be file color space and which application is doing the color management.

 

[Trigger]

@ Big Mike: Thanks for the reply. So are you saying that I shouldn't exceed the pixel count of what the image was to begin with? In other words, keep the PPI at 110 in this case so that the 40" wide file is 4400 px?

What about the various options shown at the bottom of my screen-shot - which one is correct?

 

[Trigger]

don't "resize it", just crop for the print ratio.

edit...

at work so don't have time to get into it, but I tell people that to keep it simple. so many try to "resize it" to 30x40 or whatever and make it 300 ppi which adds pixels to the image and ruines quality.

just keep the original/edited file saved as you like it, and crop for the appropriate ratio, todays cameras and labs can handle larger prints without having to mess with it.

Ahh, so you're saying that I should just simply type in 40 in and 30 in, in the cropping dimension boxes in PS?

I'm also wondering if it would be better yet to determine the size of the print not in PS, but in the RIP software. (?)

 

[Pallycow]

too many people overthink this and get too involved in it. I almost guarantee if you take your images as you have it originally, crop it 4:3 and send it to the lab for the print, you will love it.

 

[Pallycow]

don't "resize it", just crop for the print ratio.

edit...

at work so don't have time to get into it, but I tell people that to keep it simple. so many try to "resize it" to 30x40 or whatever and make it 300 ppi which adds pixels to the image and ruines quality.

just keep the original/edited file saved as you like it, and crop for the appropriate ratio, todays cameras and labs can handle larger prints without having to mess with it.

Ahh, so you're saying that I should just simply type in 40 in and 30 in, in the cropping dimension boxes in PS?

I'm also wondering if it would be better yet to determine the size of the print not in PS, but in the RIP software. (?)

if youo're using cs6, you dont' have to type anything in, just click the dropdown box and pick 4:3

 

[Trigger]

too many people overthink this and get too involved in it. I almost guarantee if you take your images as you have it originally, crop it 4:3 and send it to the lab for the print, you will love it.

But I'm not sending to a lab. As I said in the OP, I have my own 54" large format printer and RIP, so I want to be sure I'm doing the best I can.

 

[Pallycow]

too many people overthink this and get too involved in it. I almost guarantee if you take your images as you have it originally, crop it 4:3 and send it to the lab for the print, you will love it.

But I'm not sending to a lab. As I said in the OP, I have my own 54" large format printer and RIP, so I want to be sure I'm doing the best I can.





View attachment 46367

same thing, send to lab, print yourself, w/e, that's what we use for customersand results same.

 

[Trigger]

However, based on the experience of some well known photographers/Photoshop experts like Scott Kelby and Vincent Versace, the Bicubic Sharper algorithm is actually better for making images larger.

Hmmm, sounds like I'll need to do some test prints.

Of more concern than file type, would be file color space and which application is doing the color management.

They are sRGB. The RIP is Roland VersaWorks. The printer is a CMYK solvent-ink printer Roland SP540i (used primarliy in the sign industry) but it does a fine job otherwise. It doesn't do so well with B&W images though, they usually turn out with a greenish or pinkish hue), so the secret I've found is to change the B&W image to "Grayscale" in PS (Image > Mode > Grayscale), then use the "Density Control Only" setting within the RIP; this gives a reasonably neutral gray.

 

[Pallycow]

always run a test strip. usually we do a 100% crop 12 to 24" strip depending on the image, before wasting paper/canvas

 

[Trigger]

Sorry, given the myriad choices and ways of doing this, I was hoping for a little more clear, step-by-step procedure as to the best method.

So let's pretend that I have a completed, edited PSD file which is in 4:3 format. Where do I go from there? Do I save it as a TIF or a JPG? I've always been under the impression that TIFs are superior. Either way, it sounds like some of you are suggesting to just leave it at it's native size, but does that then mean that I determine the large print size within my RIP software rather than in PS? (The RIP does have that capability).