Is this correct?

[Signmaker1234]

So if I'm designing in Illustrator at 1/10 scale and I want to include a raster graphic/photo, crop out the part I want to use, then reduce the size of the raster graphic and up the resolution in Photoshop say to 720 ppi and then place said graphic in illustrator? Place or copy and paste? What happens if I would make it bigger in illustrator after placing/pasting? To me this is the most confusing thing about digital printing, but thanks to this forum I'm getting it, I think anyways!

 

[ColoPrinthead]

that will give you a final resolution of 72, which usually is not enough to give a nice print. You really can't add resolution in PS; the best result you will get would be by increasing the image and resampling by scaling up 1% at a time (make an action if you are going to try it).

 

[Signmaker1234]

that will give you a final resolution of 72, which usually is not enough to give a nice print. You really can't add resolution in PS; the best result you will get would be by increasing the image and resampling by scaling up 1% at a time (make an action if you are going to try it).

Thanks for the reply, the 720ppi / 72ppi was just an example.

 

[Solventinkjet]

The original resolution of an image is as high as it will ever be so up-sampling it in Photoshop is a step you can skip. The ability to have an image scale up to 1/1 from 1/10 has everything to do with choosing a high resolution image to begin with.

When you copy and paste an image into illustrator it adds it to the file/file size. If you want the file size to be lower, use place instead. What place does is it links the image to the design file instead of embedding it into the file. This means that the image file only exists in one place and just gets linked to the file instead of duplicating it every time you want to use it.

You also may want to look into using the clipping mask tool in illustrator. It crops the image right then and there. It's not best to be used in all cases but I think you might find a use for it. It can also be used to crop images using complex shapes instead of just squares.

 

[Signmaker1234]

The original resolution of an image is as high as it will ever be so up-sampling it in Photoshop is a step you can skip. The ability to have an image scale up to 1/1 from 1/10 has everything to do with choosing a high resolution image to begin with.

When you copy and paste an image into illustrator it adds it to the file/file size. If you want the file size to be lower, use place instead. What place does is it links the image to the design file instead of embedding it into the file. This means that the image file only exists in one place and just gets linked to the file instead of duplicating it every time you want to use it.

You also may want to look into using the clipping mask tool in illustrator. It crops the image right then and there. It's not best to be used in all cases but I think you might find a use for it. It can also be used to crop images using complex shapes instead of just squares.

Thank you for the reply, much appreciated!
So definitely "place" and not copy and paste.
So would it be correct though to scale it down in Photoshop to the 1/10 scale which would up the resolution , place in illustrator and then increase the size to 1000% in the rip?

 

[Signmaker1234]

Is there a way to see the resolution of a placed raster file in illustrator? I'm not at my shop right now so I can't look, I'm just trying to get this straight. If this is possible then it would makes things rather easy then. I've never really worked with Photoshop/raster graphics before for printing purposes, just for screen.

 

[Signmaker1234]

Final Thoughts > Vector and Raster: A Marriage Made in Illustrator

Here is a good article I found!

 

[theyllek]

The easiest thing is to always start with the highest resolution you can at the scaled size. so if you are making it 1/10 the 720ppi would be the resolution for the scaled image, and when it's enlarged it would be 72ppi. Depending on the original art, what your end application is, viewing distance, RIP press you can print with raster art at 100ppi or less and still get good to - very good results.

File>Place will give you a smaller file size as it's just linking to it. Copy/Paste will embedd it in the file. I've been moving more towards the Placing method lately as I can edit the linked file, and then just refresh the links.

 

[theyllek]

Is there a way to see the resolution of a placed raster file in illustrator? I'm not at my shop right now so I can't look, I'm just trying to get this straight. If this is possible then it would makes things rather easy then. I've never really worked with Photoshop/raster graphics before for printing purposes, just for screen.

On mine if i open say a tiff file in illustrator, up near my menu bar it will display the resolution when the image is selected. It will do this for anything you have embedded. I don't know how to see the resolution of linked images.

And while I'm thinking of it - I can't remember if ti's the same in Illustrator or not - but in InDesign you have an option to see a low-res or high-res preview for your linked file on the screen. I've seen it give a scare to several people when it's just showing a low res preview on the screen, and they think they've done something wrong. Nope, it's just lower-res to save time/memory while doing the layouts. The full resolution is still in the linked file.

 

[Signmaker1234]

On mine if i open say a tiff file in illustrator, up near my menu bar it will display the resolution when the image is selected. It will do this for anything you have embedded. I don't know how to see the resolution of linked images.

And while I'm thinking of it - I can't remember if ti's the same in Illustrator or not - but in InDesign you have an option to see a low-res or high-res preview for your linked file on the screen. I've seen it give a scare to several people when it's just showing a low res preview on the screen, and they think they've done something wrong. Nope, it's just lower-res to save time/memory while doing the layouts. The full resolution is still in the linked file.

Thank you! I went back to my shop today and actually played around with some pics and I see now in illustrator where the ppi is! That makes it a lot easier! I printed some at 300ppi and then some at 150ppi, I don't really see a difference other than physical size! I tried to post some pics from my iPhone of what I printed but it says my file is to big? Lol! Well thanks again! The help is much appreciated!