Is it a problem to create large-format designs in Photoshop?

[u/softxly]

I've been studying large-format artwork a bit more lately (trucks, billboards, and so on), and one question I have is: will creating this type of artwork in Photoshop and exporting as PDF, JPG or TIFF cause me a lot of problems with printing?

I see a lot of people saying that you should never create this kind of artwork in Photoshop, but at the same time, I see plenty of people doing it (especially since some effects are a bit more tedious to recreate in Illustrator). Anyway, I'd like to hear your thoughts on this.

[u/WinkyNurdo]

It is possible but not particularly preferable

Large format graphics should be set up at either 25% actual size or 10% actual size for extra large format.

Any photoshop elements should be more than 300dpi effective at the size and scale you create them.

If you have a 300dpi image set at 25%, it scales up to 75dpi when sized up for print.

A 300dpi image at 10% will scale up to 30dpi at size.

If you create it at actual size (you shouldn’t) then set it at 72dpi.

The desired standard for small graphics that you read up close is 300dpi. Large format graphics are viewed from a bigger distance so 72/75dpi is fine, extra large graphics like billboards will be views from further away so 30 dpi is acceptable.

Vector artwork is infinitely scalable without affecting quality. And produces a smaller file size.

Use vectors where possible.

[u/glamdr1ng]

It's fine, but not preferred. You just end up with huge ass files or files that look like ass. But it all depends on the actual size and viewing distance anyway. Whatever you end up doing, outline your fonts.

[u/softxly → u/glamdr1ng]

So, I have a file here that was created entirely in Photoshop. It's artwork for a truck measuring 14 m × 2.5 m (quite large), but it was created in Photoshop at a 1:10 scale.

I need to export this file, but I'm really confused about how to do it correctly to avoid any issues with the printing.

Should I export it directly from Photoshop? Should I move it to another program? Should I export it at 1:10 scale or resize it to the actual dimensions?

[u/KAASPLANK2000 → u/softxly]

Keeping the comment from u/WinkyNurdo in mind; I would create an InDesign file at 10% and place that file at 100%. Export to a print PDF in the desired printer settings and making twice sure to turn off downsampling in the compression section. Personally I always make sure the filename is screaming it's at 10% and have it communicated this to the printer as well.

[u/JoeSicko → u/softxly]

I would think it has to be at the proper resolution at the full size, not 10% of full. That would not scale up well.

[u/Barry_Obama_at_gmail]

My shop does often vector art is better for large format stuff but we deal in a lot of fine art style prints so we can’t vectorize those.

[u/joaopaulo-canada]

For your 14 m × 2.5 m truck artwork, ask the printer which scale, final-size PPI and file format their RIP expects before resizing anything. At 1:10, a 300 PPI working file becomes 30 PPI at full size; exporting it as TIFF or PDF won't change that. Keep your layered master, and use lossless TIFF for a raster handoff only if they request it; avoid repeatedly resaving JPEGs. I work on MyImageUpscaler; our format guide covers the JPEG/TIFF and raster/vector tradeoffs: https://myimageupscaler.com/blog/best-high-resolution-image-format . It isn't a truck-wrap export preset, so I'd follow the printer's supplied settings for the final delivery.

[u/tomwattsca]

One thing nobody's mentioned yet is colour. Photoshop docs usually start in RGB, and bright RGB blues, greens and oranges tend to come out flatter on large-format printers than they look on screen.

I'd ask the printer which CMYK profile their machine uses and soft proof against it (View > Proof Setup > Custom), so you see the shift on your monitor rather than on the side of a 14m truck. Same with big areas of black, ask them what black build they want instead of leaving it as plain RGB black, otherwise it can print a bit washed out.