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methodine

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 17, 2005
20
0
Hello,

What is the standard depth for a poster (A3 size) designed in Photoshop?! 8 or 16?!
I want to mention that i work at a resolution of 600 dpi, of course in CMYK mode of color.
 

maya

macrumors 68040
Oct 7, 2004
3,225
0
somewhere between here and there.
600 dpi is a minimum resolution in regards to size of image/print quality.

I usually work with a comfortable 1200 dpi as it renders the best image/print quality while keeping the size moderate when compared to other options. A good balance for my preference.

If you are working on something small or larger, it depends on what your printer or the printing house can deliver in regards to output.

You have to check with your printing house as to what kind of resolution they printers are calibrated for. In my experience they usually ask for 1200 dpi CMYK. :)
 

Blue Velvet

Moderator emeritus
Jul 4, 2004
21,929
265
It depends on the content of the poster

Generally 8-bit is fine unless working on fine-art reproductions or other images where the tonal range is wide. It also depends on the method of reproduction as well. There's no point in using 16-bit if the poster is going to be photocopied... or even digitally printed, let alone off-set.

Depending on the version, many PS functions are not fully available for 16-bit images.

If it concerns you, then work in 16-bit and save an 8-bit version of the final artwork. This may help avoid banding in gradients and other artifacts like posterisation.

If doing extensive Photoshopping on non-natural images, I very rarely work in CMYK exclusively until towards the end of the process because many functions aren't available in CMYK mode. I prefer to use the CMYK preview (View>Proof Colours = Apple-Y) to get an idea of how things are going to look when working in RGB for artificial subject matter and intended for press.

600ppi is a little high unless you plan laying out type from within Photoshop. Bear in mind that an A3 poster will not be viewed as closely as a publication or other smaller piece of work.
 

methodine

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 17, 2005
20
0
thanks guys,
i know the difference between CMYK and RGB, i didn't know about the depth.
thanks again
 

CanadaRAM

macrumors G5
MontyZ said:
If you plan to print on a press that prints 300-dpi, increasing the final image to anything above 300-dpi is pointless. Posters are typically printed at lower resolutions because they are often viewed from a distance anyway.
Digital presses print in DPI but conventional presses are measured in lines per inch, which is not the same. Typically, you want the DPI of your electronic files to be 1.5 to 2 times the LPI that you are planning to output at.
 
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