Photoshop Canvas size for a 9 foot x 3 foot banner?

[rowefx]

Hi all,

I've been asked to make a 9 foot x 3 foot banner for a family business advertisement.

I got some details off the printers:

DPI Resolution is 300.
Format can be either EPS or a PDF would be fine.
The banner size is 9' x 3'. (feet)

So, my question here is what kind of size am I looking for in photoshop? I understand the higher the DPI the better quality, but I kinda need to know how to make the file in photoshop, because if I did exact measurements the file size is hugeee! I'm kind of aware that you can do any size if the DPI is high enough? Some elaboration would be good to know

[dresden_phoenix]

No, bigger is NOT ALWAYS better.

For example: if you make something 4000dpi and then print on an inkjet whose native dpi is 600, you will not get optimal image quality. That's RIGHT! See raster image processors will down sample, not always gracefully, to the device's optimal printing resolution. SO you need to know details from your printing service.

Another thing to consider is that DPI is an optical illusion. The billboards you see on the highway, for example, were not printed at 300dpi. consideration is given that they will be seen at a distance so, along with special software, much lower resolution can be used.. since no one will actually be able to give close inspection; sometimes resolutions that are even lower than 96dpi are allowable!

I hope this helps.

[rowefx]

Ok thanks for the help, but what kind of pixels should I be working with?

[dresden_phoenix]

what kind of pixels should I be working with?

?? there is only one kind of pixel. If you meant to ask what size/resolution.. then as I said earlier that will depend on your printing method and how far the viewer will be from the image.

For example you could get away with 100dpi if the image is going to be viewed from30 yards away .. (100dpi x 12 * 9) x (100dpix 12 x3) 10800 X3600.

Note that it is unrealistic to think that someone would view a photo that size from closer than a certain distance... you wouldn't be able to see the whole picture if you were , say 2 feet
away.

I hope you understand what I was syain now.

[conradical]

Hi Rowefx - I hope this is not too late but I've printed many 45ft stage backdrops and have learned a few things in that process. Dresden is right about the 96dpi resolution. Depending on where your banner will be displayed you can adjust the resolution. There is this simple math that you can use. Obviously you cannot, well you can, but don't have to, design at actual size. So you want to create your file that is relative in size.

So 9 feet is 108 inches. In a perfect world that would be 300dpi of 108 inches.
If you design half that size - 108/2 = 54 inches, you double your resolution - 600dpi. When you blow this up to 108 inches (double your canvas size) you would be at 300dpi (your resolution will be halved).

Half those 54 inches to 27 inches - a more manageable width to design at, with a DPI of 1200. So when you double 27 inches to 54, your resolution will be 600. At 108 inches, you are back to 300.

So - with that math in mind, you can now adjust the end result DPI your banner requires. If the end result should be 108 inches with 96 DPI, then do the math for when your canvas is 27 inches.

I hope that helps. Also, talk with your printer - it is always good to have a quick chat and ask him all your questions.

[Dark Tranquility]

Hi Rowefx - I hope this is not too late but I've printed many 45ft stage backdrops and have learned a few things in that process. Dresden is right about the 96dpi resolution. Depending on where your banner will be displayed you can adjust the resolution. There is this simple math that you can use. Obviously you cannot, well you can, but don't have to, design at actual size. So you want to create your file that is relative in size.

So 9 feet is 108 inches. In a perfect world that would be 300dpi of 108 inches.
If you design half that size - 108/2 = 54 inches, you double your resolution - 600dpi. When you blow this up to 108 inches (double your canvas size) you would be at 300dpi (your resolution will be halved).

Half those 54 inches to 27 inches - a more manageable width to design at, with a DPI of 1200. So when you double 27 inches to 54, your resolution will be 600. At 108 inches, you are back to 300.

So - with that math in mind, you can now adjust the end result DPI your banner requires. If the end result should be 108 inches with 96 DPI, then do the math for when your canvas is 27 inches.

I hope that helps. Also, talk with your printer - it is always good to have a quick chat and ask him all your questions.

Very good and very helpful post Conrad I totally agree!
Very glad to see you around buddy