Help or advice with printing vectors?

[jay*doc]

Hello all,

I am working on a very unique situation, and am running into a wall.

I have a complete file designed just the way I need, supplied to me by a very good designer. Everything has been done properly in file set up, for a typical wrap job. Designed in Photoshop CS3 in 10th scale, 720ppi. Here is the issue.

The design is highly, HIGHLY detailed, lots of vector smart objects. When I flatten the image to print, the vector lines become a little blurry, but blurry enough to make it jagged. Typically, I could put a .3 to .5 gaussian blur on an image and smooth it out just enough to please the eye, but this entire image is comprised of a white background and tons of detailed black vectors. So even with a very slight blur, it's obvious.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to better save the file for keeping vector lines from Photoshop and printing in Wasatch?

Thank you all in advance!

 

[cptcorn]

what's the overall dimensions of the job... my #1 guess is that it's because in reality, you're only dealing with 72dpi at 1:1 scale. I don't go any lower than 110.

 

[Malkin]

Is it possible to increase the print resolution before flattening?

-or-

Is there a format that can you can save to that will retain the vector information and also can be printed?

Sorry for just throwing things out there, I am somewhat unfamiliar with smart objects in Photoshop.

 

[oldgoatroper]

Perhaps you could try saving or exporting the Photoshop file as an EPS. This may keep the vector objects intact as vector objects but not necessarily as smart objects.

Then, if your RIP software can process an EPS for print you might be done. Otherwise, then try to open -- with Photoshop -- the EPS you just created (with Photoshop). You should get a number of options including resolution (set it to desired) and let Photoshop re-render the image from the EPS into a single layer.

As an aside, I find that my Onyx RIP doesn't always render PDFs and EPSs as intended. I use the above trick to re-render them -- sort of like using Photoshop as a cheap RIP.

 

[jiarby]

As an aside, I find that my Onyx RIP doesn't always render PDFs and EPSs as intended.

Aint that the truth brutha~!

 

[luggnut]

Designed in Photoshop CS3 in 10th scale, 720ppi. Here is the issue.

designed in PS all vector? if it is in photoshop why not just rasterize?

 

[jay*doc]

what's the overall dimensions of the job... my #1 guess is that it's because in reality, you're only dealing with 72dpi at 1:1 scale. I don't go any lower than 110.

Great suggestion, I'm going to up the res in 10th scale to 1200, which will give me 120 at full size, and see if we are on track. Final size is pretty large, about 20 ft long and 7 ft tall (large SUV).

 

[jay*doc]

designed in PS all vector? if it is in photoshop why not just rasterize?

Rasterization is where I believe my issue to be coming from. When the smart object vector lines are rasterized, when it prints I have pixels, not lines making up the objects, or so thats what I am thinking the problem is.

 

[wildindian]

The first question I want to ask is how do you design vectors in photoshop. Was most likely did in illustrator and open in photoshop to add bitmap background and images. If it is in vector open in a vector program and see what happens.

 

[jay*doc]

It was designed in photoshop with elements that are vector smart objects. For example, opening a vector file, such as go media, and dragging elements onto the photo shop page.

When I bump the resolution to print at 120dpi final, it is looking better, lets see how far I can push it.

 

[astro8]

I'm sure I'd be able to save that as a photoshop.eps or even a .pdf at 10% and print that way in my Ergosoft rip retaining the vector information....

 

[jay*doc]

I'm sure I'd be able to save that as a photoshop.eps or even a .pdf at 10% and print that way in my Ergosoft rip retaining the vector information....

Tried the photoshop eps file, too. But it still seemed to convert it to pixels.

I am going to post scans once I get this on the printer, but I like where it is at now.

I took the original photoshop file, which is using a pre sized template software you may have heard of, that starts with a 720ppi @ 1/10 scale, and changed the image resolution to 1440ppi, still at 1/10 scale. Final resolution is 144dpi and it looks 100 times better so far.

Thank you all for the great suggestions and outside the box thinking. I do so many prints at 72dpi and it looks fine, but they normally are not so much smart vector objects in black and white!

 

[astro8]

You've got me thinking...I'm going to do a few samples myself as soon as I get the time...see if there is a better/different way.

I know the look of what you've described and it's frustratingly fuzzy lines.

 

[OADesign]

As long as there are no PS effects on the smart objects here is the solution:

Just create a new PS doc with the same dimensions as the original ( i mean same as the final size). it should be full size @ 72 or 100 dpi. Then copy all the smart object layers over to the new doc (either drag and drop or copy and paste).
Then scale and reposition the smart object layers to the correct size/placement.

Then when you export your tiff (not jpg) you will have a full size image with sharp lines and no need to scale in the rip.
Also when exporting the tiff, turn off the bitmap preview to keep the file size down.
Works like a charm.

 

[jay*doc]

OA: Thanks for the tip. That is something I'll be sure to try!

Only thing is, on this particular file, I am working with easily 100+ vector smart objects and need to print today.

But I do understand what you are saying and it sounds pretty solid!

 

[mark in tx]

Output as a tif, with LZW compression.

Will look much nicer than a jpg or eps.