Designing a 132"x88" pop up display

[christlike]

ok so i need to design this pop up display at 132"x88" in photoshop using many images and effects at the final output of 150 dpi. At what size should i start designing it without making the file so large and difficult to work on?

[MikeTheVike]

ok so i need to design this pop up display at 132"x88" in photoshop using many images and effects at the final output of 150 dpi. At what size should i start designing it without making the file so large and difficult to work on?


actual size? I don't think it makes a difference if you work on it actual size at 150dpi rather than half size at 300dpi...

[PrintDriver]

Is the pop-up display in pieces? I don't know of any that are that size right out of the tube, but pop-ups are not my thing. You need to take into account your seams and the space between panels if there are any. Sucks to cut a letter in half.

Otherwise, as MiketheVike says, full size at 150, half size at 300, 1/4 size at 600, it's all the same - except the smaller you go the more you need to use your coordinate palette (which you should be using no matter the size). Multiplying misplaced elements by scale can be very badddd....

You can't cheat on the resolution.
Large format is not for the weak-of-heart computer (Processor speed, scratch space and ram ram ram)

[DesignVHL]

I can attest to this, I do a lot of large format graphics (working on 3 pull up tradeshow banner displays this week as a matter of fact...except my printer wants it at 200DPI! AND it sucks the life and energy out of your computer - I'm hoping to bump my PC (yuck) up to 4GB really soon as I have no patience for waiting. I'm a fan of working at the exact size your printer wants the final file...safest method....though I guess if your computer can't handle it, it can't handle it! For this pop up display, I would assume you've gotten all specs from your printer to properly setup, design, and output the file for print. :) Any reason your not laying the file out in InDesign or Quark, and using PS for your imagery? Doing this might give your computer a slight break. :) I guess it depends on what file format the printer wants also though.

One thing I do, is do my DESIGN CONCEPTS at 100% of the dimensions, BUT design at 72DPI....then I print smaller (changing to 300DPI - but don't resample, so the dimensions get smaller just for printing a proof for your client or boss or whatever, lol). This saves your computer from being as slow, and still, you can show concepts at a higher print resolution! Once a design is agreed upon, THEN you could layout the file as it is intended at the proper size. Any special effects and such could be done in a separate file at the size you want it at, and then just drag the final image over as you intend to use it! That way you don't have to wait for any PS processing in the larger main work file. This may seem like your taking extra time to "recreate" the accepted concept, however the time saved on saving your files, running through the special effects you need to do, and so on WILL be noticeable. Hope that made sense, lol......

[PrintDriver]

^Be careful to read that correctly. It sounds like VHL is designing twice...

[DesignVHL]

I am - sort of....I have no patience waiting to save my larger files which can take about 5 or 10 mins (that would go to print)...so I just concept w/ the smaller one at a more manageable size (72dpi), and then recreate it appropriately...maybe it is because my boss is a control freak and always has constant changes and thinks HE is the art director, and it makes me crazy...so for ME this has been the most productive way for ME to work it.

IF I was working at home on my MAC, or at a different company, or freelancing, I would probably just design each concept once at the printers proper specs...if I had the computer power!

It really ACTUALLY DOES save ME TIME doing it the way I mentioned above, only because I have no patience to wait for processes that would go MUCH quicker....redoing a low res concept goes fairly quickly (i use the accepted design as a template, so all i'm doing is properly sizing graphics and laying them on top at full printers spec needed....doesn't take up too much more time (maybe an hour due to longer save times)...

make sense?

[PrintDriver]

Yep. I just wanted to be sure no one thought you were using 72dpi and rezzing up to final, that's all... The first time I skimmed the post it sounded that way.
:D
I can definitely see doing comps low-res. In fact I usually create low-res place holders when working and only at the end put in the high-res stuff.

[christlike]

thanks guys for the input....