Yeh to me - I’d want to keep it as vector and paths as possible - so when it’s scaled up - the RIP usually does a better job on output.
But it’s not the way it is here for these guys.
A flat image with no issues for the printers works for me too - I guess.
I guess you are talking about this vendor in general, not just anyone who prints large raster files. I can bet they are more interested in getting prints on their billboard real estate than whether or not you’d prefer to send them PDFs that they would just convert to raster (or bounce.) Up to you if you don’t use them because you think they are out of date. Unless you want to use one of their billboards…
(shrug)
I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t care any more. I’ve ordered stuff from people who only print jpgs cuz they had what I wanted in the moment I wanted it. Or,I should say, what my client wanted.
Fast, Good, Cheap. Pick Two.
From my years of Large / Grande Format printing, there’s too many variables, from layers, fonts and clipping paths that will mess things up going to RIP software.
And when you are printing at this large of a print, the last thing you need is an image to be *ucked…
A raster file is the best format for the printer.
I’ve seen this very same thing. I started designing a magazine for a client after their previous designer left. I asked if I could get the working files for the previous issue — every page was laid out in Photoshop.
Well it’s the simplest method - but look at the chaos it causes, I mean it’s a pretty basic setup and even at that the OP (sorry no offence) had to ask for help on it. Which is fine, we all start somewhere.
I get the simplicity of the request to make it as simple as possible.
But I wonder if it fosters habits for people with less experience and things like that.
For instance, I’d set this up in Illustrator (one of the specs) - and add the bleed there - and then make a PSD flat from there.
At least then I have fully editable Illustrator file that I can repurpose for the future or perhaps a matching advert for the newspaper, magazine, or social media.
I just wonder has the OP or others gone directly to Photoshop and made a PSD file that is flattened with no access to the file structure, layers, fonts, text etc.
I wonder about the habits it fosters and perhaps this is why we see so many things like PSD files for magazines.
Or incorrect setups.
I’ve seen it for 25 years or more now.
When I worked prepress - it was common to get files sent to you - and oh boy - was it a complete mess and a web to untangle.
I get the appeal of flat file - send it to us as an image and we print the image - and that’s it.
I get it.
And I deal with printers who only take PDFX1a pdfs - and some who only accept PDF X4 only.
I guess - my thinking goes into overdrive with the printer filetype and specs requests, and I always think - wow they want a PDFX1a file, the equipment must be outdated.
I worked at a printers who took in a company next door the tennant. And we would make plates for them cos they didn’t have that.
And we’d get their customer files and they’d have Spot colours in there, but the instruction was to convert them CMYK - and output 4 plates, and that’s what they’d print, regardless of what the customer supplied.
They only had 1 printing machine, a 4 Colour Speedmaster - and they didn’t want to wash out the ink ducts/rollers etc.
So everything was done 4 colour - regardless.
I always thought that was a bit underhanded - but nobody every complained.
Anyway - those are my thoughts for today.
I get it, Smurf2.
Working as a production graphic artist, we would always keep a vector file as a backup and a flat file for the printer only.
As someone who used to work in prepress for large and wide format printing, now in color management & workflow for the production floor - the scale notation (as noted by others) is very odd. We’d use some odd scales like 1/4in = 1ft but only for customer-facing 11x17in diagrams and the like to show them their art overlaid on a diagram/elevation of vehicles or buildings.
production art used to almost always be setup in prepress at “quarter scale”, which was 25% of actual size. These days we do everything at full size - Yes, even the 53ft trailers. I won’t say it doesn’t cause the occasional weirdness when it comes to our in-house art-panelization (is that a word?) solution but that’s rare.
Vector is almost always easier to work with for our clients needs, but we do plenty of full-raster art as well.