rendering size

[sdds]

Just a quick one.

 

How do you handle rendering for print. For example you need A3, do you render at 842pix by 1191pix? What about dpi? printers recommend 300-dpi, but there is no way I could do that. Do any of you use image enlargement software? have used Genuine Fractals but found it to cause less than desirable results. How do you deal with a client that changes his mind about scale after the final rendering?

 

I guess the answer would be to render at the highest res you can at each project.

[STRAT]

dont use enlargement software if you can avoid it. if you need to render to print @ A3 then 300 dpi is usually used by printers (but i find they dont understand what dpi even is half the time. it's just a figure to them). but thats a pixel size of around 5000 wide. more than you'll need.

 

generally, in the real world, even for print 3000-3500 pixels wide is more than ample for A3 printing. you are right, render as high as you can afford. my regular render size is between 3-4 thousand pixels wide. this is even big enough to look good at A2 or A1.

 

if the client changes his mind AFTER you render, then tell him your concerns if your deadline cant afford a re-render. there's numerous and recent threads on this exact subject you might also want to read

 

(842pix by 1191pix is only A3 @ 72 dpi)

[sdds]

Thanks Strat, I have read other threads on the subject but thought I would post to clarify it for myself. Yep 842pix by 1191pix is only 72dpi, not enough for print really. I will take your advice and steer clear of enlargement software they seem to mess with image quality. Printers always ask for a file in 300dpi but like you say its not etched in stone as some would have you believe, there comes a point of diminishing returns for res used I guess.

 

BTW thank you for your help regarding my freelance work. Just hanging around this site is helping me to network.