Mosquito profile resolution question

[briyeo]

Hi I have just started an attempt at a Mosquito NF 36, but I think I may have already given myself some problems by not taking care of what resolution dpi. I had set for the document.
I wont even know until I get home tonight and check myself, but I fear it will be quite a low resolution.
Luckily I have been making components for the profile on seperate larger PSD files so I could still be ok for most of the work, again I need to check this over tonight.
I have read up a little on this, now it's too late but can I ask what size document at 400 dpi ( I hear this is best if there is text involved in the image) would I need to have for a decent sized printed profile, I'm still a little unsure of the size/resolution issues. Of course I will need to watch file size as my laptop isnt the most powerful.

Early WIP. How the heck do you do tyre treads?

[inkworm]

Tyre treads look fine but don't forget there will be wear and scuffing on the tread.

As for resolution I normally set up at A3 landscape width at 300ppi depending on how you set up the layers you shouldn't have too much of an issue with file sizes.

[Clint Mitchell]

You basically want your resolution to be 300ppi for whatever size it is. For example:

A4 size: 300ppi
A3 size: 300ppi
1 mile by 2 miles: 300ppi

There are no benefits whatsoever to producing your artwork higher than 300ppi (at the full print size). Just plan ahead and make a decision on what is the largest size you would ever want to print your profile. Then just produce your artwork at that size and at 300ppi. To be honest because of the detail you have included into your wheel above you are going to want quite a large file, much larger than A3. Reason being is a the lowest width of line you can produce is a pixel wide and that's without any anti-aliasing. At the detail you are working at there will become a time when you are going to want to create a line which is less than a pixel wide which is physically impossible. My rules are create it massive then you have got plenty of room to add intricate details and you can scale it down later. I genrally create mine at 1 metre from nose tip - tail tip but your laptop might have some trouble with that size?

[briyeo]

Thanks for the replys gents, thinking ahead is something I didn't do this time. But I think I have the idea now for next time.
I think I always knew I was adding detail that wouldn't be seen in a normal A4 print or on a website image, but I just got carried away.
A3 at 300 ppi. is probably the limit for my laptop I'm getting memory warnings at times already when I close PS, something about the clipboard.
Naively I just open a 7000 x 3000 canvas, never even thought about resolution, and just started drawing, I have a lot to learn.

[inkworm]

you can disable the export photoshop clipboard under preferences you know, if it's being a big buggy.

[BLOWHARD]

Yep, 300 is the universal print standard, at least for 4 color process. Out of all the print jobs I did only one person asked for 360 dpi. Sometimes 360 is used for complicated die-cuts.
But do keep in mind, digitally, the only number that matters is the pixel width and height. If it's displayed on a screen the dpi won't matter. Dpi is only important if you're outputting to a physical print. An A2 size, a big print, 16.5 x 23.4 inches or 420 x 594 mm will be 7020 x 4950 pixels @ 300dpi.
7000 px wide is a good size. Width by pixels is your most important measurement

[BLOWHARD]

Oh yeah, that clipboard this isn't important. Anything you copy/paste while in Photoshop is still there. Once you leave PS it won't be kept. No problems

[inkworm]

If it's displayed on a screen the dpi won't matter. Dpi is only important if you're outputting to a physical print. Width by pixels is your most important measurement

The pedant in me wants to say it's Pixels Per Inch on screen Still don't know why people who work only on screen are still worried about resolution, doesn't matter if if is 5 or 5000 at 100% it's all the same if you're not printing.

Never been asked for 360, that is unusual. Wonder if anyone works in metric with regards to resolution, we all work in mm but still Dots Per Inch.

[briyeo]

The resolution issue suddenly dawned on me this morning when I was at work, I knew I hadn't given it any thought and I feared I had a low dpi set, but having now checked I'm pleased to say it was "accidentally" set to 300 dpi after all, Phew!
So I won't have to start again, I didn't want to do that undercarriage again, at least not just yet.
I'm only concerned about meeting the requirements for A3 size printing because I will probably have one printed just for my own satisfaction, thats if it turns out OK, still a long way to go.
So for printing, the image needs to be in CYMK color mode and saved as a Tiff file, is that so? At what stage do you need to be in CYMK? it almost doubles the size of the file I find, so can that be done at the final finished stage?
Many thanks for all this sound advice guys, I now know a lot more about this than I did this morning.

[Clint Mitchell]

Looking really cool so far. Keep it as RGB and .psd. When you want to print it save a flattened .tif copy for the printer but keep your layered original version forever. You never know when you might need it or part of it.