Print Too Big. What Am I Doing Wrong?

[Stu W]

Since I am now sans scanner, I started having my local mini lab scan my pics to disc. They have been saving them in tif format, with each file 4.5 mb. The problem is this. Unless I view them in "actual print size" , which for some reason comes out to about 14x22 inches! they appear very choppy. One pic of a road with a solid line down the middle actually shows the line as a dotted if viewed as anything but "print size". What am I doing wrong? How can I resize my photos. Thanks. Stu

 

[hjfischer]

Try using the crop tool. Enter the dimensions and resolution you desire for the revised print size in the box at top of your screen, and adjust the resulting box/lines on your photo.
You can also adjust image size by selecting image/adjust and entering your desired size. Be sure and check "resample image" box. Good luck.

 

[Stu W]

Nope, same thing. Straight lines are choppy. And the crop option isn't available. I'm stuck.

 

[RayPA]

Try changing the image size resolution to 72 or 75 (screen resolution) and setting the long length at 10 inches. Sounds like your files are at a higher resolution (like 300?). I don't know/work with tifs a lot though.

🙂

 

[grantray]

Are you mac or pc? If mac, pixelation may appear at different image scales. This doesn't mean that the images themselves are choppy. Rather, the screen resolution via the processor reads the data differently according to scale. This will happen even in pro versions of Adobe products, but has no corrolation to the final printd image.

72 is sreen res for mac. 94, (I think), for pc.

If none of this helps, which lab are you using? Most good labs I know of are in Manhaatan and not BK. ( I'd kill to have a nice joint here in Greenpoint.)

-grant

 

[Stu W]

I'm using a pc, and the resolution is 72. They look great at 22 inches! but I still can't figure out how to resize. Puzzling.

 

[kbg32]

Are you using Photoshop?

 

[Stu W]

Yup, photoshop 7.0.1

 

[kbg32]

In your menu, go to - Image - Image Size. A dialog box now opens. There will be 3 checked boxes on the lower left. Uncheck - Resample Image, type in screen resolution 72 pixles/inch, or 300 pixels/inch to print. Recheck box. Now in the box above labeled document size, enter whatever height and width you want. If resizing larger, next to Resample Image is a drop down menu, change to bicupic smoother. If resizing smaller, use bicupic sharper.

Hope that's clear!

 

[kbg32]

Yup, photoshop 7.0.1

One sec, I am opening Photoshop 7.......

 

[kbg32]

In the drop down menu next to Resample Image, just use the default - Bicupic, for the last step. In Photoshop 7, there is just 2 checked boxes.

Sometimes images, especially with diagonal lines and such, can look jagged on screen, but print fine or look better when enlarged on screen.

 

[Stu W]

Nope, same thing. Any solid lines become choppy. Getting frustrated.

 

[kbg32]

The resizing did not work?

 

[grantray]

Maybe pull a test print and see how how the resolution shows on paper? Screens form different makers can be fincky about how high-res images are displayed...

-grant

 

[Stu W]

Keith, when you enlarge the image the lines all become straight. Anything past that point and the picture begins to pixelate. What I wanted to do was to manipulate the pics in photoshop and then send them out for printing, as my printer is not photo quality. Looks like that isn't going to happen so soon. Stu

 

[kbg32]

Nope, same thing. Any solid lines become choppy. Getting frustrated.

Under image size, what size are the files? DPI? This is sometimes normal that they look choppy onscreen.

 

[kbg32]

Sent you a PM.

 

[Stu W]

I think Keith got me on the right track. Thanks guys for all your help. Stu