I have a problem with poster art. Dealing with Pubs/bars means that they don't have time to make posters We want to supply the artwork so that they just need to press "print".

Problem:- we use some speciallist fonts. If you haven't installed them you get default characters. I though that I could get arround it by converting to pdf but its the same deal. saving as a jpg results in a loss of quality.

How can I get around it?

Usually when you convert to pdf it freezes the fonts......what program are you using to do the conversion?

If you are using Illustrator - be sure to outline your type before you save to PDF. That way, if the printer opens it in Illustrator that doesn't have a version of your font, then it'll be embedded as an image and not modifiable type. :smug:

Saving a file out of Illustrator, InDesign, Quark Xpress, Freehand, etc as PDF embeds the font in the PDF. It also bloats the size of your PDF.

All of those programs have an option to 'convert fonts to paths, or outlines'. If you do this then the PDF does not need embedded fonts.

If you do your posters entirely in Photoshop you can save it as a PDF also, but you'd almost be as well off just sending them a JPEG that's high enough resolution for them to print it.

Also, if you save your JPEG as a high quality or Max quality the loss is very very very minimal and is not noticable when printed. If your poster is 250 - 300dpi at the dimensions you need it you'll still have a tollerable file size if saved as a High Quality or Max Quality jpeg.

I do artwork for movies for a living and very very rarely do you need to send someone a Max quality JPEG. If you're files are to low of quality the odds are you're simply not creating them high enough resolution. 300dpi is the long-time standard for Magazines, DVD covers, etc. You'd be amazed how much high profile work that you see around is done at less resolution then 300dpi.



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And, of course, if you're using any of the MS Office applications... well, you just need to be shot. (okay, I'll admit that Publisher has it's uses... but you'd never catch me using it)

Anyway, yes, you want to make sure you're saving at a high enough resolution... 300 dpi -should- do it for you... tho I will say this much more: if you're going to be printing off a laser printer, and you have a lot of text... at 300 dpi, you're likely going to notice some pixelation. Again, this should actually be okay, as from a distance of a couple feet away, you won't even notice it... just make sure you're text is big enough to be legible at that distance ;)

Generally when making posters, you should start working at the highest quality and resolution possible. If you know your poster is going to be printed off at A2 or A3, then when you open up Photoshop, Illustrator, or whatever program, make sure the document is that size. Also, make sure you're working in 300dpi (and if you're going to be dealing with an actual printing company, not a random pub/club, you might as well convert to CMYK colour while you're at it).

Starting off with your document size means that all your fonts and images will be at the proper resolution when you print it out. No point stretching out an A4 image to A2 or A1 size - you're always going to lose heaps of quality that way.