Savings images as jpg or tiff - best quality A4 size
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Hi chaps
A bit of help please.
I want to save some of my models in jpg or tiff format. The maximum printed size will be A4. I want the image to be printed at the highest quality. I think this relates to 300dpi.I am aware that to get a jpg or tiff I go to file>export>2d Graphic.
A dialogue box appears.
I add the file name.
I select jpg from the menu.
I select options.another dialogue box appears.
Question
What are the width pixel and height pixel settings that will give me a top quality image?thanks in anticipation.
Alan
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If A4 is the size you intend to print (let's assume you are printing "full-bleed," which means with no margins) and you need 300 dpi, and if A4 in imperial units (the "i" in dpi is inches) is 8.3 inches x 11.7 inches, you need an image size at least 2490 pixels x 3150 pixels. A tiff file is not subject to the same artifact-creating lossy compression standard as jpeg, so go to Export 2D>tiff and under Options make sure that the listed resolution is that number or greater (you may have to play with the proportions of your viewport until you have something approximating the 1:1.414 aspect ratio of A4 paper). Unless you feel comfortable correcting for jagged lines in Photoshop or some other image-editor, also check "Anti-Aliasing" under options. And that should do it.
In practice, you may find it easier to create an image of higher resolution that the minimum required (in your case, something like 2600x3400, if your computer allows it) and then used your printing/image processing software to trim and resize your output image to the correct size for printing. One key issue is getting your open SketchUp viewport into the correct proportion to approximate A4. You'll have to eyeball it, unless you can find a script to control camera aspect ratio, so make something larger in pixel size and trim it precisely after export.
P: Lewis Wadsworth
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I would also NOT recommned jpg format. Jpg is a lossy format. Each time you open and close a jpg you lose some small amount of detail. Most printing establishments ask you to send an uncommpressed tiff, because that is a lossless format, just a very large file size. You might also consider a png file type. Also lossless and more compact than a tiff.
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@sorgesu said:
You might also consider a png file type. Also lossless and more compact than a tiff.
That's a really good point and I usually don't remember it. But you might want to make sure, if you send your file to a printing shop, that they are comfortable with .png. At one point in time when I was working as an illustrator years ago, no one wanted you to use .png because a) it didn't work with CMYK images (not an issue for you here, Alan) and b)early Adobe products did a terrible job creating .png. But at this point, if you have a normal RGB bitmap like SketchUp creates you might as well save it as a .png because it will be so much smaller a file than the same resolution .tif.
--Lewis
P: Lewis Wadsworth
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Hmm the quality loss of a jpg is minimal imo, if you work with programs like Adobe Photoshop CS3 also if you are going for such quality you are probably going to print in which case you are already screwed seeing SU exports as RGB instead of CMYK often resulting in a big loss of brightness. But one thing you should always do is export on a bigger format than the one you want to print on and resize after. Always gets a better result.
I was wondering though what is the maximum export size for the people on this forum. It seems that my max is 4000 px wide
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used to be 9999
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You can actually export to a 4000 px wide jpg with max quality? Because I know that the SU limit is 9999, but when I try it creates an error on anything above the 4000
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Rob, are you exporting over 4000 pix with anti-alias checked? I have found that if I uncheck the anti-alias I can export 9999 no problem. I always export larger with anti-alias unchecked then resize. Most of the time I am printing on 11x17 so I export almost double then resize to the sheet.
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Hmm with AA off and quality max Skethcup starts pulling a no show at 7000 px wide and 5000+ high (3:4 ratio).
I have no idea why SU is beeing so difficult over this though, I got a pentium IV 3.4 gigaherz 2 Gig ram it should tackle that without a sweat.
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Good morning from this end of the wire.
THANKYOU for you time and the advise.
TIFF TIFF TIFF TIFF TIFF. it is then.I'll take all of this advise and go and play
thanks
Alan
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