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Victoria Plum

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Hi everyone.

I am an artist and have just made a fatal error!

I have designed some new greetings cards and decided to do the A6 (folding to A7) designs first. I've completed 18 designs and have printed them off and they look fab. Then I went to do them in A5 (folding to A6) and suddenly realised I would have to redesign the whole lot as I had set the canvas to the smaller size, and so I would lose quality printing bigger. DOH!

The cards are plain with a single ink drawing in the middle, and a large file size image.

Is there any way at all of upscaling the whole thing to A5 size? When I tried to print in A5 it warned me it would be below 300dpi.

I'm so frustrated with myself!

I should point out I am using photoshop elements.
 
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MrToM

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...Is there any way at all of upscaling the whole thing to A5 size?...
Yes.

Use IMAGE > IMAGE SIZE...

upscaling_MT_01.png

1. Check 'Resample'. (You may need to experiment with which interpolation method to use but start with automatic, see how it goes.)
2. (OPTIONAL) Your aspect ratio should still be correct so no need to do anything here but if it wasn't you could change it by unchecking the link icon.
3. Enter the size of the A5 paper.
4. Change the 'Resolution' to whatever specification you need.

The pixel dimensions of the image, (top of the dialog window), will change according to the 'Size' and 'Resolution' you choose.
(Should be double what you started with)

You know 'upscaling' is a no-no and shouldn't be done but you may just get away with it....depends on the image really.
Try it, on a copy, and see.

Use VIEW > PRINT SIZE to preview if its good enough (Make sure your preferences are set correctly for your monitor)

Regards.
MrToM.
 

Victoria Plum

Member
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Yes.

Use IMAGE > IMAGE SIZE...

View attachment 74995

1. Check 'Resample'. (You may need to experiment with which interpolation method to use but start with automatic, see how it goes.)
2. (OPTIONAL) Your aspect ratio should still be correct so no need to do anything here but if it wasn't you could change it by unchecking the link icon.
3. Enter the size of the A5 paper.
4. Change the 'Resolution' to whatever specification you need.

The pixel dimensions of the image, (top of the dialog window), will change according to the 'Size' and 'Resolution' you choose.
(Should be double what you started with)

You know 'upscaling' is a no-no and shouldn't be done but you may just get away with it....depends on the image really.
Try it, on a copy, and see.

Use VIEW > PRINT SIZE to preview if its good enough (Make sure your preferences are set correctly for your monitor)

Regards.
MrToM.

Thank you MrTom.

So frustrated at myself.

I will give this a go and see if I get away with it.

My photoshop knowledge is really based around what I have used in the past. I'm learning how to use it but there are so many things I don't know that my use is quite clunky! I'll remember for next time to always start with the biggest format!

When you say use image size, will that change the whole thing (canvas as well) or will I need to change the canvas size then the image? (Can you tell I'm not that well versed in photoshop!)

Didn't know that a view-print view option existed so that's a plus!!

vicki
 
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MrToM

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No worries.

...So frustrated at myself...
We've all been there, Adobe products are frustrating regardless.



...I'm learning how to use it but there are so many things I don't know that my use is quite clunky!..
Not a problem, we all had to start somewhere.



...When you say use image size, will that change the whole thing (canvas as well) or will I need to change the canvas size then the image? (Can you tell I'm not that well versed in photoshop!)...
Yes, it relates to the whole canvas, and the layers within it, you won't need to do anything else.

In Elements the route is slightly different, IMAGE > RESIZE > IMAGE SIZE, but the principle is the same.



...Didn't know that a view-print view option existed so that's a plus!!...
The 'Print View' option can be seen in the video, just below the 'Window' and 'Help' menu items.

In PS you have to set your preferences correctly for it to work, I assume Elements is the same.
You need to make sure that the 'Screen Resolution' setting is correct for your monitor....otherwise the 'Print View' display size of the image will not be correct.



...I am using photo shop elects by the way, will this method still work...
I assume you mean Elements but yes, it appears so. (Thanks Ged).



As a little added info, don't think of digital images in terms of physical linear 'size', A3, A4, Letter etc etc. ANY digital image can be ANY size.....when PRINTED. The key word here is printed....Adobe doesn't make it clear but some options relate to the 'Printed' version of an image, especially when talking about 'Size'. Thats all well and good but if you never intend the image to ever be printed then all that can be ignored, it just doesn't apply. The trick then is to figure out what you can safely ignore...unfortunately that only comes with experience.

Instead, always think of digital images in terms of PIXELS. They are the most important thing. From an image of 'W x H' pixels you can create, (save out as), any sized image you want, or of several different sizes if you need to...say in different formats, (jpg, png, gif etc), or for different devices, all from the one larger 'PSD' working document.

When it comes to printing you define the 'Printed' size, (A5 or A3 or whatever), by changing the 'Resolution' setting of the image until you have the correct size...

OR...

...you change the image size setting which will calculate the Resolution for you. This method may reveal, as in your case, that there just aren't enough pixels in the image to be printed at the size AND resolution you require....only one or the other can ever be correct. The only way around this problem is to up-scale the image, (add pixels to), so that there ARE enough pixels to satisfy the above.

Of course up-scaling is really a last resort but you know that already.

If creating an image from scratch, always do so with the biggest canvas size you can comfortably get away with, this will be system dependant but never cut yourself short....as I said above you can OUTPUT to whatever size you want at the end but you need enough pixels there to do it.

Regards.
MrToM.
 
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Tony Bowman

Well-Known Member
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When you upscale images as advised above, Photoshop creates new pixels estimating their values based on neighbouring pixels. Adobe recommends upscaling by no more than 10%, otherwise you run the risk of losing clarity. To go A6 to A5 you'll be adding, I guess, around 40% of additional pixels. You can compensate by reducing the resolution from say, 300DPI to 240DPI, and then upscaling - which adds fewer pixels (but still quite a lot), but at the cost of print resolution. Maybe try it and print a sample and see how it looks.
 
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