Masking in Photoshop

R
Posted By
rogval
Feb 19, 2008
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272
Replies
6
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Closed
I’m slowly edging into sensory overload here, so I figured it might be easier to ask someone than research this one!!

I am currently learning photoshop on my own through trial and error and a couple of peachpit books I have acquired, and in order to do that…my boss threw me to the wolves and told me to design this vehicle wrap for the sign shop. Being that it is for wrapping vinyl onto a full size van…you can imagine how large the file is, because the whole van is covered in pictures of clouds and then pictures of artist on it along with the radio station logo etc., all that layered on top of one another. So…In hopes of reducing the file size (hopefully significantly), being that it is in the upwards of 6-700mb, will it help to do some masking so that the top most layer will cut out all the unnecessary stuff below it, since you can’t/won’t see it anyway. If so I’m thinking a clipping mask would be the way to go…or is my logic steering me in the wrong way?

I’m just curious if since I am not in need of the underlying graphic….when I merge it all and save it into an EPS file…does that automatically take care of that business for me or do I need to mess with all that masking stuff while building it…even though I am not trying to create any kind of so-called effect.

Roger
Thanks
Roger
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MV
Mathias_Vejerslev
Feb 19, 2008
Masking won’t help, I´m afraid. Its the dimensions of the file that matters. However, you could do this in a layout program, such as InDesign, and possibly save some file size, or at least make the work file easier to manage. 6-700MB doesn’t sound like much these days, though.
DM
Don_McCahill
Feb 20, 2008
Have you confirmed with the people making the vehicle wrap that they can take a Photoshop file? Many sign companies need/prefer vector artwork, and much of Photoshop is not in vector format.
R
rogval
Feb 20, 2008
Actually…I am the sign shop, and this is a wide format Vinyl printer that is made for printing the graphics and/or photos that you make in photoshop…save it in EPS format and then run that through a ripping program and that sends the ripped file to the printer and voila…you have graphics printing on vinyl. Then you wrap the vehicle, or whatever, in this vinyl and it looks like the graphic was literally painted onto the vehicle…It’s really neat actually!! I probably should have been more clear…I am actually very familiar with vector graphics because we have been in the vinyl "cutting" business for quite some time.

I was just curious about photoshop itself…like I said, I have been learning on my own via trial and error and books and been pretty successful so far but I was just so tired of researching my question that I asked at the beginning of this thread, I figured I would just ask.

Apparently, as Mathias says…my situation is not unusual and is nothing to be concerned about as long as you can manage it ok. I’m guessing when you flatten it that will help too?

Thanks for the input guys/gals!!

Roger
JH
John-Pierre_Hannam
Feb 20, 2008
Yes, flattening all your layers should help with file size.

You should also check the resolution you are using and use the absolute minimum that is required. For example, 300 dpi takes much more space than 200 dpi. Don’t know what is required for cars but I would guess no more than 150 since they are not normally viewed up close.

You might also want to limit the number of colors you are using. That can reduce file size without any noticeable decrease in quality.

Jake
MV
Mathias_Vejerslev
Feb 20, 2008
Layers adds tremendously to the file size. The first layer will double the file size, the second will add a 1/3 more to that and so on, so forth.

I agree that 300ppi sounds excessive for this kind of print. Half that should be fine.
P
Phosphor
Feb 20, 2008
I used to design and print billboards, large banners, wraps, etc.

Even back then—7 years ago—the equipment was good enough that 72 ppi produced a pretty dang nice print. In some cases—for some images, even 36 ppi worked. From 3 feet away, dots blended nicely.

Do some small (say one square foot) swatch tests of representative imagery, printed from files of varying resolution. You might be surprised with what you can get away with.

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