Photoshop material for printing
Photoshop works on image-based materials. If the work has a lot of small text or logos, Illustrator or InDesign is usually safer.
Steps in brief
- Set the size and resolution before designing.
- Avoid small rasterized text.
- Keep important content off the edge.
- Save a PDF or an agreed file format suitable for printing.
- Open the finished file and check with 400% zoom.
Set the size before planning
Determine the size and resolution of the printed product at the very beginning. If you enlarge a small file at the end, the image will easily become blurry.
Watch out for the fine print
Photoshop rasterizes the content into an image. Small text and thin lines can soften if the file is not accurate enough.
Save a file suitable for the weight
Send a PDF or other agreed file format for printing. Open the finished file and check it with 400% zoom before ordering.
The canvas is the correct size and text remains sharp.
A small image is stretched larger or small text becomes soft.
Frequently asked questions
Is Photoshop good for text-heavy work?
Not the best. Text and logos usually look better in InDesign or Illustrator.
Why is a small picture not enough?
The enlarged image loses sharpness and the weight cannot restore details.
Which resolution should you choose?
Make the file accurate enough in the final size and check it in the PDF.
