Designing your first poster in Photoshop presents some
challenges you don't face when working on smaller projects. Posters are
generally enormous files with many different components, ranging from
high-resolution photos to multiple text boxes, filters and effects. Keep track
of what goes where by organizing and naming layers as you work. When you have a
grasp of a poster's dynamics, you can focus on the creative aspects and have
some fun.
1.
o Working in
large-format documents like posters usually involves importing photos and
graphics. Select high-resolution photos that don't need to be enlarged much.
Sharpening filters can reduce the blur that occurs when you enlarge photos, but
they require a lot of work and the results aren't always ideal. Make good use
of the "Zoom" option at the bottom of the canvas to zoom in and out
of your work as needed. Large files in Photoshop often mean a slowdown in
performance. If your computer is sluggish already, Photoshop may not have
sufficient memory to show previews when working with filters or to save your
finished file -- so save your work often.
Working in Layers
o When you work in
layers, you can edit different parts of a poster without affecting the other
parts. Double-click a layer name in the Layers panel to rename it. To group
layers together, control-click multiple layers in the Layers panel and drag
them onto the Folders icon. You can then expand each group as needed. If you
want to move an entire group, select the group folder to move the grouped
elements all at once.
Designing the Poster
o Take some time to
experiment when designing your first poster. For example, try curving the title
text and giving it depth by using 3-D extrusions from the 3D menu. If you are
using a photo, try erasing the background, something you do by clicking the
background with the Magic Wand Tool from the Toolbox and then deleting it. Give
some life to a plain background by experimenting with the Filter options. To
see them all, select "Filter Gallery" from the Filter menu and then
click the options available under each folder.
Saving and Printing
o If you are printing
the poster yourself and don't want a white line around the edges when you cut
it, set a bleed by clicking the "Functions" option in the Print menu.
Most professional printers use a 0.125-inch bleed. This puts crop marks inside
the artwork instead of outside for cutting. Remember to save the file as a PSD
document, regardless of any other formats you need for a printer. This is the
only format that preserves the layers in case you need to edit it again. If you
are sending the poster to a commercial printer, save the file in CMYK mode,
even if your original file is in RGB. CMYK is required by most commercial
printers for proper color separation.
2. References
Service Printers: What Is Bleed?
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