Noobish Question about resizing cards

[ZennDarkfire]

Hey guys! So I apologize for asking such a noob question but I have an issue. This is the current card I'm working it. I have no issue printing it so that it looks like a legitimate card (printing on printer paper and then gluing in onto cardstock works amazing!) the issue I have is the font. In photoshop the image is 13.5x8.5 in however when I resize them to print everything become blurry and you can't read the text. I know its not an issue with my card as I have seen someone else print it up and it looks fine. This is the card I am working with

and this is what it looks printed up at actual size by someone other than myself

As you can see there is no issue in reading the text and it appears quite crisp. Yet when I try to print it my text is unreadable. How do you guys resize your cards so they print out like they should?

thanks!

~Josh

 

[Brucelee42]

For me, I use photoshop to resize to 300 DPI. I then try and a font that matches and go about redoing the card. When there are pictures and things I try and find a ssuitable replacement, or blow it up 3 times, reduce nosie a bit, maybey a slight gausian blur and then reduce back down. Pictures are the hardest to remaster.....hope this helps!

 

[ZennDarkfire]

That kinda helps, but I would rather use the font I already have =/

 

[Cmdr.Kerner]

Well, I never had such a problem with CorelDraw = Vector software.

Dietrich

 

[ZennDarkfire]

If I imported the .PSD into Illustrator would that make it easier?

 

[The Collector]

Dietrich is right

I do everything in CorelDraw as well and didn´t have those problems.

So what size should the card be, I can rezise it and send you a printable pdf

Greets

Paddy

 

[ZennDarkfire]

Dietrich is right

I do everything in CorelDraw as well and didn´t have those problems.

So what size should the card be, I can rezise it and send you a printable pdf

Greets

Paddy

Well right now I am currently revamping it so I will PM you the final file. Thanks a lot!

 

[AKVai]

The problem is your image is created at 72ppi, which is a standard for web graphics and so looks crisp and fine on your monitor but when it comes to printing the resolution isn't really ideal.
Vector software like coreldraw and illustrator deal with graphics differently when your scaling them, a vector image rudimentary speaking uses coordinates to specify where lines/shapes etc are and so as such can be scaled to any size without loss of quality. The problem your having with scaling in photoshop is your using a rasterized image (or bitmap) which deals with pixels in a grid to specify the art. So if you increase the image in size these pixels just get larger and larger making jagged/fuzzy edges and losing quality.
If you simply import a psd file into illustrator the text (as long as it's not rasterized) will be left as a scaleable vector, but the photo, seal etc will be a rasterized image and so still lose quality when you scale it. (that's if you can import it as layers and your psd is flattened)
Now if your not bored already by that, you can still create your artwork in Photoshop and have it print out perfectly as you see it on the screen but you need to create your PSD file at 300ppi and at the size you want to print it, you never really want to start scaling it after you've finished.

 

[ZennDarkfire]

The problem is your image is created at 72ppi, which is a standard for web graphics and so looks crisp and fine on your monitor but when it comes to printing the resolution isn't really ideal.
Vector software like coreldraw and illustrator deal with graphics differently when your scaling them, a vector image rudimentary speaking uses coordinates to specify where lines/shapes etc are and so as such can be scaled to any size without loss of quality. The problem your having with scaling in photoshop is your using a rasterized image (or bitmap) which deals with pixels in a grid to specify the art. So if you increase the image in size these pixels just get larger and larger making jagged/fuzzy edges and losing quality.
If you simply import a psd file into illustrator the text (as long as it's not rasterized) will be left as a scaleable vector, but the photo, seal etc will be a rasterized image and so still lose quality when you scale it. (that's if you can import it as layers and your psd is flattened)
Now if your not bored already by that, you can still create your artwork in Photoshop and have it print out perfectly as you see it on the screen but you need to create your PSD file at 300ppi and at the size you want to print it, you never really want to start scaling it after you've finished.

Ok so in order to use my existing card, If I import the text into illustrator and then recreate my photo and seal in Photoshop at 300 it should work?

 

[AKVai]

You don't need to use illustrator, just create your photoshop psd at 300 ppi and at the size you want to print it. The text in photoshop will be a vector graphic unless you raster the text (Makes it non editable)
Photoshop can deal with vector art and scale it, you just can't create vector art in photoshop (aside from text which you don't really create, as it's a font)
If you like pm me your email address and I'll email you a psd template that's 300 ppi and 13.5x8.5"