big render

Recently I rendered a lot of 6m x 3m Posters for Buildings under construction… and I want to share with you my idea to choose how many pixels I need setting my rendering panel.

Everyone knows that a book is printed in 300dpi: that’s the best standard resolution.

But if I see this book to 5 meters I don’t need to increse the resolution, I’m not Superman!!! I just need to increase the format. That means I’m reducing the resolution!

Ok.. look at this file: it will explain my idea in a look!

Considering the Visual Field: looking a book (21cm x 29,9cm) to 30 centimeters is the same thing than looking an imaginery Big Book (574cm x 395cm) to 5 meters!

So, this imaginery book is 19 times bigger than an ordinary book: that means I can print a big poster with a resolution 19 times smaller: 300 dpi / 19 = 16 dpi!!!It will be a good resolution.

a4-prova-rendering-thumb.jpg Checking resolution

If you want to check your rendering resolution, print a little part (20dpi!).

The quality image is not so good, but just see the printed paper to 2 meters: Perfect!

This is the method I use to verify the quality image.

Concluding

To print a 6m x 3m rendering:

  • Set rendering out to 4724 x 2362 pixel
  • Create a new document with Photoshop (6m x 3m / 16dpi)
  • Put your rendering into new photoshop document

Last suggestions

  • I prefer 20dpi that 16dpi… it’s my safety margin
  • You can render 80% and increase up to 100% with Photoshop: Render time will be cutted and nobody will notice that
  • If you have problem with memory errors, render your image in 2 parts

Et-voilà, Les jeux sont faits!