Prints advice

[shiftergoddess.livejournal.com]

Not a beware at all. But if there was a good place to ask this, A_B is the place.


I'm just curious to know if people here give their commissioners a high dpi, printable version of commissions or if they just make the image at their comfortable file sizes.
Do people often ask for printable versions of their commissions or is it just a given that artists should work at higher dpi for the purposes of printing?


I know some people like to print out their commissioned pieces to hang on their walls or whatnot, but i wanted to know if a lot of artists either just draw normally or not.
I'm not sure how i want to go about this myself. In the past i've done higher dpi pieces but it didn't seem like it was that big of an issue.
This is for digital media, in case anyone is confused.



I'd appreciate any advice/input/thoughts. :B

Comments

[hellebore.livejournal.com]

I can only work at 250dpi due to computer being stupid, but I always send the 250 and a 72 resized to them. Just to cover my butt.

[shiftergoddess.livejournal.com]

I never thought of sending multiple files. I'll keep that in mind, thank you. :)

[leahtaur.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I always send them the full 300 dpi file. They paid me to create a detailed piece of artwork and they don't get an original, so it's only fair they get to see all the details I put into it.

I would really recommend you draw at around 300 dpi rather than at net resolution, if that's what you mean.

[shiftergoddess.livejournal.com]

Thank you, that's exactly what i was asking.
I've done a few commissions in the past and as a default i did all three pieces at 300 or 400 dpi.

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

I, personally, work at 300 dpi by default, but commissions are typically at 1200px on the longest side. Anything larger comes at a $5 fee per every 100x100 pixel increase(or the closest ratio to).

Once the piece is finished, I give the client a smaller, watermarked image for web display/reuploading and then the fullres with an inconspicuous signature for personal use.

[rustedclaws.livejournal.com]

It's pretty much standard practice for me, personally, to send out an image that is 300dpi. But I only tend to restrict this option to 'larger' detailed digital pieces.

[animecat.livejournal.com]

I usually provide a 300dpi file as well as a 72dpi one for the client to put int heir online galleries, with credit, of course. It doesn't take more than a minute to create a smaller file, and I find my clients appreciate it.

[thaily.livejournal.com]

I've given out large versions, but I'm reconsidering doing this. Because people upload the fullsize images. Including to FA which sizes it down and makes it look like pixelated shit :/

[ocelotish]

I'd always recommend working at a dpi of 300 if possible, however, you'll usually be able to get a decent print at about 150 dpi and I'd never go below that for a print. Anything above 300 dpi is great if you want to make a larger print, but if you're just going to print it out at the original size, you don't need more than 300.

What I would say is that I would give the commissioner a high res copy, but I'd absolutely include the signature. I'd specify this is for them to print it up and hang it on their wall, but that they are not allowed to print them out for anyone else, and they are not allowed to sell the prints.

If you don't want to send out your hi res files, I would send them a print instead (you may even be able to send it to print at their local kinkos).

[silveryote.livejournal.com]

I have several default sizes that I use if the commissioner wants to save money, or wants a big image to print, etc.

Small - 4x6" 300DPI
Medium - 6x8" 300DPI
Large - 8x10" 300DPI

They all print out decently and it seems to work for my commissioners.

[kinas.livejournal.com]

i like this! :D good idea!

[kinas.livejournal.com]

i always work at 300dpi for printing sake. i like to have examples of my work at conventions and i find that the files are there ready to go if i work at that dpi. :)

as a person who also buys a bit of art, i like having the fullres so that they can be printed and framed.

works both ways!

[thornwolf.livejournal.com]

I always work at 300 dpi but I'll advertise different sizes. Like say I just wanna draw cute little fun things I'll advertise a 6x6 inch 300 dpi drawing (which may be cheaper and is still easier to work at than say, 11x14). But yeah like others have said, they're not getting an original, so the least you can give them is a high quality printable-if-they-wanted-to file.

[angeling.livejournal.com]

Going against the flow, I always work at web resolution because I offer digital files, not files suitable for printing. The upside is that I can work at smaller sizes and thus work more quickly, which means faster work and generally makes people happy. The downside is, of course, that printing becomes difficult.

I'd say to only work at 300dpi for files meant to be displayed digitally only if you work with very large image files. Just check your image editor of choice for what the size in pixels would be for an A4 image at 300dpi. If that's your usual work size, there's no reason not to work at a high resolution for printing.

Basically it just depends on what size your finished image will have in pixels. A 1000x1000 image prints small at 300dpi. Just ask your commissioners whether they have any plans re: printing the image, then explain that if they want a full quality print the image you work with needs to be much larger (and you may want to adjust your price accordingly).

[angeling.livejournal.com]

*work more quickly, which means faster results. Redundancy department of redundancy calling.

[kawaiipiepie.livejournal.com]

I always work at at least 300dpi and 8x10 inches, but I find it more comfortable working huge anyway. I tend to work as big as my computer will let me, heh.
I don't usually send the high res file unless they ask, but if they want it, it's fine with me. I send a highest quality JPEG, with my signature and web address on it via email.

[housyasei-san.livejournal.com]

The last time I did commissions, I didn't notice I kept working in 72dpi, which had carried over from when I was working on an old laptop for years. Despite that, my polished pieces are usually no smaller that 1200x1200 pixels give or take.

If commissioners want to print it out, then go for 300dpi and upload the 72dpi for the web.

[spiffystuff.livejournal.com]

I always send both - one at at least 300dpi, and one at an easily veiwable online size.

[shiftergoddess.livejournal.com]

Thank you guys so much! I really appreciate all the input and i've got some good tips on how to work this issue. :)
Boo for LJ not letting me edit the entry.

[bailzzararco.livejournal.com]

I've never had anyone ask me for this, but I always offer to email one if they do. It's not a problem for me to save a high DPI image along side the one I post on line.