Digital File Dump
A Digital Dump is an extremely cost effective way of getting a high quality print in a variety of sizes that we can now offer with the new Chromira x5 ProLab. The main ones to consider are 24x20", 30x20" and 30x24", although we can now offer a range of sizes (up to the truly massive 30" x 100 feet!) to cater to all your printing needs - please review our new price list located here.
So whats the catch to these fantastic prices you ask? There is just one - we print the file exactly as we receive it. We do not check resolution, colour balance, alignment or any of the other 'eyeball' checks that our technicians do on our full service prints. So you have a little more responsibility to ensure that your files are correct when you send them to us.
How to set up a Digital Dump
You should have your files cropped, sized, colour corrected & any necessary manipulation completed before reaching this stage.
** Please note, for this walkthrough we will be creating a 30x20" print **
Pre-Step 1:
Most of you that make use of this service will be pretty used to what your digital SLR can do by now. One of the most important steps in your digital processing of images is to make sure that your software is in a Colour Space that can make the most out of the information your camera captures. Just as important is to make sure this colour space is what your preffered printing service - us - is working and printing in. This is Adobe RGB (1998).
To make sure you are set up correctly go "Edit" within Photoshop (and Elements, for help with other software please get in touch with us) Down the bottom of the "Edit" menu will be a tab marked "Colour Settings". Click on this and you should get an image like this:
In the first box marked "Working Space" click on the drop down menu for "RGB" and change it from what ever it is currently set to so it reads "RGB: Adobe RGB (1998)"
Excellant! Amost done...The only other thing you need to change is the three tick boxes uner "Colour Managment Policies" need to be ticked so that you will be alerted if your files are in another colour space. For all the other settings in this panel just make sure they match the above images.
Step 1
Open your application. We use Adobe Photoshop. ImageReady & Elements will be similar. You should be aware though that unless your colour settings are set up to our requirements & your monitor properly colour balanced your images could look quite different on screen verses printed.We are happy to supply you with a test file and sample print generated from that file for you to check you monitor calibration.
Step 2
Go to - File - New
Set up your new file as specified below - or check the illustration.
Name: filename.tif
Preset Size: Custom
Width: 30 inches
Height: 20 inches
Resolution: 300 pixels/inch
Mode: RGB Colour
Make sure rulers are visible & your units are set to what you understand. When you have done this SAVE YOUR FILE. A tiff format might be safer at this stage.
View screenshot of this step.
Step 3
Go to - File - Open. Find the file(s) you want printed. Select & open them.
Now is the fun bit. With the first or largest image you want printed in the foreground, select the Move tool from your toolbar. Click & hold on your image. Drag it to your still open Digital Dump file behind.
With your Digital Dump file in the foreground you can reposition, rotate & resize your image to suit. To be sure of the size & proportion of the image, use your rulers & guides. When you have positioned your first file suitably, repeat the operation on your next image until your Digital Dump page is full.
View screenshot of this step.
Step 4
Your Digital Dump file will now be huge & possibly dragging your computer considerably. If you have no further editions to be made, now is the time to flatten your file.
To do this (in Photoshop) select LAYER - FLATTEN IMAGE
This will knock your file size down to the 114Mb approx. Now you are unable to move your images individually. Save your Digital Dump as either a TIF or a JPG.
View screenshot of this step.
It is now ready for printing
This file size is generally too large to email, so burn it onto CD, or copy it onto your Compact Flash card or Memory Stick or what have you, and bring it in to us.
View screenshot of this step.
Download these Instructions
You will need the free Adobe Acrobat reader to view PDF files
