[Gimp-user] Printing a poster file issues

[rich2005 <forums gimpusers com>]

> I need to create a poster that is roughly 1.3m x 2m and the printer
> requires at least 300 DPI.
......big snip......
> Can anyone suggest how to get my PDF file out and that will be able to
> be printed when sent to the printer?  Would a professional printer
> have some sort of software that will allow them to print a PDF  that I
> can't print?

Lets have a few file sizes for comparison.

A Gimp xcf, not quite as large as yours 14172x23622 px (1.2m x 2.0 @ 300ppi)
with a large graphic (a photograph) and some text in layers. Gimp shows this as
3.8 GB in memory.

xcf file size 400 MB exports a pdf 286 MB

Exported as a jpg, file size 21 MB and that exported as a pdf 300 MB

Exported as a png, file size 130 MB, exports as a pdf 325 MB

Conclusion, not much point exporting to jpeg/png for the purpose of creating a
PDF. The xcf PDF did contain text in a vector format, otherwise with png/jpeg
and everything flattened to a bitmap.

Print resolution: Are you sure the printing company really requires 300 dpi or
is that just general figure? A poster can have a reduced dpi depending on
distance viewed. Some guidance see:

http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/what-print-resolution-works-for-what-viewing-distance/

Printing process: Do you know how it will be printed? A modern commercial laser
printer will print at 100 ppc (pixels per cm) and produce superb quality, but
costs a fortune. Send them a jpeg.

If offset printing then a CMYK pdf is often used.  The tool for that is not
inkscape it is the DP application Scribus.

Want to print full size on A3 sheets to joint together as a check.  Split the
image up into separate parts.

Set up some guides as A3 sized sections ( 3508x4960 px) Use Image -> Transform
-> Guillotine

Plenty how-to's on this if you search.

rich: www.gimp-forum.net

-- 
rich2005 (via www.gimpusers.com/forums)