Alpha transparency space in borders for stickers.

[Tetragram]

(01-02-2019, 09:38 PM)rich2005 Wrote: Screwed up company

The page for information is https://blog.redbubble.com/2015/10/mediu...ker-sizes/

But then it says (for example) 3" x 4" = 450 x 600 pix and Files should be PNG with resolution of 200 ppi (DPI)
Which of course for 3" x 4" is 600 pix x 800 pix.

For a small sticker, your image 'as-is' is ok except needs the canvas sizing to 600 x 800 pix and the drawing moving slightly to the center. There is enough room there for the 1/8" border. something like this:



Since this die cut vinyl & the printer adds the border, the sticker on a background would look like this.



Keep with RGB, that is what the printing company wants. If you ever do need a CMYK image out of Gimp 2.10 see
https://www.gimp-forum.net/Thread-CMYK-c...3#pid11743

That url is vague and confusing to navigate, for instance in 2 months I hadn't seen the specialized sticker page, but have seen other "Designing for" pages with super basic "Tips", and I have spent quite some time browsing around. But in the other hand is easy to use, offers a lot of products and the independent reviews say the quality of the product is really good. And seems that once you get a hold of how it works, it should work smooth. I'm studying every week how to make the designs the size color and format to best fit what is needed to be printed at highest quality. 

As for the stickers, thanks for bringing it to my attention and clarifying it, since there are many items in the store, now that I have a clearer understanding of how it works, I could make a different version for the stickers, and then other version for everything else. I'll browse around and see if I can find more info about how they process their other products, hoping it's not a page full of Tips instead (like "learn how to create a transparent background") and after 8 paragraphs of explaining that a useful tip. I know they have links with templates, but I am using at the moment the "one size fits all" option until I get the hang of it. With a few exceptions. 

So I was using one file size for every item as said in the url that would work -7632x6480 pixels -, and high resolution - 1,048,576,000" pixels/inch - . I'm still guessing if it works as good as sending them a file with the dimensions and PPI they state for different products for instance in the dedicated stickers page, or if they do the resizing and scaling down the PPI themselves, effectively. 

Still thinking if it would be best to send another file with other dimensions and ppi for every product they offer info for, like for the stickers instead, or if it works just as good sending them the big file. You have to keep in mind they have lots of products.

As they state: "If you'd  like to use a single image file for every product, we'd recommend starting with 7632x6480 pixels (suitable for our king size duvet covers)"

[rich2005]

Quote:..As they state: "If you'd like to use a single image file for every product, we'd recommend starting with 7632x6480 pixels (suitable for our king size duvet covers)"

The only comment I will make about that is, "Are you likely to print a king-size-duvet"

Scaling down is better than scaling up but at the same time scaling down is still throwing away pixels and degrading the image (unless that company does something special)
You would not normally want to scale down more than half size.

[Tetragram]

(01-03-2019, 10:00 AM)rich2005 Wrote:

Quote:..As they state: "If you'd  like to use a single image file for every product, we'd recommend starting with 7632x6480 pixels (suitable for our king size duvet covers)"

The only comment I will make about that is, "Are you likely to print a king-size-duvet"

Scaling down is better than scaling up but at the same time scaling down is still throwing away pixels and degrading the image (unless that company does something special)
You would not normally want to scale down more than half size.

I see exactly what you're saying and it makes sense. Will the resolution of the original digitized file will uphold to the dimensions of a duvet. Will it look good, not pixalated or blurry.   

They say in the Dimensions and Format page, first paragraphs:

"Dimensions

 A good rule of thumb is that big, high-resolution files make the best prints. Now when we say ‘big’, we're really referring to resolution, not the file’s size. There is a major difference between file size, which is measured in bytes (like megabytes MB) and resolution, which is measured in pixels. When you’re printing work, it’s the pixels that matter." - What about PPI? - 

What I do, is I grab my artwork, and then I take a photograph - 23 megapixels camera resolution and 5520x4144 pixels - (no scanning available yet), process it with Gimp, and I make the "Big File" - 7632x6480 - and upload it. Because there are 56 available products you can sell, that means around 50 different files with different dimensions and resolutions you can upload. People will buy duvets, scarves, stickers, leggings, whatsoever if they like the design. 

Do the 7632x6480 file size I send will lose quality on a 1700x1700 pixel large sticker? How many PPI should I use in this large file size? 

If I send them a file with 1 mega PPI will they have trouble down sampling to 200 PPI or like they say "high-resolution files make the best prints" and it will be useful to their printers, not deteriorating?

If they say you can send em a 7632x6480 file size does that mean they have state of the art downsamplers that will do just that without any major visible issues? What about PPI for a file that's 7632x6480 ? 

I have exhausted all my options I think it's time to start writing Customer Service. Like you guys said in a previous post, but this is not a commercial service, it's a web page company service where you pay a slice of the cost of your sells, not upfront, so the customer service is not as good.

I'd like to work with the 7632x6480 file size, so I can sell all products, and make only one file, not 50, but I don't want the products to look cheap or low quality. Then when I have time I will design for specific products that have different dimensions. I have been only 2 months working with this platform. But since I use all my stuff from all my Artwork (Hand Drawn, Inskcape, Pro Motion NG, Digital Photos, Gimp, Scans of Physical Photos) It works best with one size only, since there's only one size to my work.

Thanks for all the help with this issue in particular. 

If there's anything else that seems like a loose end and I could ask Customer Service, please post it, it is much appreciated and of great help.

[rich2005]

The printer is correct. You can print any image any size and the relationship between printed size and ppi holds good. A guess; they let the printer software do the scaling.

Example: This image with transparency is about 2700 x 2500 pix

I can print it about 8.5" x 8.5" @ 300 ppi which is photo quality. https://i.imgur.com/Qdx6OfW.jpg That size good enough for a T-shirt.

or without leaving Gimp

I can print it on a smaller bit of paper size 3" x 3" @ 860 ppi https://i.imgur.com/X3aOz1w.jpg Good for a small Sticker.

Will I get any better quality at 860 ppi? No, I just get a smaller image at whatever quality setting the printer uses.

Do whatever you are comfortable with. Some points to consider.

Quote:I'd like to work with the 7632x6480 file size, so I can sell all products, and make only one file

Your camera image 5520x4144 pix might be 10 MB as a jpeg but as an edited png with transparency, (as required for Stickers) about 130MB - What size at 7632x6480 pix??? - Is there any advantage in scaling up, probably not, up to you.

[Tetragram]

(01-03-2019, 06:32 PM)rich2005 Wrote: The printer is correct. You can print any image any size and the relationship between printed size and ppi holds good. A guess; they let the printer software do the scaling.

Example: This  image with transparency is about 2700 x 2500 pix

I can print it about 8.5" x 8.5" @  300 ppi which is photo quality. https://i.imgur.com/Qdx6OfW.jpg That size good enough for a T-shirt.

or without leaving Gimp

I can print it on a smaller bit of paper size 3" x 3" @ 860 ppi https://i.imgur.com/X3aOz1w.jpg Good for a small Sticker.

Will I get any better quality at 860 ppi? No, I just get a smaller image at whatever quality setting the printer uses.

Do whatever you are comfortable with. Some points to consider.

Quote:I'd like to work with the 7632x6480 file size, so I can sell all products, and make only one file

Your camera image 5520x4144 pix might be 10 MB as a jpeg but as an edited png with transparency, (as required for Stickers) about 130MB - What size at 7632x6480 pix??? - Is there any advantage in scaling up, probably not, up to you.

The advantage of scaling up is that if I do that, some products become available, (per example "Womens A-Line Dress" 6310x6230 pixels - "Scarves" 5748x5748 pixels - "Wall Tapestries" 7632x6480 pixels," Duvet Covers" 7632x6480 pixels, and a few others.)

How much quality loss is there is what concerns me. For 6310x6230 and 5748x5748 I figured not much, but for 7632x6480 and 1700x1700 (when downscaling, which you have given an useful pointer in the previous post which I am going to use ) I've been trying to find out these last weeks.

Another subect I have been researching and haven't found a solid answer, regarding the printers at Redbubble, If I for example:

- I can print it on a smaller bit of paper size 3" x 3" @ 860 ppi https://i.imgur.com/X3aOz1w.jpg Good for a small Sticker.

Will I get any better quality at 860 ppi? No, I just get a smaller image at whatever quality setting the printer uses. -

Can I make that 1,720 ppi and double the image size, 6"x6", and would it give the same definition as 3"x3" @ 860, or the threshold is set at a fixed point? I would do that to get bigger stickers. I have found so many different answers these past weeks that I'm going to need a few days to regroup and process all I have read about it, and then come to a conclusion, and put that to use in my work.

[rich2005]

I can not add much more, it really is up to you. This nothing to do with Gimp and all about your objectives.

If you design a large image (say for a Wall Tapestry) what about those small details that will vanish when printed for a small sticker. Have you considered the various types of "printed-on" materials and suitability of image?

IMHO unlikely to be a problem because they will be different sets of customers with very different requirements - so one size or the other will be redundant.

The topic has strayed a bit from a 800 x 600 pix drawing of a skull with a transparent background Best of luck with your work.

[Tetragram]

(01-03-2019, 07:16 PM)rich2005 Wrote: I can not add much more, it really is up to you. This nothing to do with Gimp and all about your objectives.

If you design a large image (say for a Wall Tapestry) what about those small details that will vanish when printed for a small sticker. Have you considered the various types of "printed-on" materials and suitability of image?

IMHO unlikely to be a problem because they will be different sets of customers with very different requirements - so one size or the other will be redundant.

The topic has strayed a bit from a 800 x 600 pix drawing of a skull with a transparent background Best of luck with your work.

Thanks Rich , you've been of immense help in this topic.