Photoshop question...

I'm slowly edging into sensory overload here, so I figured it might be easier to ask someone than research this one!!

I am currently learning photoshop on my own, and in order to do that...my boss threw me to the wolves and told me to design this vehicle wrap for the sign shop. Being that it is for wrapping vinyl onto a full size van...you can imagine how large the file is, because the whole van is covered in pictures of clouds and then pictures of artist on it along with the radio staion logo etc., all that layered on top of one another. So...In hopes of reducing the file size (hopefully significantly), being that it is in the upwards of 6-700mb, will it help to do some masking so that the top most layer will cut out all the unnecessary stuff below it, since you can't/won't see it anyway. If so I'm thinking a clipping mask would be the way to go...or is my logic steering me in the wrong way?

Thanks
Roger

 

I am by no means a PhotoShop expert but your logic seems sound to me. Since the material underneath each layer is going to be unseen anyways it makes sense to layer them in PhotoShop as well, cutting out the extra space being taken up by the current material in that space. I believe that you have a "revert to original" option in PhotoShop so it does not hurt to throw it together and look at it and see how it fits. Are they going to be using PhotoShop as the template for the designs, whereas they will need each layer independently? If that is the case then you probably should not layer it in PhotoShop. How do they paint it on the van? If they leave the space underneath layers clear then layering in PhotoShop should not be a problem. Just a layman's view..hopefully someone with more experience will come along with a better answer.

 

Actually it is to be printed on a large format vinyl printer, which you then peel the backing off and stick the vinyl onto the van...which we are also in the works of learning that too, but I think that part is pretty much under control. I'm just curious if since I am not in need of the underlying graphic....when I merge it all and save it into an EPS file...does that automatically take care of that business for me or do I need to mess with all that masking stuff while building it...even though I am not trying to create any kind of so-called effect.

Roger

 

You might want to check into a program called Flexi. There is also another program (I will have to find the name of it) that has a most of the car/truck models in it, so you can use that to design a wrap that fits perfectly.

Will try to figure out what programs I was using. I have not done much on photoshop in a while, but can't you just flatten the layers you can't see?

E

 

We tend to stick with Photoshop and Illustratorbecause we do other things other that vehicle wraps...like buildings and posters and banners and currently getting ready to start web design...basically working on becoming a full blown graphics design shop. I have heard of Flexi, but don't know much about it, but we get a cd for illustrator that has scaled vehicle templates on it that works really good.

As far as flatting it...that's kind of what I'm wondering about, either that or merging or whatever. I was just getting so sick of reading and not finding exactly what it was I was looking for so I figured I would just ask...the lazy way I guess. rolleyes

Roger

 

Go to the Show Layers box. You can then click on the 'eye' thing to make the layer invisible without flattening/deleting it. If it does not change the final output, I would just delete it.

Save the file first, just in case! Maybe one of the PhotoShop gurus will have better info for you.

E