popo_licious | Computer Performance + Art Advice

Hey, guys~! ♥

I hope all is well. I'm working on a submissions for an artbook and I have two related issues that I wanted to inquire about.

First, any tips for speeding up Photoshop and/or my computer's ability to handle large files? The entry for the artbook needs to be of a super high resolution (1748x2480px, resolution is 600 pixels/inch), so the more layers, colors, and lines I add, the longer and longer it takes to open the file, save it, zoom in and out, etc. It takes a good two to three minutes to load the file, and it can take upwards of 30 to 60 seconds to save it. There's also quite a bit of lag when I try to zoom in and out of the piece, at least initially. Are these simply drawbacks of working with a large file?

Second, the image itself is... really starting to frustrate me. XD I think it's because I've spent such a long time looking at it, but it just seems too detailed in some places and not detailed enough in others, and then on top of that, my normal method of coloring has gone from cell-shading to just plain clinical and boring. D: If I post a screenie, can I get some tips/advice/critique? You don't have to be artistically inclined. XD

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

1748 by 2480 pixels at 600 dpi is only about three inches by four inches. That seems awfully small. (Also, is there a reason you're working at 600 and not 300?) For reference, the Book 2 pages in Swordmaster Odyssey clock in at about 3154x4703 and are in 300 dpi (10.5 x 15.6 inches).

When you're working in hi-res (which you should really, really do whenever possible, even if it's only going out on the internet) the only thing that's going to speed you up is more RAM in your system. It will be slow to load and save, there's no way around that. (Related anecdote: I do all the lettering for my stuff in illustrator with the Photoshop artwork imported as a "place" where it references the actual file (that way the Illustrator version with all the dialog balloons and letters has any updates to the Photoshop artwork). Because of this, it takes a couple minutes to save since the Photoshop file being referenced is so big, so every time I save, I usually switch to my browser and kill some time surfing the internet.) XD

My biggest piece of advice is to minimize your layer usage as much as possible. Every layer you add--no matter how filled or empty they are--will take up room, both on your hard drive and in memory. You get enough layers in a high-res image, just painting will become a chore because the brush will begin to lag. This is not fun. Don't be afraid to turn layers off when you're not working on them, especially ones with filters, if you're starting to lag. Find ways to condense layers; I usually start with separate layers for things and merge them down as much as possible possible when it makes sense. For example, each character in my work usually ends up with only three layers: shading, lineart (in painterly pieces, this is merged down and combined with the shading layer), and base color (which is copied to become the shading layer, and then hidden). I usually save the base color even when the thing is finished--I always save it in "cell-shading" (like in my comics) because it's the easiest way to wand-select solid colors later to tweak the shading layer.

As for the piece itself, is there any reason the bottom of the cupcakes are not rounded? It seems strange that they're not in perspective with everything else.

Thanks for the advice! Sorry to get back to you so late. :/

1748 by 2480 pixels must be bigger than 3x4. It's what the printable size of the image is supposed to be for the artbook! :0 (Otherwise, maybe the person coordinating it is confused...?)

I'm not sure how I got stuck working at 600dpi. XD All I can think of is that I scanned something at that size and Photoshop saved my settings and I didn't notice. Generally, I don't fiddle with that sort of thing. What would happen if I lowered it? (I know I would end up losing some quality, but would it be significant, do you think? And will it make PS faster?) XD

Ah! Maybe my layers are the problem... But, I love layers! I do have quite a few though. I actually duplicated all the lineart, so that's a problem. XP

I didn't round off the cupcakes because... I don't know. XD I was just playing around, I liked the cupcake I came up with, and I didn't give it any more thought. XD

1748 by 2480 pixels must be bigger than 3x4.

1748x2480 pixels at 600 dpi is 2.9 x 4.1 inches.

1748x2480 pixels at 300 dpi is 5.8 x 8.2 inches. That still seems small to me, but I'm not sure how the finished art book is supposed to be set up, or how big the pages are. Are the images going to take up the full page? Or is there going to be text along with there? (Likely.)

300 dpi is the standard size for print (in full color). If it were me, I would get in touch with the person coordinating everything and ask for specifics on what exactly they need and how it's going out. If it's going to be a full page deal, then you have to remember that the outer quarter-to-half-inch or so (the "bleed") is going to get chopped off when they trim the pages down to size (books are printed on larger paper and then trimmed down so that the ink can go all the way to the edge).

Also, if you decide to size it down to 300dpi, make sure it stays at 1728x2480 pixels, otherwise you just end up with a 3x4 image at 300dpi. (Which is even smaller: 874x1240. I can tell you right now they wouldn't be able to use that!) Really, at this point you can just leave it how it is. 1728x2480 pixels is 1728x1480 pixels, regardless of dpi.

Ah! Maybe my layers are the problem... But, I love layers! I do have quite a few though. I actually duplicated all the lineart, so that's a problem. XP

Can you upload the .PSD again? I didn't download it before you took it down. I'll take a look and see how it runs on my machine, and see how many layers you've got.

I didn't round off the cupcakes because... I don't know. XD I was just playing around, I liked the cupcake I came up with, and I didn't give it any more thought. XD

I would recommend rounding them off, but I don't know how hard that would be. ~~The voice of my perspective teacher haunts me in my sleep over things like this.~~ It just bothers me, but I'm not the artist. It's your call on what you think works best for this piece. Personally, I think that and a little shading would really make them stand out, especially with the detail you've already put into them.

Ah! I just took the file down, but I can upload it again. >w<

...

Here it is: http://filebox.vt.edu/users/asterno/artbook%20aust2222.psd

:D

As for the artbook, I guess the way this is working is that each artist can print it if they want, but actual physical copies won't be made by the coordinator. And I believe she said 300 dpi, which is what I thought I was working with. :0

I still haven't finished coloring the cupcakes, so some shading will make them look better, and I can over the pointed edges with decorations or something. Changing them all would be sort of tedious, and I need to finish this by the 30th. XP

Yeah, you've got way too many layers. Combine as many as you can and get rid of any you're not using. Instead of keeping a lot of layers of backup, it's best to save backups of the file. Remember, empty see-through pixels take up space too!

For comparison, this (http://thegrandhero.deviantart.com/art/Shame-179611259) is 6907x3454 pixels (11.5 by 5.7 inches at 600dpi), has fifteen layers (3-4 per character; everything else is background and effects except for one reference layer), and opens in about ten seconds or so. It took my computer somewhere from five the eight minutes to open your file. D:

(I'm uploading the file for reference in case you want to check out my work style.)

It took eight minutes? Whaaaaa? XD

I think I can save some of the back-up layers to other documents, and fianlly merge all the cupcakes. (But I just LOVE layers!) TT__TT

Thanks~!

I shed a tear for each and every layer I merge, but there's not much you can do about it.

(Also, here's that file)
http://dmajohnson.com/junk/art/1-03.psd

It finally opened! XD It took a long time to download. XD

We draw very differently. XD I can't stand having so many important things on so few layers! XP

Computer Performance + Art Advice

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