Achieving true sizes

[H4T]

This issue has been bugging me for a very, very long time, and now its critical that I get it figured out. I want to create and print a document that is exactly 4 cm by 4 cm, but I can't seem to get what I want. I can get the document to be 4 cm by 4 cm, but the resolution is screwing me up. I'm not sure which res. to go for, because as it stands a cm does not measure a cm when I hold a ruler up to the screen.

I'm trying to get the proportions right for a smallish tattoo I'm going to get, so as you can imagine, I need to figure out how to make Photoshop let me work with real units.

[.soulty]

resolution dosent really matter (regarding document size), resolution means the amount of pixels per inch in the dimensions of that document, if you want to print this out use a dpi of 150'ish. So make a new doc, set the dimensions up 4cm by 4cm and set the res up to 150 - 200.

[Vexir]

Isn't 300 DPI a more recommended resolution for print?

[.soulty]

yeah 300dpi is the minimum for print based artwork, but for a tatoo? you wont see the difference if your printing out of your printer just for the tatoo artists to work off.

I ve never got a tatoo so i can only assume that the tatoo artist needs a printed copy of what you want? right? i dont think you need to go to a print press for this sort of thing?

:printing around 150 is sufficient for most home printers and printing proofs.

[iLikePie]

yeah, i don't think you'd need to go to a pro place to get it printed out.

also, in regards to the original issue, i sortof have the same thing... i don't know what causes it, but if i want to see things in their true dimensions (i.e so if i hold out a ruler, it will say the correct measurement) i have to have my document at 83% (worked out by trial and error).
I don't know if this is a screen thing, or a program thing, or a resolution thing... because it used to be 85% was right before i got my new screen.

anyway, maybe it's the same for you... you might just have to trust your inputs that it's correct. Why don't you make a test print of a 4cm box, print it and see if it's right... it should be.

[.soulty]

why dont you just use the rulers? lol .. I had many time worked with artwork that was larger than a few metres, your rulers are your friends, USE THEM!

[H4T]

lol, yeah but the rulers stick to the resolution, so when it says 1 cm, you still can't hold a real ruler to the screen.

The most important thing I guess is if I tell PS that I want a document 4 cm by 4 cm, and I print it, I want the document to print out as 4 cm by 4 cm. When I try 300 dpi the canvas goes HUGE. I have a 19" monitor and I still hate designing business cards at 300dpi, lol. I can't even stand to look at 8 x 10 sheets, lol...at 100% that is.

.soulty, thats really cool...documents in several meters in size, lol, wow. When I work with big document then I zoom out, the lines and things get jumbled and messed up and the quality seems pretty ugly. Oh well, thats why I'm not an artist! lol