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2.3: Making and Printing a Test Strip

  • Page ID
    231847
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    Once you have made initial edits to the image, it is important to make a test strip because the image never prints exactly how it looks on the computer screen. Test strips allow you to see a preview of the printed image before making an entire print, which not only allows for adjustments before making the final print but also saves resources. Adobe Photoshop is the software used to make test strips and to print images.

    1. Open your image in Adobe Photoshop.
    2. Go to File > New. Select Letter 8.5 x 11in in the Blank Document Presets.
    3. Change your image size to fit the paper by going to File > Image Size. Uncheck Resample and then change the resolution to 300 dpi, which is the best resolution for printing. This setting also ensures that no pixels are created or deleted. Then, recheck Resample and choose Bicubic Sharper (Reduction) in the drop-down menu, which refers to the algorithm that is used for the resampling. Change the longest side of the image to 10.5. Note: the longest side can be either the width or height depending on whether the image is oriented for portrait or landscape.
    4. Next, select the Rectangular Marquee tool and use it to drag over a portion of the image that has a broad range of values (i.e., both highlights and shadows) and a portion of the main subject. Then, copy the selection (CMD+C for Macs; Ctrl+C for PCs).