Need help printing a poster on Illustrator

[B***@adobeforums.com]

Hello. Looking for some tips here. I know I must be missing something here but I am trying to print a poster 17x22" on (4) 8/5x11" sheets of paper. I am using an Epson 600 and 800. Problem I am having is that my artwork (photo) is at the edges, i.e. both artboard and artwork are both 17x22". I am telling my printer to print "tile full pages" and it prints okay. Real good actually except that I'm noticing a trim of about 4 mm of artwork all along the edges of where all four papers meet. This throws off my poster as a misalignement on where angles in meet in the artwork is noticeable. Can someone help me out or offer some tips? I'd really appreciate it as I am stumped. I am using Illustrator CS.

[N***@adobeforums.com]

Bruce,

Real good actually except that I'm noticing a trim of about 4 mm of artwork
all along the edges of where all four papers meet




What does that mean? Do you have a 4 mm white, unprinted border around each sheet? Or is it printing borderless, but it is enlarging the image slightly so that you are losing 4 mm of the printed image beyond the 8.5" x 11" paper size?

This throws off my poster as a misalignement on where angles in meet in
the artwork is noticeable.




No idea what you mean here.

But, assuming your printer can print borderless (can it?), you need to select "borderless" in the printer's print dialog box. And you don't want it to "stretch" the image beyond the edge in any way. Your printer may not be able to do this accurately for tiling. You may have to print out either on larger paper (if your printer can handle it) or create more (and smaller) tiles to piece together. Or go to Kinkos or other storefront printer and have them run it out for you in one piece.

Neil

[B***@adobeforums.com]

Hey Neil, funny thing here...I have no idea who answered my prior comments on here as this is the first time I'm logging on to check my replies. (Weird) Anyhow Neil, it seems you're dead on. I believe it's enlarging the image slightly so that I'm losing parts of the image. Exactly as you stated above. Here's the thing though, I did try to print Borderless and it's still not matching. It's even worse actually! I lose more of the image that way. Man Neil, I am so pissed!!! I can't believe I'm unable to do this in Illustrator!!! I can't find an answer anywhere and you've been my only help so far! You know what I noticed though, I did an attempt with just vector drawn symbols on the exact same scale and printed them out and they matched to a T!!! Dead on!! Vertical and Horizontal!! But when I print an image I'm noticing the trim. What the heck?? Why? I'm avoiding Kinkos since the way I'm doing it now doesn't cost me a single penny!! I get free photo paper and ink from Epson and I'm using their gorgeous Epson Artisan 800 printer. Neil, there's got to be a way!! Do you think Adobe would know?? Or Epson? I don't think it's a printer issue. Why does it work out okay on vector drawing but not on an image? Also, I originally tried it on Photoshop. I cut my image into 8.5 x 11 squares and tried to print them borderless but again...same disaster. Thanks for your help Neil.

[N***@adobeforums.com]

Bruce,

Do you think Adobe would know?? Or Epson?




I'd go with door number 2. It's Epson's driver software that interprets your files and controls the printer. <g>

I get free photo paper and ink from Epson




I don't know how you luck out with free paper and ink from Epson. But considering the money you saved and your valuable time, why not just let someone print it out who has a printer large enough to print it in one piece? It'll also look a heck of a lot nicer than the patchwork you're attempting. And isn't your art worth it?

Neil

[R***@adobeforums.com]

A huge waste of free paper and ink if you blow all that paper and toner on something you can't use. Spend the $15 and get it print right in one piece.