How to create a contact sheet in Illustrator

Big Chili

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May 23, 2002, 10:46:39 PM5/23/02

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I was wondering if Illustrator (9) has a way to print/make contact sheets
like in PhotoShop???

Photoshop will work for most of my images but some will not open in
PhotoShop ( Some images say could not send the Parser files.... or somethign
like that).. That's why I need them in Illustrator.

Thanks

--
Bryan Odom
www.bigchili.com

Sara

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May 23, 2002, 11:38:40 PM5/23/02

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"Big Chili" <> wrote in message
news:aciogv$4a5$...

No. Illustrator is a vector program and it's handling of bitmap images is
limited. But there is a free program that may work for you. Irfanview:
http://www.irfanview.com

I use it to print contact sheets all the time. Highly customizable. What
kind of files can't you open? Irfanview opens most types, inlcuding .psd

Sara

Gwen

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May 26, 2002, 3:47:07 PM5/26/02

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Big Chili:

> I was wondering if Illustrator (9) has a way to print/make contact sheets
> like in PhotoShop???

This is a silly question, but what is a contact sheet? I've just always
been wondering.

I looked it up on Google and got stuff about photography. It seems to be
jsut like those index prints you get sometimes with film developing.

What is the use of something like this in illustration?

--
Gwen
Straight but not narrow || != )(
new art everyday: http://gwenart.cjb.net

LauraK

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May 26, 2002, 6:12:18 PM5/26/02

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>This is a silly question, but what is a contact sheet? I've just always
>been wondering.
>

Once upon a time ...
Back before computers ...

Pros and "serious amateurs" who take pictures on film have it developed by pro
labs. Since it's not unusual to shoot several rolls to get the one shot you
want, you don't bother having every photo printed on 5X7 or 8X10.
Instead, you had "contact sheets" made. Faster and cheaper.
The film is cut into strips and, in the darkroom, laid on photo paper and held
down with a sheet of glass or one of the various tools for making contact
sheets.
The film comes into "contact" with the photopaper rather than going in the
carrier in the enlarger and the image being projected onto the paper.
The light in the enlarger is turned on for a short period and then the paper is
developed, giving you a look at what's on the film.
You check them under a loupe to see what ones you want printed, crop on the
sheet, include instructions to lighten or darken, dodge or burn, and send the
whole thing back to the lab and get prints back, usually 8X10s. You filed the
contact sheets with the story/project.
Contact sheets are a direct record of what is on the film, not influenced by
whoever made prints.
There are a lot of holders for film that automatically set it up for contact
sheets; you can put them in a binder.
It's very similar to index prints, but the photos are the same size as the film
and in the order they were shot.
With negative scanning and digital cameras, photographers want the same ability
to look at a series of shots on paper, either to judge the best or to keep
track of them.
Photoshop 6 makes contact sheets. So do other programs, usually ones that
organize digitized photos.
Last time I had "real" contact sheets made (last year), they were more
expensive than prints and fuzzy. Seems to be a lost art.

http://www.madmousergraphics.com
web design, print design, photography

trev*

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May 27, 2002, 3:30:56 AM5/27/02

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i love contact sheets :)
its just so expensive :\
i would looove a contact sheet making plugin in illustrator. yeaps. with the
option to link the images so that you can save the .ai in the same dir as
the photos.
hmm i wonder if you could do it with actions...

Gwen

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May 27, 2002, 5:31:37 AM5/27/02

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LauraK:

> Once upon a time ...
> Back before computers ...

[snip]

Oooooh.... i see.

Actually, I think I might make use of that sometime. My plan to accomplish
similar effects so far has been to get film developed cheaply at the drug
store and then getting the good shots developed well at the proffesional
place.

I havn'et had the cash lately to act on the second step yet, though. I
tihnk I'll consider this contact sheet idea next time.

Thanks. :)

LauraK

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May 27, 2002, 6:44:13 AM5/27/02

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>I havn'et had the cash lately to act on the second step yet, though. I
>tihnk I'll consider this contact sheet idea next time.

I doubt the drugstore can produce contact sheets unless they have a darkroom.
If you're using the 1-hour type place, that uses an automated machine that
spits out prints.
Someplace like Wolfs or other chain camera stores might be able to do it, but
it might be more expensive than the drugstore prints because it's out of the
regular flow of work.

How do you create a contact sheet?

How do I make a digital contact sheet in Photoshop?

How do I create a contact sheet in PDF?