Huge Photoshop File size

[mddesign]

I am creating a box label in InDesignCS2. I want to place a background on the main panel, which I created in Photoshop7.
The size of the background 16"x31". I applied Gradient: Red/Navy Blue.Then I applied Filter>Noise>Add Noise>15%. The file size is 170MB in psd format. Saved in tif and eps to see whether the file size will decrease. No, still 170MB or around it. Initially I was not even paying attention on the file size. Tried to back up my work on the CD, and it does not fit on the CD, and the box label is only 20% done. My questions:
1) May I reach the same effect with the background by a different method, which will not increase the file size so much?
2)How should I save the file to make it smaller?
or any other suggestions would be greatly appriciated.
Thank you all in advance.

 

[jimoblak]

You should expect large file sizes for a 16x31 image.

You might try saving as TIFF with LZW lossless compression but this may not be better is you added a lot of noise to a gradient (the toughest type of image to compress).

You might also try burning another CD just for the image file.

If all you want is a gradient, why don't you create a gradient within InDesign?

- - I hope this helps - -
[sub](Complain to someone else if it doesn't)[/sub]

 

[jmgalvin]

You did not mention what resolution you're working at. File size jumps way up with higher resolution. Would it be posible to reduce resolution and still get the desired result?

Using OSX 10.3.8 on a G4

 

[mddesign]

Thank you very much for your replies.
jimoblak, I can create a gradient in Indesign, but I cannot apply noise to it, can I? And I like it with noise, it makes colors denser. I will try Tiff with LZW.
jmgalvin, resolution is 300dpi, it's standard, I cannot go any lower.
Thank you again.

 

[jmgalvin]

Found this interesting so I sort of replicated the job in Photoshop CS (mac)

Made it 16 X 31 inches, 300 dpi, cmyk and did a 3 color gradient fill. The resulting psd file was 9.6 MB. I then applied 15% noise. The result was 167 mb - like yours.

I merged the visible layers and, upon a full save the file was reduced to only 3.3 MB

I went back to the original and, instead of merging visible, I flattened the image. This also gave me 3.3 megs.

So it looks like either merging layers or a full flattne will dramatically reduce file size. I would suggest that you do a Save As and merge the layers to see if you get the same result.

I'm kind of embarrassed that I did'nt think of merging before because, when you Save As tiff (most common for me) photoshop always warns you that not megering lyers will give you a much bigger file size.



Using OSX 10.3.8 on a G4

 

[jimoblak]

You can do your color gradient in InDesign and load a flattened, grayscale, lower resolution TIFF with noise to overlay. Use the transparency blending effects in InDesign to mix the noisy grayscale image with your color gradient.

An 8-bit grayscale noise overlay is much smaller than a 24-bit noisy image.

- - I hope this helps - -
[sub](Complain to someone else if it doesn't)[/sub]

 

[mddesign]

jmgalvin, It is not working for me. The layers were merged before saving. Jimoblak, I will play with it and see how it will turn out.

And again, thank you for your help.