how do I print a large image on many small sheets (may have overlap) and could the sheets all have random orientation?

Well I know there is either an istructable or a boing boing post that explains this in some detail but now that I have a huge beutifull printer full of ink I can not find it.

I have a big pickture and I want to make a murial to glue on a wall but I need to do it fast before the printer is returned to the store for recycling (its still full of ink and paper).

Comments

[mahor1990]

I've been working long enough in this area and use the this softwsre

[orksecurity]

Your printer drivers may have the ability to print large images over multiple pages built in. (Many, but not all, do.) Check the user's manual, the configuration menus, and manufacturer's website.

[orksecurity]

As far as random orientation goes -- I don't think you can get that easily from the printer driver, but:

1) You could print the image in both portrait and landscape orientations, then collage pages from each together.

2) Or you could rotate the image to a few different angles in software, print each of those, and collage them.

3) Or some combination of the two.

It would certainly be possible to write software that direct breaks an image up into the sort of random patches you're looking for, but I doubt there's anything off-the-shelf which will do so; it isn't a common need, so if it's been done before it's probably someone else's custom art project.

Have fun!

[frollard]

Seconded what ork says:
I know my printer in the print preferences I can select "multiple pages per sheet" or "multiple sheets per page poster print" in the 'scaling' options.

If you don't have those options, another thing you can do is use an online tool like http://homokaasu.org/rasterbator/ the rasterbator which converts your image to tiled pages in old skool dimpled raster effect. I like the effect.

http://www.blockposters.com/ does the same but image

http://www.tothepc.com/archives/dress-your-wall-by-converting-image-into-ascii-poster/ converts it into ascii art, also cool :D

[Re-design]

I second rasterbator it gives you much more control over what you want to print.

[rickharris]

This is one way - works quite well - Download though rather than use the online version.

Another

http://www.ofzenandcomputing.com/zanswers/562

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070530163831AA8YfFg


http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_7812781_print-big-pictures.html

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/publisher-help/create-and-print-a-banner-poster-or-other-large-publication-HP005114820.aspx