1. PRINT GUIDE

    Image Resolution & Print Quality Guide

    An image can look perfectly sharp on screen but still appear soft or pixelated when printed. The important question is not simply how large the file is, but whether it contains enough image detail at the size it will actually be printed.

    QUICK ANSWER
    Aim for approximately 300 ppi at the final printed size for most close-viewed commercial print.
    Leaflets, brochures, business cards and similar items normally benefit from high-resolution artwork. Large-format graphics can often work successfully at a lower effective resolution because they are generally viewed from further away.
    UNDERSTANDING RESOLUTION

    Digital photographs and images are made from pixels

    A raster image contains a fixed number of pixels. When those pixels are packed closely together at a sensible print size, the image can appear detailed and sharp. Enlarge the same image too far and those pixels have to cover a larger physical area.

    HIGHER EFFECTIVE RESOLUTION
    More image detail in the same space
    MANY SMALL PIXELSsmoother detail at the same physical size
    LOWER EFFECTIVE RESOLUTION
    Fewer pixels stretched over the same space
    FEWER LARGE PIXELSindividual pixels become more noticeable
    The key phrase is: at final printed size
    An image does not have one permanently useful print resolution regardless of size. The same image might be excellent when printed at A6, acceptable at A5 and visibly poor if enlarged dramatically. What matters is how its available pixels are distributed at the size you want to print it.
    PPI & DPI

    Two terms that are often used interchangeably

    In everyday artwork discussions you will often hear both DPI and PPI used to describe image resolution. They are related, but technically describe different things.

    PPI
    Pixels per inch
    PPI describes how densely the pixels in a digital raster image are being used at a particular physical size. This is the most useful measurement when deciding whether a photograph or raster graphic has enough resolution for print.
    DPI
    Dots per inch
    DPI more properly describes the output dots produced by a printing device. Printers can use multiple dots and inks to reproduce the colour and detail represented by the pixels in your artwork.
    What should you actually check?
    For photographs and raster artwork, concentrate on whether the image has enough effective pixels per inch at its final print size. If someone asks for a “300 dpi image”, they will usually mean an image with approximately 300 ppi at the size it is being used.
    THE 300 PPI RULE

    Why 300 ppi is a useful target

    For print designed to be viewed fairly closely, approximately 300 ppi at final size is a sensible target. It normally provides enough image information for photographs and raster artwork to reproduce with good detail.

    300 ppi
    Preferred target
    A strong target for photographs and raster images used in most close-viewed commercial print.
    150 ppi
    May be usable
    Can sometimes produce acceptable results depending on the image, product, physical size and expected viewing distance.
    72 ppi
    Usually too low
    Typically unsuitable for close-viewed print at the intended physical size unless the image itself is being used much smaller.
    These figures are guidance rather than an automatic pass or fail. Image content, sharpening, viewing distance, print process and the way the image is used can all affect the result.
    ENLARGING IMAGES

    Making an image larger reduces its effective resolution

    Scaling a raster image in your layout does not create genuine new photographic detail. The original pixels simply have to cover a larger area.

    IMAGE100% SIZE300 ppiIMAGE150% SIZE200 ppiIMAGEENLARGED FURTHER
    SIMPLE EXAMPLE
    A 300 ppi image enlarged to twice its width and twice its height becomes effectively 150 ppi.
    The image has not lost pixels from its file. The same pixels are simply being spread across twice the physical width and height.
    A PRACTICAL WAY TO CHECK

    Look at the actual pixel dimensions

    Pixel dimensions tell you how much raster image information the file actually contains. From there, you can estimate how large it can be reproduced at a particular resolution.

    Example: 1800 × 1200 pixel photograph
    AT 300 PPI
    6 × 4 inches
    Approximately 152 × 102 mm
    AT 200 PPI
    9 × 6 inches
    Approximately 229 × 152 mm
    AT 150 PPI
    12 × 8 inches
    Approximately 305 × 203 mm
    PHOTOGRAPHS, LOGOS & GRAPHICS

    Raster and vector artwork behave differently

    Resolution is particularly important for raster images such as photographs. Vector artwork is constructed differently and can normally be enlarged without becoming pixelated.

    RASTER
    Made from pixels
    Photographs and many JPG, PNG and TIFF files are raster images. They contain a fixed pixel grid, so excessive enlargement can reveal softness or pixelation.
    VECTOR
    Defined mathematically
    Vector logos, text and illustrations use paths and shapes rather than a fixed pixel grid. They can normally be scaled from a business card to large-format graphics while retaining clean edges.
    A PDF is not automatically vector artwork
    A PDF can contain vector elements, raster images, or both. Saving a low-resolution photograph inside a PDF does not turn that photograph into a high-resolution or vector image.
    SCREENSHOTS & WEB IMAGES

    Looking sharp on a screen does not guarantee sharp print

    Websites and screens can display relatively small images very convincingly. Printing the same image at a much larger physical size can expose the limited number of pixels in the original file.

    Screenshots are particularly risky because they capture only the pixels displayed on screen. If the original photograph, logo or artwork is available, supply that instead.

    Original photograph
    Usually preferable to a copy taken from a website or screenshot.
    Original logo file
    Vector artwork such as AI, EPS or suitable PDF is normally preferable for logos.
    Screenshot
    Useful for showing us what something should look like, but rarely the best production artwork.
    LARGE-FORMAT PRINT

    Bigger print does not always need 300 ppi

    A business card or brochure is normally inspected from close range. A banner, site board or large display may be viewed from several metres away. As viewing distance increases, extremely fine image detail becomes less important.

    CLOSE VIEWING
    Leaflets & brochures
    Fine image detail matters because the print is likely to be held and viewed closely.
    MID-RANGE VIEWING
    Posters & displays
    The required resolution depends on size, artwork and how close people are expected to stand.
    DISTANCE VIEWING
    Banners & site graphics
    Lower effective resolution can often be suitable when graphics are large and intended to be viewed from further away.
    Do not artificially enlarge a small web image just because the final product is large.
    Large-format printing can tolerate lower effective resolution, but there are still limits. If the source image is very small, it can remain visibly poor even when viewed at distance.
    BEFORE YOU SEND YOUR FILE

    Common image quality problems

    01
    Small image enlarged too far
    A photograph that works at a small size has been scaled substantially larger in the artwork.
    02
    Logo supplied as a small JPG or PNG
    A raster copy has been used where original vector logo artwork would produce cleaner edges and scale more reliably.
    03
    Screenshot used as production artwork
    A screenshot may look acceptable on screen but contain far less useful image information than the original file.
    04
    Assuming a PDF guarantees quality
    A PDF can still contain low-resolution photographs and graphics.
    05
    Upscaling mistaken for genuine detail
    Software can resample an image and create additional pixels, but this is not the same as having captured genuine detail in the original image.
    USING CANVA?

    Start with the best images available

    Creating the document at the correct physical dimensions is important, but it does not automatically improve the resolution of images placed into it. A small uploaded photograph remains a small raster image even inside a correctly sized Canva document.

    Use the highest-quality original photographs and graphics available, avoid unnecessarily enlarging small images and export the finished design using a print-quality PDF option.

    NOT SURE ABOUT YOUR IMAGE?

    Send us the artwork and tell us what size you want to print it

    Resolution only makes sense in relation to physical print size. If you send us the artwork and intended product dimensions, we can help identify obvious image-quality concerns.

    We may be able to suggest using a better original file, reducing an image, replacing a logo with vector artwork or adjusting the design. However, genuinely missing photographic detail cannot always be recreated from a poor-quality source.

    COMMON QUESTIONS

    Image resolution FAQs

    What resolution should images be for printing?
    Approximately 300 ppi at final printed size is a useful target for most photographs and raster artwork in close-viewed commercial print. The appropriate resolution can be lower for some large-format applications viewed from greater distances.
    Is 150 ppi good enough for print?
    Sometimes. It depends on the physical size, type of image, print product and expected viewing distance. It may be usable in some situations but is below the normal 300 ppi target for close-viewed print.
    Is 72 ppi suitable for printing?
    An image being labelled 72 ppi does not by itself tell the whole story because its pixel dimensions and intended print size also matter. However, an image that is effectively only 72 ppi at its final print size will normally be too low for good-quality close-viewed commercial print.
    Can I increase a low-resolution image to 300 ppi?
    Simply changing the resolution number does not create genuine original detail. Resampling software can generate additional pixels and may improve some images, but it cannot reliably recreate all of the detail that was missing from the source.
    Why does my image look sharp on screen but blurry in print?
    A screen may display the image much smaller than its intended printed size. Once the same pixels are spread across a larger physical area, softness or pixelation can become more apparent.
    Are PNG and JPG files suitable for printing?
    They can be. The file extension alone does not determine print quality. A JPG or PNG with sufficient pixel dimensions can reproduce well, while a small version of the same format may not.
    Does large-format printing need 300 ppi?
    Not necessarily. Large banners, signs and displays are often viewed from further away, so lower effective resolution can be appropriate. The required quality depends on the product, dimensions, artwork and viewing distance.
    What is the best format for a logo?
    Vector artwork is normally preferable for logos because it can be scaled without the pixelation associated with raster images. Suitable vector artwork may be supplied in formats such as AI, EPS or vector PDF.
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    PRACTICAL PRINT ADVICE FROM CREOPRINT
    Not sure whether your image will print clearly?
    Creoprint has more than 30 years' experience working with commercial print and customer artwork. Send us the file, tell us what you're producing and the finished size, and we can help identify obvious resolution or image-quality concerns before production.
    ASK ABOUT YOUR ARTWORK