Here’s a Tip: Avoid Blurry Prints

When it comes to reproducing your art, resolution is everything. A low resolution will give your image a blurry effect when it’s printed, whereas a high resolution file gives the ability to print clearly and in a greater range of sizes. We regularly get emails from customers asking if their images are a high enough resolution to print, like this recent one: 

 

“I have an iPhone image that I am looking to have blown up on a canvas. I used a simple edit (Brilliance) and am wondering what the photo quality is going to be once enlarged. I'm looking to do a 14x10 image. Can you let me know what you think the print quality will be like?”

We actually printed this customer’s image on canvas at 14" x 10" and it wasn’t blurry. The image pixel dimensions are 3816 pixels x 2858 pixels, so at a selected size of 14" x 10," that makes the resolution 273 pixels per inch. Since the size that the customer has requested brought the resolution to 273 PPI (still considered high-res) the file worked perfectly for our purposes.

 

If you’re wondering whether your image has sufficient resolution, don’t worry. Our website has built-in checks and balances to ensure only high-resolution images are accepted. It will not allow you to upload images below 130 PPI (pixels per inch) which is the point at which low resolution becomes noticeable to the naked eye. Although we are capable of printing any resolution, it is not recommended that you try to print if the working resolution falls below our recommended threshold. The print industry standard for the "ideal" resolution for high-res print files is 300 PPI. The inkjet printers and workflows we have set-up at American Frame are much more tolerant than offset-lithographic technology and will give you good results as low as 130 PPI.

 

Still concerned about your resolution? Order a proof. We offer two kinds of proofing, both for $9.50 per print. A color proof is an 8X10 inch reproduction of your image, on any paper we carry. A resolution proof is used for “blowing up” an image. It’s an 8X10 section of the image at the requested resolution so you can see if increasing the size will cause distortion. Need your image in a hurry? Both types of proof are available as a “soft proof” you can view on your computer, although a screen won’t show how colors will be displayed on your paper of choice, so if shades are particularly important, we recommend a proof by mail.
 
Have more questions? Read this blog post for helpful information about pixels and resolution.