IMAGE KNOW-HOW
What size can I print my AI image?
Pixels, proportions and print sizes, explained without the technical headache. Give your image room to shine.
By the ArtFart team · Published · 4 min read
THE SHORT VERSION
Start with the original file. Check its resolution after cropping and choose a size that suits the detail it contains.
Start with the best version of your image
Download the original image from the tool you used to create it. A screenshot or a copy sent through a messaging app can contain less detail than the original download. The same advice applies to photographs: use the original from your phone or camera where possible.
Look closely before you print. Check faces, hands, lettering and small objects in AI artwork. Printing makes those details easier to see, including the bits you would rather it did not.
Pixels matter more than the file size
An image is made up of pixels. Spread those pixels across a larger print and there are fewer of them in each inch. That is why an image that looks crisp on a phone can look soft when printed much larger.
Megabytes alone do not tell you how large you can print. Image dimensions, the detail in the picture and the crop all matter. ArtFart checks the available resolution at your chosen size and gives you a recommendation in the ordering process.
Leave room for the crop
A square image and a landscape print have different proportions. Filling the print can mean trimming part of the original. Check that faces, text and important details stay inside your chosen crop.
Cropping also removes pixels. A close crop of a small part of an image has less information to work with than the full image. Make your crop first, then consider the size recommendation.
Choose a size for the image and the room
A print viewed close up needs different consideration from a larger piece seen across a room. Fine lettering and intricate line work reveal softness more readily than broad painterly shapes. There is no single size that suits every file.
Measure the space where the print will go. A paper template on the wall can help you judge the scale before ordering. If the resolution recommendation suggests a smaller print, take it seriously. Bigger is not automatically better.
What about image enlargement?
Enlargement can help prepare an image for a larger print, but it cannot guarantee an accurate recovery of detail missing from the original. Always inspect an enhanced result, particularly faces and text.
Begin with the strongest file you have and use the size check before committing. If you are unsure, email info@artfart.co.uk with your intended print size. We can help you understand the next step.
Ready to make it real?
Upload your image and find the size and finish that work for it.
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