Scaling Your Prints Without Losing Quality
When scaling artwork or photography for printing, understanding image resolution is just as important as keeping the correct proportions.
Image Resolution for Printing
Digital images are composed of individual elements called pixels. Each pixel describes the color and density of a single point in the image. Most digital images contain millions of pixels–and so they are measured in megapixels.
While the overall size of an image in megapixels provides some guidance on resolution, it is more helpful to know the pixel dimensions of the image. Just as a rectangle that measures 4×6 inches has an area of 24 square inches, so an image that measures 4,000 pixels by 6,000 pixels would contain 24 megapixels altogether (4,000 x 6,000 = 24,000,000).
The overall dimensions and size of a digital image in pixels and megapixels is constant. How large or small you print it will affect the image resolution as measured in pixels per inch (PPI). Looking at the example of an image that measures 4,000 x 6,000 pixels. If we printed at 200 PPI the print would be 20×30 inches (4,000 pixels ÷ 200 pixels per inch = 20 inches). But if we lowered the resolution to 100 PPI we could make a print 40×60 inches.
Most imaging programs will include a basic dialogue box for determining image size and resolution. Here is what the Photoshop Image Size dialogue box looks like.
For printing, the ideal image resolution is 300 PPI. But we get excellent results printing at resolutions as low as 150 PPI and often very good results as low as 100 PPI. But as the resolution becomes lower, the quality of the image becomes more important. A perfectly exposed and focused image is more tolerant of printing at low resolutions.
If your image is too small for your desired print size, AI-based upscaling tools (like Adobe Photoshop’s “Preserve Details 2.0” or Topaz Gigapixel AI) can help enlarge images while minimizing quality loss. However, upscaling has limitations, so it’s always best to start with high-resolution files.
Understanding proportions and scaling your prints is key to creating professional-quality giclée prints that preserve the original beauty of your artwork. By maintaining the correct proportion and working with high-resolution files you can ensure that your prints look stunning at any size.
At Grand River Giclée, we’re happy to help artists and photographers prepare their files for the best possible results. Contact us today, and let’s bring your artwork to life!