MetaChat - Optimal digital printing resolution?

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10 August 2007

Optimal digital printing resolution? Stupid digital art question: What's the best resolution at which to print an "oil painted style" piece of digital art (about 8.5"x11") ?
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What's "optimal resolution," and what's the minimum rez at which a print looks about as good as at higher rez's?

I used to know what rez magazines commonly print at but I can't remember and can't find it now.

At what rez are art books usually printed?

I guess I'd like a good resolution print without using up all my ink and without going overboard to the point that the file size is unnecessarily ridiculous.

T'anks.

post by: shane at: 13:17 | 5 comments

300 pixels/inch is standard for real photo quality prints, but an average photo magazine will be nearer 150. But if you've already created the artwork (and it isn't vector) the number of pixels you have to play with is fixed, so really all you're asking about is printer settings, and they vary too much between models to be able to advise you.

posted by cillit bang 10 August | 14:31

I guess I'd like a good resolution print without using up all my ink

You have...limited digital ink?

posted by cortex 10 August | 14:58

Yeah, sorry about that... I guess what I was really asking about was the resolution at which I save the copy of the image I'm going to print. That's a big distinction I should have made. I mean, images that will only be viewed on the 'Net, there's no reason to ever save the file at more than 300 DPI. But something that's to be printed...

Thanks.

posted by shane 10 August | 15:00

Still not entirely sure what you're asking. If you're using Photoshop or similar it'll have a native resolution you set when you started that there's very little reason to diverge from.

posted by cillit bang 10 August | 15:07

Not a big deal. I should play around a bit and experiment. I'm only going to get the resolution at which the printer is set to print, anyway, as you and cortex pointed out. The printer has the final word.

Thanks, though!

posted by shane 10 August | 15:23

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