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What is Resolution?

Resolution refers to the quality of an image. A high-resolution image will look clear and detailed, while a low-resolution image will appear blurry or pixelated. To measure resolution, pixels per inch (ppi) are used for screen resolution, and dots per inch (dpi) for print resolution. This measurement indicates the number of pixels or dots present along a one-inch line. The more image data available, the better the picture quality.

Ensuring Crisp Prints: What Resolution Do You Need?

When it comes to transforming your digital creations into stunning printed masterpieces, resolution is key. This seemingly technical term dictates the clarity and detail of your final output, making the difference between sharp, professional results and pixelated disappointments.

Industry standard: 300 pixels per inch (ppi) is the golden rule for digital artwork files. This ensures enough data for printers to translate your image into a high-quality print at 300 dots per inch (dpi).

Why 300? This resolution stems from the world of publishing, where we view printed materials at arm's length. At this level, the human eye perceives the image as smooth and continuous, not a collection of individual squares.

Creating high-res documents

• Start with the right settings: When creating or editing artwork, set the resolution from the beginning. Most design software asks for dimensions and resolution (X and Y values).
• Lock and match resolutions: Ensure both X and Y resolutions are identical for consistent detail across the image.
• Choose units: For print purposes, select "pixels/in" (ppi) as the resolution unit.
• 300 ppi is your friend: For the vast majority of commercial print work, 300 ppi will translate seamlessly to 300 dpi in the final print.
• Double-check source images: If using existing images, verify their resolution. Low-res elements can impact the overall quality.

Checking resolution before printing

• File size is a clue: While not definitive, larger files generally indicate higher resolution.
• Zoom in for a closer look: A revealing way to check on-screen is to zoom in to 3-4 times the final print size. This simulates how the image might appear printed at 300 dpi (screens display at 72 ppi). Pixelation at this zoom level suggests potential issues.

Dealing with low-resolution elements

Unfortunately, low-res images are rarely fixable. Skilled professionals can sometimes sharpen slightly subpar images, but if the data is insufficient, there's no magic solution.

• Replace low-res images: Find higher-quality alternatives. Consider sourcing stock photos or commissioning a designer or photographer to recreate them.
• Weigh the risks: If replacement isn't feasible, printing as-is might be an option for very large items viewed from afar. However, be aware of the potential for pixelation and a less polished appearance.

If you did require a designer to rebuild your image, our in-house design team is on hand to help. Please contact us for a quote and we’ll be happy to assist with creating artwork that’s perfect print quality.

When part of a document is vectorised and the rest is low-resolution

When a portion of a document is vectorized while the rest remains low-resolution, it indicates that incorrect settings were used during the creation of your image. Consequently, the quality suffers when saving the file as a JPEG or PDF. This situation can arise due to misconfigured export settings in Adobe InDesign or when a PDF is generated from a Microsoft Word document.

Creating artwork directly in MS Word is generally not recommended and should be avoided. However, if you’re exporting from InDesign, ensure that the resolution options are set to a minimum of 300 pixels per inch (ppi) and that compression is maximized.

For comprehensive instructions on providing artwork in various file formats, refer to our Supplying Artwork Guide.

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