If you are thinking of selling prints through Renderosity, be aware that your reputation as an artist may suffer as a result. It's possible that a purchaser of one of YOUR prints might wind up with a 33 DPI "Fine Art" image. Your name will be on it. And it will be non-refundable, of course.

Why do I say this? Because of an e-mail exchange with ClintH, the marketplace guy. Here's our exchange...

From: ClintH (Renderosity)
Sent: Friday, July 19, 2002 1:13 PM
Subject: Digital Art Print Sometimes the Mirror Does Lie failed testing...

Hi Sean, I am testing the above listed Digital Art Print and ran into some problems.

The image is rendered at 300dpi and needs to be 100dpi as stated in the Submission Guidelines

You can find more information at this URL:
http://www.renderosity.com/index.ez?viewLink=425

If you have any questions please let me know.
Please feel free to re-upload you Digital Art Print (DAP) when you have the above issue corrected.

Clint Hawkins
Renderosity MarketPlace Manager
www.Renderosity.com

From: Sean Pratz
To: ClintH (Renderosity)

Hi Clint,

I'm confused. The dimensions of the picture are 2800x3400 as stated in the guidelines. Taking the "bleed" area off that leaves 2200x2800, which is 22"x28" at 100 DPI. What resolution should I be sending pictures at?

• Sean

From: ClintH (Renderosity)
To: Sean Pratz

Sean, I re-downloaded the image to check it again.

It is 300dpi at 2800x3400.

It needs to be 100dpi at 2800x3400.

I've attached a screen shot.

Clint Hawkins
Renderosity MarketPlace Manager
www.Renderosity.com
(The screen shot he refers to shows an 11.333"x9.333" image at 300 DPI)

From: Sean Pratz
To: ClintH (Renderosity)

Hi again, Clint.

I still don't get it. Your screen shot shows it as 300 DPI (actually, PPI) at a dimension of 11.333 x 9.333 inches. That's the exact same thing as the 100 DPI at 28"x34" dimensions required in your guidelines at http://www.renderosity.com/index.ez?viewLink=425.

From the web page: "Total Design Size : 2800 pixels x 3400 pixels, 28" x 34" at 100dpi"

If I give you an image that shows up as 100 DPI at the 11.333 x 9.333 inch dimensions your program is showing it won't meet the requirements stated on the web page.

I'm not trying to be snarky, Clint, but I uploaded a 2800 pixels x 3400 pixels, 28" x 34" at 100dpi image exactly as required by the guidelines.

• Sean

From: ClintH (Renderosity)
To: Sean Pratz

Hi Sean, We got the print specification from our print partner.
Images submitted for print need to be exactly as the specifications state.

I've submitted a few more screen grabs.
Your image information on the right and the image information from a print that meets the guidelines on the left.
Might not be the best example since your is a landscape and the one on the left is a portrait but I think it will help you understand what I need.

Notice how the one on the left says Width = 28" and Height = 34"
Yours shows Width = 11.333 and Height = 9.333"

The images are printing at 28"x34" not 11.33"x9.333"

I understand that it can grow to the 28"x34" from 300dpi...like you have it but thats not the way the printer asked for the images.

You should be able to open your image in Photoshop or whatever paint program you are using and change the DPI or PPI to 100 which will cause the dimensions to be listed as 34"x28" at 100dpi.

Thats what we require.
Please re-upload your image when you have it within the guidelines.

Thanks,
Clint Hawkins
Renderosity MarketPlace Manager
www.Renderosity.com

From: Sean Pratz
To: ClintH (Renderosity)

No.

Now, to be fair, I submitted my image in TIF format. That may be something his software doesn't work well with. It's also possible that Clint doesn't know that 2800x3400 equals 2800x3800 no matter how you slice it and that DPI (or PPI) is solely dependent on the dimensions at which the picture is printed.

Also to be fair, the screen shot he attached in his last message backs up what he says. But 2800x3400 is 2800x3400. Period. And I've got better things to do than argue the point.

Now, I could very well go back into my paint program and reset things so as to make Clint happy, but as far as the printers are concerned all they need is a 2800x3400 image. The fact that they "simplified" their requirements so that Renderosity marketplace staff could understand them has only served to make said staff question anything that doesn't say "100 DPI" in whatever program they happen to be using.

Good thing I didn't send in a 1000 DPI image suitable for printing at 2.8"x3.4". Oh, wait. I did. I also sent a 10DPI image for printing at 280"x340".

I'm not going to jump through hoops to satisfy someone who says he's been in the computer business for 22 years but who doesn't understand what DPI means. That someone could very well be responsible for you buying a 33 DPI image, or worse, selling one with your name attached to it!

My advice: If you want to sell your prints, do it somewhere else. I've had better luck in the "real world" than online anyway. I would also suggest that Renderosity find better educated staff.

• Sean

thats kinda harsh, but it makes sence.

WOW??? It is too bad that no one knows of a freeware program that does image make-overs..I-Fran is a good simple freeware tool for size&pixel adjustments

Submission guidelines are needed to keep consistency and quality. I purchased one of the fine art prints to see what they would look like. It was a 22x28 - gloss laminate. It arrived yesterday and is stunning! The colors are vibrant and it is beautiful...I plan to buy many more. : ) thanks tammy

The one I purchased was a fractal.... i love the chaos and order of these images.

Sean, You neglected to post this part of my reply as well. "If our print partner DesignToPrint says yes we can accept images that are: 300dpi at 9.333" x 11.333" -or- 600dpi at 4.666" x 5.666" -or- 900dpi at 3.111" x 3.777" We will accept them. But at this time they have provided us with specifications that they require and thats what we are working with. So, Please understand I do know what you are saying and do understand printing. We just have not been told that we can accept images other than what the Submission Guidelines state and that is 100dpi at 28" x 34". Best Regards, Clint Hawkins Renderosity MarketPlace Manager www.Renderosity.com" I do understand how print works. Thats not the problem. I also offered to chat with you via phone and never heard back from you. We accept images at 100dpi only. Thats the guidelines that we are using and you need to follow them. Our print partner will have to take an extra step on their end in order to print images that come in set to another dpi setting. I spoke with them about this yesterday. We will be happy to accept your art prints once they follow the submission guidelines 28" x 34" at 100dpi. Have a nice day. Clint Renderosity MarketPlace Manager

Clint, I neglected to post nothing. At the date of the above post that was the extent of our contact. You neglected to look at the dates above. Thanks for your phone chat offer. Very nice. As you can tell, I have declined. I'm glad you'd be happy to accept my art for printing. I am quite happy elsewhere - one of the large majority of places where 2800x3400 = 2800x3400 and DPI changes according to printout size. Having a wonderful day. Sean

Incidentally, and not related to this thread, but related to printing fractals in particular, fractals have far more detail than other art forms and look best at higher DPI. Having had printed more than my share of them, a 100 DPI fractal print is an eyesore when compared to a print with a higher DPI. So I render 16x20 prints at 4800x6000. This is not to bait Clint, this is for fractal artist's information only.

Give them what they want. You go do the work to conform. I realize that resizing an image is an easy task, but consider the workload of the printer. The harder you make it for people to market your stuff, the less likely they will work. Do it their way and move on.