Hi, First of all sorry if I am in the wrong category, I am trying to find out the reresolutions for print sizes ie, A4 = 1024x768, I don't know if that is correct, it is just an example. Does anyone know the recommended resolutions for A6-A0 please? Thanks.

The printing resolution strongly depends on size... for example for a small print, like A6 or A5, it should be IMHO 300dpi, for larger prints it can be lower, down to 100dpi at largest ones. So for your A4 it should be something about 2340x1654 (it gives 200dpi). Just take your print size (in inches) and multiply it by your printing resolution (in dpi). FYI: DPI stands for 'dots per inch'.

You can print any size image you want. Consider the differance between DPI and Pixels measurements standards first. They are different. If you push the Print Screen button on your keyboard it will print centimeter for centimeter if your printer is just big enough. Now take into consideration that, generally(with that same printer,) you could print that file that file at half of that metric size, but still just as much ink! This would happen when the screenshot's DPI would be increased, from inside photoshop's Image Size dialog box. The second print would actually look much much better from centimeter to centimeter. So, by todays standards you really need to render at Life Size(About 10,000 pixels) to fully econimize the use of a good home printer, for a simple 8x10 print! Please, keep in mind that RIPing and image to this size, and then printing from home, should only be tried on very very good paper. Not even on Glossy Paper, really. THe best medium I know of is the "Film" Epson makes for thier Inkjet Printers! = )

I stick with 300 PPI (Pixels per inch since DPI dots per inch isn't really accurate for CG) until I get to large size projects like posters at which time it gets a bit unwieldy. For example, say you're doing a cover for a hardback book. Basically, your print size is 6.125 by 9.25. At 300 PPI this gives you an actual image size of 1838 by 2775. What I tend to do is make templates for use in Photoshop of the sizes I tend to use most, for example hardback covers, CD covers, paperback covers, DVD box covers etc. That way I only have to do the math once as I'm very bad at math.

Minimum resolution usually is 200 dpi for most graphics. Also, be aware you cannot print any higher than what your printer is capable of. A common standard for professional graphics is 200 to 300 dpi.

My method for achieving very high quality prints is to put the image on a memory card and go to the digital photolab :) It gives me fantastic prints, but beware of poor labs! Choose official points from Agfa or Kodak. This method is way cheaper than using your home inkjet, and lets you get quite large prints (I usually tend to print at 45x30 cm - something about 2xA4).

Aye, but how much is "way cheaper"? If ink and paper are purchased properly, then I'm certain one could at least equal a Digital Lab's prices, and at your own convenience.... Bonestructure and Serenity seem to be on the right track. Thanks for the info, and I enjoy the PPI idea as well, BoneStructure...

What do you mean by 'purchased properly'? Here, in Poland, the best photo paper, Epson film paper, costs something about 3$ per A4 sheet(!)... and the ink isn't cheap neither :/ Besides, are you able to make a print at 45x30cm (it's about 18x12") at your home? I'm not. And this size costs me only something about < 4$. And the print 30x20cm (about 12x8" - similar to A4) costs me less then 2$. The other pro of this method is better realized printout. The inkjet most of its resolution capabilities spend on producing shades of colors, not on producing details. Printing with thermotransfer printer (like in photolab) gives you really much better quality. This way when I want to print this 45x30cm size, I give them source file made at 200ppi - the effect is superb, and the lab staff asks me: "oh... where did you take this beautiful shot?"... ;) By the way, you can check my gallery ;)

Aye, I believe you, Utak, but I'll check your gallery because I want to, not because i doubt you! I live in Seattle, there are hundreds of imaging shops everywhere, and they all are very, very costly. It's the nature of competition. I hope you understand that I wasn't trying to degrade your info. I'll look around next time I'm printing, and see if I can find a cheaper way...

Yeah, I don't know, what are the costs in US, though. But what is the good side of photolab: in some of them one can make a 90x60cm copy :) (that's something about 35.5"x23.5"!) Such a size is expensive, but you know... ;) Cheers, Peter.

Aye, and buying a printer at home that can print that big would cost thousands... I see your point now, Peter...

I work for a small national graphics company. We charge $18.95 per square foot for giclee, six color. That is cyan, light cyan, magenta, light magenta, yellow and black. The prints look pretty good but the price is too high for me. At 2.22 square feet for a 16 X 20 print on Arches cold press 90# paper that works out to about $44.00. Operating at a markup of 40% of retail that comes to about $70.00 that I must charge customers. My first experiment with letting the company print for me was an 16 X 20 image done at 72ppi. Curved lines showed serious pixelation. I now do me files at a minimum of 144ppi in the size they are to be printed at. When I get a larger machine I will increase the file size. Mike

72ppi for a print is a total didaster.. ;) For big prints a minimum is a 100-150ppi. For smaller ones it should be 200-300ppi. All that applies for professional prints though - for home inkjets resolutions must be much higher.

No - the image resolution in PPI should be in the same range for inkjets. The printer itself must have a higher DPI, however, as most work by error-diffusion: for each dot they work out how far from the requested colour it is, given the limited number of tones possible at each point (the error part), and add an adjustment to neighbouring dots to compensate (the diffusion part). If you tried to print an image with a PPI equal to or approaching the DPI of the printer the process would apply a heavy blur to it, if you give each pixel several dots then neighbouring omage pixels should remain largely independent and the blurring will be slight or absent.

OK, you're right. I meant the printing process must be at the higher resolution, then the desired image resolution - and your explanation was closer to this statement than mine ;)

Phew! :D