If you want to produce an effective printed piece or digital image, you need to know the rules of the road. Let’s start with some basics: dots per inch (DPI) and pixels per inch (PPI).
DPI refers to the number of dots of ink in one inch of a printed raster (non-Vector) image. PPI is the digital equivalent, referring to the number of pixels within one inch on a screen. DPI and PPI are important determining factors for print quality.
As a rule of thumb, you want a DPI/PPI of 300 for the best printing results. For on-screen use, you can use smaller pixel dimensions to produce a good image because printing generally requires a higher DPI for optimal results. For example, 72 PPI has been the standard for digital use for years, but the actual pixel dimensions are what’s most important for digital use because display resolution varies across devices.
Websites and digital platforms will list dimension requirements in pixels because monitor and phone displays are measured in pixels. So, if you’re prepping images to use on the web, you want to set the units to pixels.
It’s simple to check the DPI/PPI of an image using Photoshop. Open it and go to Image > Image Size, then toggle the unit of measurement to see the dimensions of your image in inches. Check the DPI of your image when you place it in your design at the size you desire for best results.
Now go out there and create a little magic!
West Press’ talented staff is here to help you each step of the way as you create your printed or e-newsletter. We offer graphic design, printing and mailing services and website development. Contact West Press or your Account Executive at 520-624-4939 today.