Written by Christy | 08 April 2011

Written by Administrator | 07 April 2011

People often ask the question, What size can you print this? The best answer is It depends on how particular you are about your final result. Many people are not concerned with a little blurriness in their images, while others may be quite concerned that their images are absolutely perfect seen from any distance. There are many factors to take into consideration with regards to ideal print sizes; a letterhead will need to look more crisp and clear as it will be viewed up close, but a 3rd floor sign seen from street level will allow more lattitude in image quality. Below we've tried to answer some basic questions regarding image quality.

Can I use images from the web?
The short answer is Yes. The best answer is probably not. As you can see below, resolution can play a large role in how an image appears. Ideal print quality is 300dpi or dots per inch. This refers to the amount of ink dots in an inch of paper or material. Screen resolution for computers is 72dpi, which means that an image on your monitor will print most clearly at a much smaller size that it appears on your screen, or roughly one-quarter of the size.

Where can I get good quality photos on the internet?
Your best option for finding images on the internet is to use a stock photography site, such as istockphoto.com, or dreamstime.com. These sites offer images for purchase in various sizes. If you need help deciding what size to purchase we can help you. Some people simply search for images in google and save one on their computer for use, but there are many problems with this method. The first is that many images on the internet are under copyright, which could result in legal difficulties later on. The second problem is that google searches result in images of all sizes, and it may be difficult for you know the difference.

What is the difference between vector and raster images?
Vector images are created in mathematically-defined computer programs which allow the images to be scaled with no loss of detail. This is perfect for logo creation, as a logo can appear on multiple materials and sizes.

Raster images are pixel-based images, typically obtained from a camera or the internet and consisting of thousands of squares (pixels) of colour. This type of file does not allow for up-sizing in most cases.

So these are just a few questions we come across on a daily basis, but if you have further questions, don't hesitate to give us a ring at 0141 420 6800 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .