High vs Low Res
Mintsauce (1004 points) | Wed, 2008-12-24 21:45One of my clients still struggles to understand that you can not use internet images for print. I'm hoping this chart will help explain. Does it make sense?
The Construct Agency
Building Creative Brands for People
Commenting on this Image is closed.
Before I exported I changed the font size on the explanation but forgot to check for errors. Oops. Well, I've changed it, so please ignore.
The Construct Agency
Building Creative Brands for People
Too much information. Just take a 72dpi web image and enlarge it to fit an A4 or 8.5x11 piece of paper. Once they see the jagginess they'll back off from using those silly web images for print. :)
----
Natobasso
dirtandrust.com
"Powerpoint is not a design application"
----
Dirt and Rust
What I failed to mention is this client lives in another country and this is a guide to help him find the images he'd like to use - instead of asking me all the time whether this or that image will work.
The Construct Agency
Building Creative Brands for People
Why not just tell him you want:
1. 300dpi
2. at least 5"x7" (or metric equivalent)
3. an image NOT PULLED FROM THE WEB unless it's a pro stock site.
Just zoom in on a 72dpi jpg and then a 300dpi ready for print image close enough for the client to see the drastic difference between the two. No need for hefty explanations.
----
Natobasso
dirtandrust.com
"Powerpoint is not a design application"
----
Dirt and Rust
It would be better to show a comparison: 72 ppi to 133 lpi vs 300 ppi to 133 lpi both with the close-up of the half-tone dots to show the pixelation in print.
many printing companies already have ready-made examples in pdf available on their websites, usually as part of their submission guidelines.
"...and mamma cried: Watch out where the huskies go, don't you eat that yellow snow" - Frank Zappa
instead of worrying about DPI and inches, if you know the physical size you're looking for, give your client minimum pixel by pixel sizes. i.e., if you know you need 5x7 at 300dpi, tell your client you need an image that's at least 1500x2100 pixels in size (and tell them not to resize a smaller one to get that size). it's fairly easy to find these numbers by getting info (mac) or properties (pc).
i've always found that to be a much easier task for a client who doesn't understand resolutions and isn't getting your attempts to explain.
I agree with this tactic. If they still can't figure it out, I tell them that in general, I need the images to be approximately "X" Mb in size, and that even then we may not be able to use them. The "X" depends on what I am using them for.
Trouble is, these clients could send an image that's less than 72dpi. It's happened. :)
----
Natobasso
dirtandrust.com
"Powerpoint is not a design application"
----
Dirt and Rust
that's why i said to ignore DPI. it's too confusing. just use actual pixel numbers.
If they can't handle dpi they probably can't handle pixels either.
I'd recommend having the client send me screenshots and then I'll go out and get the images. Saves all this hassle.
----
Natobasso
dirtandrust.com
"Powerpoint is not a design application"
----
Dirt and Rust
*shrug*
i've had good success with giving actual pixel resolutions. it's far less complicated because there's only one thing to figure out and you can get the info by checking info/properties. all they have to do is look at the properties and see if the number of pixels is as big or bigger than your number. in XP or vista, all they have to do is hover the image and the first thing in the popup they'll see is "Dimensions: 2592 x 1944" (or something similar). very simple and very rarely have i had any issues with this method.
if you ask for DPI, you're asking for them to look at two different things and potentially do math. it's more difficult.
Some clients do have a perfectly good idea what pixels are - although they still take some changes. Other are just relatively clueless in this area, and want the designer to figure it out - that's what I pay you for...
Had some luck with this client... he decided to leave finding the images up to me.
The Construct Agency
Building Creative Brands for People