Image Resolution versus Image Size

Resolution is determined by the number of pixels, or dots, in a linear inch. An image with a
resolution of 72 has 72 dots in a linear inch. The higher the resolution of an image, the better the
quality of image you have.

The image size is determined by the resolution multiplied by the height and the width of the
image. Your height and width will be determined by how you received the image, be it a
camera, scan, etc.

What resolution should I use?

Output Device Optimum Acceptable Resolution

Desktop color inkjet 330 dpi 180 dpi
Professional Photo lap printer 300 dpi 200 dpi
Desktop Laser Printer 170 dpi 100 dpi
Large format inkjet 150 dpi 120 dpi
Magazine quality 300 dpi 225 dpi
Screen images 72 dpi 72 dpi

Resizing an Image for Print

Digital Camera file sizes will vary. The size of the image will most likely be huge in dimension;
too large for normal size printers. Let’s
resize and image for Print.

File, Open and select the file:

AK 240dpi.jpg

From the Image menu, select Image Size

The Size of image is 46.0M

The dimensions are 20.5” x 13.6”
Resolution is 240 dpi

Photoshop – Resizing Images Page 1

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Resample Image
Simply put, resampling an image changes the pixels within the
image, by either adding or subtracting pixels. Resampling will
alter the pixels in the image, but will not change the size of the
image.

If you do not want to alter the pixels within the image, make sure
you uncheck Resample Image:

Changing the Resolution Without Changing Pixel Data:

From the Image Size dialog box, deselect Resample Image

Result  pixel data is grayed out, pixel data is locked, which means your quality is locked.

File size will not decrease, Image dimensions and pixels will change.

Change the resolution to 360.

Notice the document resized and the pixel data did not
change.

Tip: Your eyes are not going to see the difference

between 240 and 300 on the screen, or between 72 and
360 for that matter.

Notice the file size did not change.

Change the resolution to 200

The image resized

File size is still the same

You can print the image from Photoshop or

save it as a Tiff and print it later.

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How do I resize and image for the Web or eMail?

From Photoshop open the file: AK 72dpi.jpg

Select Image, Image Size

Notice the size of the image. 3.66 M is

kind of large for an email or a web page.

Leave Resample checked or turned on.

We do want to affect the pixels and reduce

them in order to reduce our file size.

Email: 320 x 240 pixels is a good size for

an image over email

Position the cursor in the Pixel dimensions

area of the Image Size dialog box and
change the width to 320 pixels. The
height will adjust accordingly.

Press Ok.

Notice the image is smaller.

Change the zoom level to 100% by
clicking twice on the zoom tool.

Photoshop – Resizing Images Page 3

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Save the File

Size guidelines for email and web

Choose File, Save for Web. In the Save

for Web window, click on the 2-Up tab on
the top of the window.

File Format: jpg for photo

Quality: Choose High for email quality

You can click on the quality dropdown to adjust your quality

as needed, to make your image larger or smaller. You will
see the changed on the bottom of the screen.
Press Ok and Save.

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How to Resize an Image from the Web for Print?

You will find images on the web that you might need to print.

Caution: look at copyright data.

Images on the web are typically low in resolution and are not set up for print quality. Prior to
printing the image, you need to review the image and change its resolution.

Remember, when you increase your resolution, your physical image size will get smaller.

File, Open, CSU from web.jpg

Select Image, Image Size

The Image is very small, but it is 4” x 3”

We don’t want to alter the quality of the

image. Instead we want to increase the
resolution, so the pixels will be packed
more closely went sent to the printer.

Deselect the Resample image.

Notice the pixel dimension area is locked.

Change the resolution from 72 to 150.

Notice the width and height adjusted

automatically and it’s smaller.

Bottom line, there is not a whole lot of

flexibility when trying to make a web
image higher in resolution for print. The
physical size of the image will have to
decrease in order to get print quality.

Photoshop – Resizing Images Page 5

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How can I make my image a bit larger in size and not resolution?

There will be times when you need to increase your image size, slightly, for a particular project.

Open the image

Open UCA.jpg

Choose Image, Image Size.

Make sure Resample Image is selected.

Under the Resample Image checkbox,

we have some options. In CS6, Bicubic
Automatic is selected for us and
Photoshop will determine what will
work best for us based on what we are
doing to the image. If you click on the
dropdown, you will see some options
that you can select to make sure
Photoshop does what you want it to do.

Change the document size Unit of

Measure from Inches to Percent

Change the width of document size

from 100% to 110%. Note, only increase the image by 10% at a time. Press Ok.

Repeat the above procedure as necessary. Note, only use this is if you are in desperate need for a
larger image. Quality will not be the best, but if you only increase a couple of times, it might not
be too noticeable.

Photoshop – Resizing Images Page 6

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