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It Looked Good On The Screen. The Print Was Disappointing. Sound Familier?


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Make sure your PSE layout is viewed at 100% before you commit to printing.

Many of us create our layouts at 3600 x 3600 pixels because that translates into a high quality 12" x 12" print. Before you print your layout, ALWAYS view it at 100%. You may spot potential problems beforehand, and save yourself from printing a less than perfect layout.

When we view our entire layout no larger than what our screen size can accommodate, it can visually hide the fact that an image on our layout is of poor quality.

What's the resolution of your screen? Mine is 1600 x 1200 pixels. So, if I try to view my entire layout crammed onto my screen, obviously, not all 3600 x 3600 pixels can be displayed. To see it all, go to 100% view and scroll left/right and up/down. If everything looks good, you will likely be pleased with the print. If you see unwanted blurry, blotchy areas, you'll have to decide if you can live with that, or take action to make improvements.

 

(I wrote this post because I'm helping someone understand the importance of viewing at 100%, pictures that have been resized.)

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I'm pretty sure it depends on your screen. For example, on my screen, viewing at 33% for a 12x12 layout is the exact full size. I think the easiest way to figure this out on your computers would be to take a real-life ruler and match it up to the rulers on PS/PSE (to turn on rulers, go to view/Rulers). When one inch on the real-life ruler matches up to one inch on screen, you are viewing at life-size. Life size does not necessarily equal 100% view in PS/PSE.

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But your sentiment is exactly correct - always view at life-size before printing and scroll around to see all parts of the layout!:) Aside from catching pixelly problems, you just might catch a staple that you thought was a great size, but was really gigantic! I know I've done that before with staples, buttons, etc.

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Interesting, I'm wondering how do you know the resolution of your screen?

Linda you said yours is 1600x1200 pixels - how would I find out what mine is?

I'm working in PSE 13 on a Mac if that matters; I might be missing something - it's late and I should be :going-to-sleep:

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...on my screen, viewing at 33% for a 12x12 layout is the exact full size... Life size does not necessarily equal 100% view in PS/PSE.

Do not confuse life size screen with life size print. An image need only be 1152 x 1152 pixels to appear 12" x 12" on your screen and look great. However, try to print that image as 12" x 12" and you will be disappointed in its low print quality.

 

When you view your layout at 33%, it looks the same as your layout resampled down to 1152 x 1152 pixels at 100% view. So if you only view your PSE layout at 33%, you may miss something that looks fine until you print it.

 

Attached is a 1152 x 1152 version of a scrapgirls freebie paper. Looks great and it measures 12 x 12 on your screen. Its life size appearance is deceiving because it will not print sharp as a life size 12 x 12 print.

post-10845-0-17329600-1456801085_thumb.jpg

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Interesting, I'm wondering how do you know the resolution of your screen?

Linda you said yours is 1600x1200 pixels - how would I find out what mine is?

I'm working in PSE 13 on a Mac if that matters; I might be missing something - it's late and I should be :going-to-sleep:

Hi Marilyn, I'm not sure about a Mac, but on my laptop (Windows 7) from the start menu go to Control Panel>Display>Adjust Resolution and it shows what the current screen resolution is HTH

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...on my screen, viewing at 33% for a 12x12 layout is the exact full size... Life size does not necessarily equal 100% view in PS/PSE.

Do not confuse life size screen with life size print. An image need only be 1152 x 1152 pixels to appear 12" x 12" on your screen and look great. However, try to print that image as 12" x 12" and you will be disappointed in its low print quality.

 

When you view your layout at 33%, it looks the same as your layout resampled down to 1152 x 1152 pixels at 100% view. So if you only view your PSE layout at 33%, you may miss something that looks fine until you print it.

 

Attached is a 1152 x 1152 version of a scrapgirls freebie paper. Looks great and it measures 12 x 12 on your screen. Its life size appearance is deceiving because it will not print sharp as a life size 12 x 12 print.

 

Ok - good point.

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I found this info on Macworld.com, MariJ:

 

Open the system preferences, and click on Displays, which is located in the Hardware section. A list of screen resolutions appears on the left.

 

Those are the resolutions your device is capable of, but most people like the highest one.

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I found this info on Macworld.com, MariJ:

 

Open the system preferences, and click on Displays, which is located in the Hardware section. A list of screen resolutions appears on the left.

 

Those are the resolutions your device is capable of, but most people like the highest one.

 

 

Thanks Linda! I did that and it doesn't tell me what it is, how silly! But, I guess it really doesn't matter, I was just curious.. :lol:

Not-to-worry, thanks!

post-19549-0-57978400-1456832207_thumb.png

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Thanks Linda! I did that and it doesn't tell me what it is, how silly! But, I guess it really doesn't matter, I was just curious.. :lol:

Not-to-worry, thanks!

 

 

Someone else wanted to know, and got a good answer:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5665320?tstart=0

 

 

 

Going to try that Linda - thank you! I'll report back.... :)

 

 

 

Ok, I followed the directions and here's what mine said:

 

Image size: 2560 × 1600 pixels

Image DPI: 144 pixels/inch

 

Does that sound correct? I followed the directions on the link by taking a screenshot and then going to inspector to find "Image Size"

post-19549-0-23251900-1456920098_thumb.png

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Image size: 2560 × 1600 pixels

Image DPI: 144 pixels/inch

 

 

I'm having screen envy! Although you and I have screens that are the same size physically, yours has a higher pixel density. Yours can be considered "hi def".

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Image size: 2560 × 1600 pixels

Image DPI: 144 pixels/inch

 

 

I'm having screen envy! Although you and I have screens that are the same size physically, yours has a higher pixel density. Yours can be considered "hi def".

 

 

Oh, giggle, I thought something was wrong when I saw my numbers!

Well, this Macbook Pro replaced a 9 year old (OLD) white Macbook last Fall and in order to get enough hard drive I had to get the retinal display so maybe that's why. I'm glad all that money is at least enviable! And, photos really do show up well, so I'm glad for me to hear what you said, thanks so much Linda! You are always so kind and helpful!

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Oh, giggle, I thought something was wrong when I saw my numbers!

Well, this Macbook Pro replaced a 9 year old (OLD) white Macbook last Fall and in order to get enough hard drive I had to get the retinal display so maybe that's why. I'm glad all that money is at least enviable! And, photos really do show up well, so I'm glad for me to hear what you said, thanks so much Linda! You are always so kind and helpful!

 

Retinal display... SWEET.

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Make sure your PSE layout is viewed at 100% before you commit to printing.

 

Many of us create our layouts at 3600 x 3600 pixels because that translates into a high quality 12" x 12" print. Before you print your layout, ALWAYS view it at 100%. You may spot potential problems beforehand, and save yourself from printing a less than perfect layout.

 

When we view our entire layout no larger than what our screen size can accommodate, it can visually hide the fact that an image on our layout is of poor quality.

 

What's the resolution of your screen? Mine is 1600 x 1200 pixels. So, if I try to view my entire layout crammed onto my screen, obviously, not all 3600 x 3600 pixels can be displayed. To see it all, go to 100% view and scroll left/right and up/down. If everything looks good, you will likely be pleased with the print. If you see unwanted blurry, blotchy areas, you'll have to decide if you can live with that, or take action to make improvements.

 

(I wrote this post because I'm helping someone understand the importance of viewing at 100%, pictures that have been resized.)

I know who

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I found this info on Macworld.com, MariJ:

 

Open the system preferences, and click on Displays, which is located in the Hardware section. A list of screen resolutions appears on the left.

 

Those are the resolutions your device is capable of, but most people like the highest one.

 

Linda, mine is set at default, 1920 x 1080

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Linda, mine is set at default, 1920 x 1080

 

Hi, Terri,

 

1920 x 1080 = 2.07 million pixels. That's how many pixels your screen can display.

3600 x 3600 = 12.96 million pixels. That's how many pixels are in your layout (single page). That's why you have to scroll left/right and up/down on your screen to see every pixel (i.e. 100% view) on your page. Viewing at 33%, is a "resampled" display of your layout. You'd be missing the big picture - HA! pun intended!

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...on my screen, viewing at 33% for a 12x12 layout is the exact full size... Life size does not necessarily equal 100% view in PS/PSE.

Do not confuse life size screen with life size print. An image need only be 1152 x 1152 pixels to appear 12" x 12" on your screen and look great. However, try to print that image as 12" x 12" and you will be disappointed in its low print quality.

 

When you view your layout at 33%, it looks the same as your layout resampled down to 1152 x 1152 pixels at 100% view. So if you only view your PSE layout at 33%, you may miss something that looks fine until you print it.

 

Attached is a 1152 x 1152 version of a scrapgirls freebie paper. Looks great and it measures 12 x 12 on your screen. Its life size appearance is deceiving because it will not print sharp as a life size 12 x 12 print.

 

I'm really confused.....If I put my layouts in at 100 % the photos look really distorted. I had redone them in photo zoom and tried not to print larger than you advised me to figure size. Another thing also....I dropped one of my resized photos from photo zoom into preview the way it was mentioned about getting resolution...it still shows it as 72 resolution...if I take the same photo and drop it into PSE i=the image reads as 300. I'm wondering when I get ready to print my photo book I can tell from that??

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Viewing at 100% reveals the truth - nothing can hide! The photos look distorted because they were dramatically enlarged from their original size.

 

Enlarging photos past their original size causes distortion. ALWAYS. UNAVOIDABLE. The more you enlarge, the greater the distortion, to the point where it simply doesn't matter what program you used to make the enlargement. It's just going to look bad. If you must have the photo printed at a certain large size, then you accept the quality that comes with it. If the low quality is unacceptable, then print the photo smaller.

 

"it still shows it as 72 resolution" "the image reads as 300" - totally meaningless, just ignore it. http://www.photoshopessentials.com/essentials/the-72-ppi-web-resolution-myth/

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Thanks Gayle and MariJ. I hope more people want to learn about what makes a good print. I guess it's not important to a lot of younger people because so many of them only take pictures to post on Facebook or Instagram.

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