Docs / DPI

DPI

DPI - dots per inch - connects pixels to paper. It is the difference between an image that looks sharp at arm’s length and one that dissolves into visible pixels on the wall.

Pixels required for a size

At a given DPI, a physical size demands a specific pixel count:

36 × 48 in @ 300 DPI  →  10,800 × 14,400 px

If your source image is smaller than that, the poster cannot be truly sharp at 300 DPI - the detail simply doesn’t exist in the file.

Splitter Studio’s approach: warn, don’t pretend

Splitter Studio compares your source resolution against the target DPI and tells you the effective output resolution before you commit ink to paper. It does not silently upscale and claim the result is full quality.

That warning is information, not a failure: posters viewed from a distance are often perfectly acceptable at lower effective DPI. The point is that you decide with accurate numbers.

Choosing a target

• 300 DPI - photographic work viewed up close
• 150-200 DPI - posters and signage viewed at arm’s length or beyond
• Lower still - large-format pieces read from across a room

Higher targets mean more pixels per tile and larger files. Balance the viewing distance of the finished piece against what your source image can deliver.