Although most of us are familiar with the internet, there seems to be a misunderstanding of what a web graphic actually is and how it relates to print. Images that you see online may be crisp and clean but, when you pull them for print purposes, they are far too low in resolution. Most web graphics or images are saved at 72 PPI while print requires a minimum of 300 DPI.
What Does This All Mean?
A common misconception is that any image on the web can be used for printing. This can lead to undesirable results. Do not save images or graphics from a website to use in your print project!
• Web images are 72dpi
• Web images are in RGB format
• Web images can’t be enlarged
• Web images will appear blurry in print
A Web Image Warning!
Not everything on the internet is free... no really! Pulling images off the internet is not only a bad practice when it comes to print, but the images you are pulling may be copyright. You are better off going to a stock-free photography site and purchasing the right image for your project. These images are generally not that expensive and often you can get images that are perfect for your project because they allow you to plug in specific criteria for the image you are searching for.
