Printing at home or at a local print shop: paper, settings and what DPI means
By Larkspur Editions
AI-assisted artwork, curated by Larkspur Editions.
Printing a digital artwork involves three separate choices: the paper size, the paper surface and the route you use to produce the print. Try settling those before changing settings in the print dialogue. A small test can help you compare colour and cropping before making a larger print, whether you use equipment at home or discuss the job with a local shop.
This is Larkspur Editions' own printing guide. Our pieces are digital downloads; no physical print or frame is included. The artwork is generated with AI from our own written prompts, then screened and curated by us. It is not a photograph or a painting. Our download manifest records JPG print files at 300 dpi in sRGB, sized for A4, A3 and A2.
Match the file to the paper size
Choose the supplied file for the size you intend to print. The A4 file is prepared for an A4 sheet, with corresponding A3 and A2 versions. Using the matching version gives you a clearer starting point than enlarging a smaller file or relying on a program to choose the dimensions automatically.
| Size | Paper dimensions | Portrait file dimensions |
|---|---|---|
| A4 | 21 × 29.7 cm | 2480 × 3508 pixels |
| A3 | 29.7 × 42 cm | 3508 × 4961 pixels |
| A2 | 42 × 59.4 cm | 4961 × 7016 pixels |
For a landscape file, the width and height are reversed. Our files fit the artwork inside the paper without cropping, with white space where needed. That space is intentional: the shape of the artwork does not always match the paper ratio. A print setting that fills the sheet by cropping can remove part of the prepared composition.
Decide whether home printing suits the job
Check the sizes and paper types your printer accepts in its own documentation. An A4 printer cannot produce a single A3 or A2 sheet. If your equipment supports A3, confirm that the intended paper and feed route are also supported. Paper dimensions alone do not establish compatibility.
Home printing can be an option when you want to compare a small sample or use equipment you already know. A local print shop or online printer can print these files. For A2, or a paper your home equipment does not accept, ask the provider what it can produce before choosing the service. Confirm its accepted files and intended finished size.
Compare matte, satin and gloss surfaces
Matte paper is an option when you prefer a surface without a glossy finish. Satin or semi-gloss can offer a different balance of sheen and colour appearance. Gloss paper has a shiny surface that may show reflections more clearly. Try comparing actual samples rather than assuming that one finish is the right choice for every artwork.
Paper names vary between suppliers. Ask what the particular stock looks and feels like, and whether it is suitable for the printing process being used. A smooth matte sheet and a textured matte sheet are different choices even though both are described as matte. Texture may become part of the visual impression around fine details.
Paper weight, expressed in grams per square metre or gsm, describes mass per area. It does not establish compatibility with your printer or prove how long a print will last. Try choosing from supported stocks and samples you like, rather than treating the weight as a quality rating.
Use settings that preserve the prepared file
At home, select the intended paper size and a media setting that matches the paper according to the printer's documentation. Check the preview before printing. Try starting with actual size or 100% where the software provides it, then confirm that the complete prepared file fits within the equipment's printable area.
If the printer's margins prevent that, a fit-to-printable-area setting may reduce the whole image slightly. That differs from a fill or crop option, which may remove edges. Read the preview and setting description rather than assuming the word fit means the same thing in every program. Borderless modes can also enlarge or crop, so check their behaviour before using them.
Automatic photo enhancement can change brightness, contrast or colour. For a first test, try preserving the supplied image rather than adding an effect you have not compared. Keep a note of the paper and settings used, so a second test changes one variable at a time.
Understand what 300 DPI tells you
DPI means dots per inch. For image files, the related term PPI, pixels per inch, describes how many image pixels occupy an inch of print. Download descriptions often use DPI for that print-density setting. The file's pixel dimensions and the intended physical size need to be considered together.
An A4 sheet is about 8.27 × 11.69 inches. Multiplying those dimensions by 300 gives approximately 2480 × 3508 pixels, matching the supplied file. The A3 and A2 versions contain more pixels because they cover larger sheets at the same intended density. This is why our files are prepared at 300 dpi for their stated sizes.
Changing a resolution label alone does not add image detail. Enlarging a file beyond its intended size spreads its pixels across more paper; software may create extra pixels by interpolation, but that cannot recover missing source detail. Try using the supplied A2 file for A2 rather than enlarging the A4 version.
Give a print shop a clear brief
Tell the provider which JPG you want printed, the finished paper size and the surface you are considering. Mention that the file is supplied in sRGB and includes its intended white space. Ask it to confirm whether its process changes sizing or colour and whether a sample is available. Let the provider specify any additional requirements for its equipment.
The Tidewash digital download collection offers coastal watercolour-style artwork to explore, while the Line and Leaf digital download collection offers minimal botanical designs. Whichever image you choose, compare the resulting sample with your preferences for detail, paper feel and colour. Keep the file name and successful print settings together for future reference.