Your two files, although both at 72ppi, are different pixel dimensions, which would have different output sizes in inches (another way to think of it).
Point sizing of fonts is relative to the overall size of the document, view wise.
A one inch high font will output at one inch high on output, regardless of how large the paper is set for (determined by ppi of the total pixel dimensions of the doc). However, that font will not show same size on screen in different files, because screens only know pixel dimensions, not inches.
So your quest for a "10 point" look onscreen is somewhat non sequitar. There is no way you can control the physical size and pixel resolution run for that size monitor on other people’s screens. Thus, a "10 point" font will appear different sizes on different folk’s screens. And is further relative to the size in pixels of the image of which it is a part.
Mac
Well, here’s something else I’ll say, though, just to prove that there are still some other real mysteries re Photoshop/Elements text handling. This in a thread I posted in on Photoshop forum:
"Make sure your prefs have font size set to points, ruler to inches.
Make a 1 x 1" image, any rez, doesn’t matter. Turn rulers on.
Make a 72 point letter.
It should be 1" high (by the rulers).
It isn’t.
Should print 1" high.
It doesn’t.
I’ve never understood this."
Mac
Hi Mac,
I’m sorry, I don’t understand your post exactly. If my two files have different pixel dimensions – you just mean the total number of pixels, right? But if I create two files with 72 ppi, one at 300 x 200 and one at 600 x 480, a 12 point font looks the same on the screen in those two docs. ?
(I do understand why a 300 ppi 12 point font looks bigger on screen than a 72 ppi 12 point font, but somehow I am not able to piece all of this together in my head to understand my current dilemma.)
In any case, if I am creating screen mock ups as GIFs or PNGs (always 1024 x 768) that will later be coded in HTML, what is the best way to ensure that I use font sizes that translate into HTML —> even if it requires a formula, like in Photoshop 13 pt = 10 pt HTML, 16 pt = 13 pt… ?
Thanks!!
Amanda
: I’m sorry, I don’t understand your post exactly. If my two files have different pixel dimensions – you just mean the total number of pixels, right? But if I create two files with 72 ppi, one at 300 x 200 and one at 600 x 480, a 12 point font looks the same on the screen in those two docs. ?
The size will appear to be the same in each case, but think pixels not points.
: (I do understand why a 300 ppi 12 point font looks bigger on screen than a 72 ppi 12 point font, but somehow I am not able to piece all of this together in my head to understand my current dilemma.)
They look bigger only because you are looking at them at different magnifications. Select the eye glass and click on "Actual Pixel" in the option menu and they will appear the same size.
: In any case, if I am creating screen mock ups as GIFs or PNGs (always 1024 x 768) that will later be coded in HTML, what is the best way to ensure that I use font sizes that translate into HTML —> even if it requires a formula, like in Photoshop 13 pt = 10 pt HTML, 16 pt = 13 pt… ?
First off Elements uses Pixels not points points. Pt are 1/72" and are relevant for printing, px vary from monitor to monitor. To give you an idea of how variable monitors are, activate the rule in Elements and then hold up a real ruler to it and see if a real inch matches an Element inch. The ruler that Adobe uses is based on a pixel square of .014 inches and 72 pixel to the inch. This was what a Mac monitor was in 1984 when Adobe first got started. Because lack of standards Adobe has opted to a relative ruler rather than chase a non existing standard.
There is no golden formula. The best you can say is that what you see at "Actual Pixel" will be what you see when you browse with *your* monitor. If you are familiar with Styles you can specify font sizes in pixels so that you can attempt to match text size with graphic size but that is another story with some unique problems of its own.
Grant
What Grant said.
Repeating what *I* said, there’s no way you can control what other people see on their monitors, size of images wise.
A 500 pixel wide image may be 5 inches wide or 18 inches wide.
Just modify your own screen from 640 x 480 up to 1280×1024 (or whatever your highest rez is).
View at full image size, as with web browser –in each case the same image will be a different physical size on your screen.
And then think of all those resolutions on a DIFFERENT size monitor than yours, which will result in each of those screen settings displaying yet ANOTHER physical image size on screen.
Mac
Over the past few weeks of parties I attended at others people’s homes I also noticed they don’t have ‘square’ viewing on their monitors. Our challenges were very nice but anything that had a round shape in it was more like an ‘egg’ shape or squished in circle. I spent alot of time getting my monitor ‘square’ after i purchased it. I used the monitor settings and used Elements to make a perfect square and used a piece of paper againts the screen as a ruler and measured to be sure all sides were equal. I suspect I am only doing this for myself because most will see the egg and not the circle.
Amanda
A while back I corrected you on the use of point and pixels in Elements. I did say that Elements didn’t use points but only pixels. I must apologize I have just found out that you can select points in the preferences. All else I said should hold true. I am sorry for the mix-up and will now go was the egg of my face.
Grant
