Document size vs. size on the screen?

JJ
Posted By
Jammer_Jammer
May 22, 2005
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311
Replies
11
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Closed
I’m sure this is a stupid question to those of you that know the answer but I don’t. I’m working on a CD cover for someone. It’s sort of the first time I’m doing something that needs to be a certain size. In order to judge the scale of things within the image, I resized the print size to the measurements of a CD cover which is was like 4 3/4 inches I believe. Then when this resized image was on the screen, I actually measured it and it was almost an inch larger than the print/document size that I had resized it to.

Why wouldn’t the image on the screen measure out to be the same size that I make the print/document size?

Also, please tell me how to make these two things correlate to each other so that as far as scale is concerned, I’ll know exactly what I’ll be getting. For instance I could have some type on the image, think that it will be large enough to read when actually the final product may be to small to read.

Thanks for any time you take in trying to help me out.
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CW
Colin Walls
May 22, 2005
Why wouldn’t the image on the screen measure out to be the same size that I make the print/document size?

You mean you took a ruler and held it up to the screen?
Since PSE hasn’t the slightest idea how big your screen is, or what resolution you have it set to, it doesn’t really have much of a chance. To check size do Image/Resize/Image Size. This will show you in inches the size that you’ll get if you print out at 100%. If it isn’t right, change it here with resampling unselected. So long as the PPI value does not go below about 200, you’ll be fine.

Once you know how big the print will be, there is nothing to stop you zooming on the screen, with the aid of your ruler, to get a feel for what it will look like.
BB
brent bertram
May 22, 2005
You might try View > Rulers to give you a visual representation on screen. I think most of us probably set the canvas size to the desired size for a project like yours.

🙂

Brent
TM
Tom Murray 1
May 22, 2005
This says scanning but it has related info;

<http://www.scantips.com/no72dpi.html>
R
Roy
May 22, 2005
wrote in message
I’m sure this is a stupid question to those of you that know the answer but I don’t. I’m working on a CD cover for someone. It’s sort of the first time I’m doing something that needs to be a certain size. In order to judge the scale of things within the image, I resized the print size to the measurements of a CD cover which is was like 4 3/4 inches I believe. Then when this resized image was on the screen, I actually measured it and it was almost an inch larger than the print/document size that I had resized it to.

Why wouldn’t the image on the screen measure out to be the same size that I make the print/document size?

Also, please tell me how to make these two things correlate to each other so that as far as scale is concerned, I’ll know exactly what I’ll be getting. For instance I could have some type on the image, think that it will be large enough to read when actually the final product may be to small to read.

Thanks for any time you take in trying to help me out.

Hi there.

It might help if you put the Rulers on the screen – View -Rulers. then you would see what size a Photoshop Inch or Cm actually is on screen. Zoom until the measurements match your real life ruler.

Roy G
JJ
Jammer_Jammer
May 22, 2005
Colin, Brent and Tom,
Thank all of you VERY much for your answers which have been very informative and helpful.

Colin,
Your answer has brought another question to mind. In the scenerio that I would need to change the size, why did you say to do it with resampling turned off. I thought I had alway heard the opposite. Thanks for your answer.

Brent,
Thanks for the ruler idea. That’s exactly what I need to do to get and idea of how readable certain text within the image will be.

Tom,
GREAT link. Talk about a wealth of information!! A lot of it still over my head but that will come with time I’m sure.
JJ
Jammer_Jammer
May 22, 2005
Colin,
I think I may have just figured out the answer to my last question to you. I resized an image to be 4 and three quarters wide and when I kept resampling OFF, the image resolution or dpi was much higher. So I’m assuming the reason for doing it this way is that the final printed image will have a finer resolution and look better. Am I right?
CW
Colin Walls
May 22, 2005
So I’m assuming the reason for doing it this way is that the final printed image will have a finer resolution and look better

It might look better. Above 300ppi makes little difference. The PPI setting is just the ratio between the number of pixels you have and final print size in inches. Resampling means pixels are created/destroyed, which can be bad news.
JJ
Jammer_Jammer
May 23, 2005
Thanks Colin.
WA
W_Arguelles
May 25, 2005
If I understand correctly you wish to see the image at its real size in your display… this is very easy… For obtaining real image size in your screen you need to "tell" PSE the resolution of your Display.

It should be set in Edit->Preferences->Units & Rulers… Go to the last option: "Screen Resolution" and give the resolution of your screen. This number could be obtained by a simple way:

1. Check the resolution of your screen ( for example 1162 x 684 pixels)
2. Take a ruler and measure the visible dimensions of your screen
3. Divide (1) by (2) and this is number that you should give PSE (in pixels/inch or pixels/cm… doesn’t matter!

After doing that you will see your photos in their actual dimensions when selecting the "Print Size" of the Zoom Tool…

I hope it is clear. Sorry for my bad English!

Regards!
CW
Colin Walls
May 25, 2005
It should be set in Edit->Preferences->Units & Rulers… Go to the last option: "Screen Resolution"

This just sets the PPI value for a new doc.
WA
W_Arguelles
May 27, 2005
No, it gives PSE the resolution of your Screen, then PSE can simulate the actual dimensions of your image when selecting "Print Size".

If you have a 4 x 6 inch photo, it will be displayed with these dimensions.

Regards…

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