[bmmp]

I've been designing digitally for close to a decade now and one thing still illudes me.

A simple a easy analogy/description for resolution.

I completely understand resolution, but its a difficult thing to explain. I have yet to find a good example that describes resolution's relationship with digital length and width and file size.

Resolution is also very misunderstood. PPI is NOT the same as DPI, as pixels are not dots.

So what's your best analogy?

[arclight]

PPI is for web or 'screen' content.

DPI is for print.

Maybe I don't understand your question properly, it seems fairly straight forward to me.

Edit:

Do you mean in reference to explaining it to clients? That can be difficult for those clients who are not computer literate enough to understand the idea of pixels vs. dots. I treat them the same when explaining the concept to clients of mine. I can't tell you how many times people have told me to download images off their website for use in a print layout. Most just don't get it and I have to specifically ask for photos or I reshoot the products myself (or the ocassional royalty free). It can get very frustrating-

[chris.p]

I think of it as density. If they still dont get it, I just do some basic arithmatic, and ask for an image in pixel- widths (ie send it 2000x3000 px)- that generally does the trick.

[bmmp]

Image density. That's a great analogy Chris!

Not only do I need to explain this to clients but to other graphic designers and interns who havn't grasped the concept.

Half of the work I do is with clients who force me to download art from the web. They can't afford nor want to spend the time getting decent photos done so there's not much I can do. Garbage in garbage out.

-bmmp

[Eagle_AS]

Originally posted by bmmp:
Image density. That's a great analogy Chris!

Not only do I need to explain this to clients but to other graphic designers and interns who havn't grasped the concept.

Half of the work I do is with clients who force me to download art from the web. They can't afford nor want to spend the time getting decent photos done so there's not much I can do. Garbage in garbage out.

-bmmp

Thats how I handle the situation as well. I will try to break it down, but rarely does that help. If they will not work with me, I just do what they ask, whether it looks like poo or not.

[gadster]

Originally posted by bmmp:
I've been designing digitally for close to a decade now and one thing still illudes me.

A simple a easy analogy/description for resolution.

I completely understand resolution, but its a difficult thing to explain. I have yet to find a good example that describes resolution's relationship with digital length and width and file size.

Resolution is also very misunderstood. PPI is NOT the same as DPI, as pixels are not dots.

So what's your best analogy?

The best analogy I can think of is a stretchy tapestry.

[bluedog]

A general description of resolution that would apply to all your mentioned terms ppi, dpi that I've found useful is such:

Think of resolution as the amount of information available to view. This can be demonstrated by showing or drawing a simple pattern like graphing paper.

If the paper has 4 squares per inch or (whatever metric equivalents for graphing paper are), then the resolution is 4 squares by 4 squares when an image is 1 inch by 1 inch.

Then you can explain that as similar to 'web graphics' and that print graphics or higher resolution images would be more like a 1 inch by 1 inch area that contains 300 squares by 300 squares in each inch.

Now is the fun part:
1. They want the image that was 300 x 300 at one inch
and your customer says, but I want it at a size of 10 inches square.
2. You can tell them when resizing images,
the squares do not multiply on their own to create more information,
but rather they stretch.

SO, stretching the image resolution from 300 x 300 per inch
out to 10 inches will result in 30 x 30 for each inch.

Depending on the end result for printing or use -- this may be insufficient!

[axlepin]

Originally posted by bmmp:
Image density. That's a great analogy Chris!

I'm not sure 'image density' really does it.

For people who KNOW what they're talking about, it's a beatiful phrase, but I've seen people in suits and wingtips, with Master's degrees throw temper tantrums, INSISTING that since a graphic element looks good on-screen from the internet, there is no reason you, a professional designer, shouldn't be able to grasp the idea of making it look good in print.

Seems they just can't let go of what they see on their monitors.

And how many hear have heard the phrase, even from other designers: "Oh, you can just rez it up!" ?

These same wingtippers will essentially chuck the money they've paid for their identity, and just "have you re-make the logo."

I've thought about just making an example of a graphic that looks OK online, and how chunky it looks when it's printed, but people really can't let go of what they see - and believe - with their eyes when they look at something on the web.

axle

[axlepin]

sigh

[designbc]

Originally posted by axlepin:
"Oh, you can just rez it up!" ?

No, you can't.

I always use a piece of paper and make a pattern on it, then over the same pattern, I retrace another patter at lessresolution (putting together the squares from the first pattern) and I say: In the first pattern, each square had a color, now this big square has an average color taken from the previous squares, then, with a low resolution photo, you'll see an image with BIG squares.
When you rez it up, you do the opposite, you are dividing each square into smaller squares, but each one of those, will have the same color of the previous square, then you'll still see an image with BIG squares.
Usually my customers understand that.

[ghost_flash]

Resolution is like eating a pizza.

The more people that want a slice, the smaller the slice
and the less that piece will satisfy their hunger...
So, if you start out with a really big pizza then fewer people
will get crumbs.

At one point, one will only get a crumb, and like that
the more you increase the size of an image,so start out with
a very large (Hi-rez image) and then the more you can increase
it's dimensions without getting a crumby outcome...

---

You can pump resolution into an image, but that is like making
a pizza bigger after it has been cooked... ain't gonna look or
taste good!

---

If they don't get that, just say:

72 dpi = typical web image as it is the highest monitor rezolution.

Would you print what you see on the screen? Have you?
How does that look?

Good? Great, no problem then sign here on this disclaimer.

Bad? Great, give me a better quality file or I'll reshoot the subject
or get a better image for you, but it will cost as anything worth while is worth the price.

---

Some people are just "DENSE".

-M