Which sizes should a printable wall art listing include?
One file per ratio covers every frame size in that ratio, so six files cover the common inch, cm and A sizes. These are the ratios the tool makes and the sizes each one prints:
| Ratio | Inch sizes | Cm sizes | Largest file at 300 dpi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2:3 | 4x6, 8x12, 10x15, 12x18, 16x24, 20x30, 24x36 | 20x30, 40x60, 60x90 | 24x36 in, 7,200 x 10,800 px |
| 3:4 | 6x8, 9x12, 12x16, 18x24 | 30x40, 45x60, 60x80 | 60x80 cm, 7,087 x 9,449 px |
| 4:5 | 4x5, 8x10, 16x20, 24x30 | 20x25, 40x50 | 24x30 in, 7,200 x 9,000 px |
| 5:7 | 5x7, 10x14, 20x28 | 50x70 | 20x28 in, 6,000 x 8,400 px |
| 11:14 | 11x14, 22x28 | none | 22x28 in, 6,600 x 8,400 px |
| ISO A | A5, A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 | same, in mm | A0, 9,933 x 14,043 px |
Etsy lets you attach up to five files to a digital listing, each up to 20 MB (Etsy Help: How to Manage Your Digital Listings). Six ratios is one more than that, so either untick the ratio you need least, or put several in one ZIP, which counts as one file as long as it stays under 20 MB. The full table with every size in centimetres and pixels is on the print size ratios page.
What resolution does a printable need?
300 dpi at the size it will be printed. Simply Framed asks for “300 dpi at the selected print size” (Simply Framed help), and Pro Lab recommends 300 dpi with 150 dpi as its practical minimum (Pro Lab help).
The maths is the print size times 300. A 16x20 in print needs 16 x 300 = 4,800 by 20 x 300 = 6,000 pixels. For centimetres, divide by 2.54 first: 50x70 cm is 19.7 x 27.6 in, so 5,906 x 8,268 pixels. The dpi number stored in a file doesn’t add detail; only the pixel count decides how large it prints sharply. The tool writes 300 dpi into each JPG so that apps such as Photoshop show the intended print size when the file is opened.
What if my image is too small for the big sizes?
Sell the sizes it does reach, or redraw at a larger canvas. The tool lists every size that would fall below 300 dpi for each crop, for example “Under 300 dpi: 20x30 in, 24x36 in”, and won’t let you pick those. Enlarging a small image adds pixels but not detail; AI upscalers fill the gap with detail they invent.
If you draw the artwork yourself, start the canvas at the pixel size of the largest print you plan to sell. For a set that includes 24x36 in, that is 7,200 x 10,800 px. A canvas that size uses a lot of memory, so check what your app and device allow before you begin. Cropping to different ratios cuts from the edges, so leave room around the subject.
What does each file contain?
| Part of the file | What you get |
|---|---|
| Format | JPG, quality 95, no chroma subsampling |
| Pixel size | The chosen print size at 300 dpi, e.g. 4,800 x 6,000 px for 16x20 in; an A size can come out up to 0.4% short rather than be enlarged (A2 from a 7,000 px tall image is 4,950 x 7,000 px) |
| Resolution | 300 dpi written in the JFIF header |
| Colour | sRGB, with an sRGB ICC profile embedded |
| Transparency | Flattened onto white |
| Scaling | Down only, never up |
| Name | Art_4x5_16x20in.jpg, Art_5x4_20x16in.jpg for landscape, Art_ISO-A_A2.jpg |
| ZIP | The ticked ratios in one .zip, named after your image |
The file names start with the name of your image, with anything Etsy doesn’t allow replaced by a hyphen.
What doesn’t the tool do?
- No upscaling and no AI. Pixels are only ever scaled down. Nothing is sharpened, redrawn or filled in.
- No bleed or borders. The crop is the print. If your print shop wants bleed, add it in your art app.
- No CMYK or PDF. The files are RGB JPGs, which photo labs such as Simply Framed accept. A press that wants CMYK PDFs needs a different export.
- One image at a time. For a set of several designs, run each one through in turn.
- No mockups or listing photos. It makes the files your buyer downloads, not the pictures for the listing.
If the artwork is a .procreate file, first save a flat image with the Procreate to PNG converter, then drop that PNG here.