Print Sizes
Most images have been scaled for proper
print size using the size guidelines below.
However, some images are unusually shaped, such
as long boxes or odd cardboard packages. In
these cases the original size has been
retained, if known.
| (Height x Width) |
US (inches) |
Metric (cm) |
| Jewel Case Front |
4.75 x 4.75 |
12.07 x 12.07 |
| Jewel Case Back (and Front Quad) |
4.63 x 5.91 |
11.76 x 15.01 |
| Cardboard Slipcase (no spine) |
4.75 x 4.75 |
12.07 x 12.07 |
| Gatefold Front/Back |
4.75 x 9.50 |
12.07 x 24.14 |
| Trifold |
4.75 x 14.25 |
12.07 x 36.20 |
| VHS Case |
7.50 x 10.10 |
19.05 x 25.65 |
| DVD Case |
7.10 x 10.80 |
18.03 x 27.43 |
| For more CD size
information please refer to this
document from
DiscMakers |
Photo Editors
To achieve proper, scaled prints do
not print from your browser. The printed
image will usually be too large. Read the Pixel
Primer section below for an explanation.
Instead, download the image and print using
your preferred photo editor. Highly recommended
are
Photoshop,
PaintShop
Pro, and
PhotoImpact.
Unfortunately, these editors can be expensive
so check if your digital camera or scanner came
with photo software. Or you might give the
freeware programs
IrfanView
or Paint.NET
a try. Regardless of source, any good photo
editor should handle scaled images based on
pixel dimensions and dots per inch
(DPI).
Another printing alternative is to use MS
Word. This
document
from LedArt explains how.
Pixel Primer
There is a fundamental difference between
how images are displayed on a monitor and how
they are printed. One is designed for viewing,
the other for paper. For example, a monitor
will display a 712 x 712 image using one image
pixel for each monitor pixel. Thus, if your
screen resolution is 800x600, the image will be
almost full screen. Your monitor or browser
doesn't care about DPI. For viewing, only pixel
dimension is important.
On the other hand, printers do care about
DPI. Printers use DPI to determine the size of
an image in inches (or centimeters). Therefore,
a 712 x 712 image at 150DPI will print at
4.75in x 4.75in. The same 712 x 712 image at
100DPI will print at 7.12in x 7.12in. The math
is pretty simple.
Bottom line: The CD cover image you see on
the screen will typically be larger then the
print size. Why? Most of the images are
optimized at 100DPI to 150DPI. Don't print
these larger images from your browser. A
browser is clueless about DPI and does not
scale for printing purposes. (Ok, there are
occasional exceptions, particularly with 72DPI
images, but I've tried to avoid the lower
resolutions because of decreased print
quality).
For more information, please visit
scantips.com.
The author, Wayne Fulton, discusses this topic
in detail with sample photos. Or download this
Word document
No 72
dpi.doc without samples.
|
