Printing at home or at a print shop: a practical guide

Every Hilal & Hue print is a free download, but a file is only the start. The paper you choose, the finish and the size all change how the picture looks on the wall. This guide covers the decisions in the order you will meet them.

Start with the frame

The most common mistake is to download a file, print it, and then go looking for a frame. It is much easier the other way round. Choose or measure your frame first, then pick the file whose shape matches it.

Every print in the gallery comes in several ratios, which is simply the proportion of width to height. A file in the right ratio fills the frame without cropping or white bands. Here is how the ratios match common frame sizes:

• 2:3 for 4×6, 8×12, 12×18, 16×24, 20×30 and 24×36 in, and 20×30, 40×60 and 60×90 cm.
• 3:4 for 6×8, 9×12, 12×16 and 18×24 in, and 30×40 and 45×60 cm.
• 4:5 for 8×10, 16×20 and 24×30 in, and 40×50 cm.
• 11:14 for 11×14 in, a common American size that does not quite match 4:5.
• A-series for A5, A4, A3, A2 and A1, the paper sizes used across most of the world.
• Square (1:1) for 8×8, 12×12, 20×20 in and 30×30 or 50×50 cm frames.

Each portrait ratio also has a landscape version. If your frame has a mount, choose the file to match the opening in the mount, not the outside of the frame. A common example is an 11×14 in frame with a mount cut for an 8×10 in print. In that case you want the 4:5 file, printed at 8×10.

What 300 dpi means

Dpi stands for dots per inch. For printing, 300 dpi is the usual standard for a sharp result at normal viewing distance. To work out how large a file can be printed at that quality, divide its width and height in pixels by 300.

Our 2:3 files are 7,200 by 10,800 pixels, so they print at 300 dpi up to 24×36 in. The 4:5 files reach 24×30 in, the square files 30×30 in, and the A-series files A1. Because each file is made for the largest size, it is also sharp at every smaller size in the same ratio. You do not need a different download for an A4 and an A2 print.

For anything larger, or for print shops that accept it, we also provide an SVG file. SVG is a vector format, which means it describes shapes rather than pixels and can be scaled to any size without losing sharpness.

HalftoneHilal

One LineKhatam

Gilt FieldZellige · Line & Light

Full and NewMinimal

Paper weight

Paper weight is measured in grams per square metre, written gsm. Ordinary office paper is around 80 gsm, too thin for a print you intend to frame: it can ripple and the colour can look flat. For art prints, 200 to 300 gsm is a good range. It is stiff enough to lie flat in a frame and takes ink well.

Matte or gloss

Gloss paper makes colours look rich and contrast strong, but it reflects light, and behind glass that reflection doubles. Matte paper has no sheen. It shows texture and fine detail well and is much easier to look at behind glass. Lustre, sometimes called satin, sits between the two.

For most of our prints we recommend matte. The deep indigo and black grounds in collections such as Nocturne and Celestial in particular look best without glare, and matte keeps colours closest to how they were drawn.

Choose the frame first, then pick the file that matches it.

Printing at home

A good home inkjet printer can produce a very respectable print up to A4 or A3. A few settings make a real difference:

• Use matte photo paper or a matte card of 200 to 300 gsm.
• Set print quality to the highest option, often called best or high.
• Turn off any fit-to-page or scaling setting, so the file prints at its true proportions.
• Tell the printer which paper you are using, so it lays down the right amount of ink.
• Let the print dry fully before framing it.

Using a print shop or online lab

For anything larger than A3, or for a print you want to keep for many years, a print shop is worth the modest cost. Upload the JPG in the ratio that matches your frame and ask for a matte or giclée print on cotton rag paper.

Giclée is a term coined in 1991 by the printmaker Jack Duganne, from the French gicleur, meaning nozzle. It describes high-quality inkjet printing on fine art papers, and in practice it is a reliable way to ask for a better grade of print. Cotton rag paper has a soft texture and is valued for how long it lasts.

Colour on screen and on paper

Screens shine light through colour, while paper reflects it, so prints almost always look a little softer than the image on your phone. This is normal. Matte paper keeps the difference smallest. If a print looks very dark, check whether your printer has a setting to brighten or adjust colour, and try a small test print before committing to a large one.

Every print you make is for personal use, for your own home, office or classroom, or as a gift. If a friend would like a copy, please share the link rather than the file.