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Thread: what zoom-level => viewing size = printed size?

  1. #1

    what zoom-level => viewing size = printed size?

    1) What is the meaning of the percentage, or I might ask, what means 100% zoom in the canvas positioner?? What does this number actually express? Is it related to the (my) screen resolution or is it unrelated?

    The above question comes from the next question:
    2) I would like to know how much this number has to be in order to view my painting at the exact size (*putting a ruler on my screen*) it would be on paper if printed out.
    Now, I read and think I understand, a lot about ppi and dpi and printers etc pp etc.... I know about these things, but they are seemingly (?) unrelated to my question. I usually set my canvas in the tab "print size" to the size I would like it to be able to be printed out in good quality and also, set it to 300 dpi. (But I guess this is beside the point).

    Again, how much do I have to zoom in or out so that I see the size on screen as if printed?? I am aware of the fact that if my painting should be printed out bigger than my screen, I would not see it all, of course.

    I carefully did a lot of attempts with keywords and such to look through the whole forum and did not find any answers. Please - do not try to go over the dpi-question (unless inasmuch it is related to the above question), I think I found a lot of resources & posts related to dpi etc.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
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    It's all tied to your resolution display. Your monitor displays a certain number of pixels (e.g. 1280x800). ArtRage at 100% display is showing you one pixel per pixel of monitor.

    This doesn't directly connect to print size, but you can use it to help estimate/use the ruler on screen trick (if you know you want X number of pixels print per distance: e.g. you know your monitor display is 1000 pixels tall and you want 2000 pixels height on a printed paper of the same size, you would need to go to 200% view in ArtRage to see what 'actual canvas size' is in print and you can do math from there. Or you can divide the full canvas size by the display resolution to find out what % you need to set the view to in order to exactly cover the screen).

    You *then* need to add in DPI to calculate how much denser/many more pixels you need to actually print.

    Monitor DPI is 72 pixels per inch of screen and usually you will want to print out at a higher DPI level (150 is usually good for almost all things, so just doubling your numbers is an easy way to estimate).

    It's not the easiest way though, and changes as soon as you change your monitor display settings, so figuring out actual pixel size of the image and the approximate DPI you need is generally more reliable, but it does work if you prefer a visual estimate.


    So, quick summary:

    100% canvas zoom = exactly the number of pixels your monitor resolution is set to. The print size will be the size of your screen at 72DPI.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Yes, in regard to seeing your painting on your screen at the same size you intend to print at , i.e. at 1:1, you need to know 2 things first:
    1: Your canvas ppi (pixels per inch) as set up in ArtRage.
    2: Your monitors native pixel resolution.

    If you don’t know your screens resolution then this web based utility will tell what it is: http://pxcalc.com/ (Note, this site calls it DPI but in reality it is telling you the PPI)

    So to find the zoom level, divide your screen’s native resolution by the ppi you have set for your canvas = screen zoom level.
    Examples based on my 15.4” screen:
    My screen resolution 129px / canvas ppi 300 = 0.430. So 1:1 Zoom level is 43%
    My screen resolution 129px / canvas ppi 72 = 1.791. So 1:1 Zoom level is 179%

    One last note, with many screens & monitors you can have options to change the pixel resolution it uses to something other than it’s native resolution. If you have done this then you need to take that into account when doing the calculations.
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  4. #4
    thank you both, this is helpful.

  5. #5
    Ok this is indeed helplful.
    But I have a question out of curiosity. Something I do not understand. Two computers which we have show the same numbers in display settings as on this website Mark posted: http://pxcalc.com/ . This is understandable and common sens. Click image for larger version. 

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ID:	93010Now, I use a Surface Pro 4 for my paintings. The website shows me different numbers than my screen settings (which are on "recommended"). With the numbers the website gives me, I get a screen resolution of 120, 120 : 300 (which my paintings are set to print) gives 0.4 => which is 40% which I need to see my paintings in "print" size.

    Why does my Surface say my screen resolution is 267 (instead of 120)???* Now this has nothing to do with Art Rage anymore, but this is why I could not calculate the zoom level I needed.
    FYI: * see attached image, and : Surface Pro 4's screen itself is 10.25" x 6.8125". It claims a resolution of 2736x1824. (I did not change it to a custom resolution).

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
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    Do you have any display magnification active? I know that tends to be common on Surface Pro's and it messes with the resolution other programs see.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by HannahRage View Post
    Do you have any display magnification active? I know that tends to be common on Surface Pro's and it messes with the resolution other programs see.
    no I don't, I don't think so....

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by a_dt View Post
    no I don't, I don't think so....
    You are right, there is!!!! but it does not show on the "screen resolution" page but the "customize your display" page. So all my bad, sorry 'bout that...
    Maybe this thread is helpful to anybody else...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
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    Ha, awesome. I'm glad you figured it out

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