What DPI should I use for digital art?

300 DPI is the standard for high-quality print. 150 DPI is acceptable for large prints viewed from a distance. 72 DPI is for screen display only. For fine art giclée printing, some artists use 360 DPI to match Epson printer native resolution.

How do I convert cm to pixels?

Divide the size in cm by 2.54 to get inches, then multiply by your DPI. For example, 30 cm at 300 DPI: 30 / 2.54 = 11.81 inches x 300 = 3,543 pixels.

What bit depth should I work at?

8-bit is standard and sufficient for most digital art. 16-bit gives smoother gradients and more editing headroom but doubles file size. 32-bit is used for HDR compositing and special effects — file sizes are enormous.

How big a canvas can my computer handle?

This depends on your RAM. As a guide: 8 GB RAM handles up to about 8,000 x 8,000 px comfortably in Photoshop. 16 GB handles 12,000 x 12,000 px. Procreate on iPad limits layers based on canvas size.

Can I upscale a low-resolution canvas later?

AI upscaling tools like Topaz Gigapixel can upscale 2-4x with decent quality. However, starting at the correct resolution always produces better results than upscaling. Plan your output size before you start painting.

ArtCalcs

Canvas Resolution Calculator — Pixels for Print Size

Calculate the pixel dimensions needed for your digital artwork at a target print size.

Print Width

Print Height

DPI (Resolution)

Bit Depth

How We Calculate This

How Canvas Resolution Calculation Works

Pixels = (Size in cm / 2.54) x DPI

The calculator converts your desired print size from centimetres to inches, then multiplies by DPI to get pixel dimensions. File size is calculated as width x height x channels (3 for RGB) x bytes per channel (1 for 8-bit, 2 for 16-bit).

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Calculators

DPI Calculator

Convert between DPI, pixel dimensions and physical print size in cm or inches. Three conversion modes for digital artists and printmakers.

File Size Calculator

Estimate digital art file sizes based on pixel dimensions, bit depth, colour mode, format and number of layers. Plan storage needs.

Colour Profile Calculator

Compare colour profile gamuts and calculate colour space coverage for sRGB, Adobe RGB, ProPhoto RGB, Display P3 and CMYK profiles.

Print Resolution Calculator

Calculate the maximum print size from your digital art image resolution at 72, 150, 300 and 360 DPI. Find out how large you can print.

Tablet Area Calculator

Calculate the optimal active area mapping between your drawing tablet and monitor screen. Match aspect ratios to avoid distortion.

Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify quantities before purchasing materials.