What is the difference between PPI and DPI?

PPI (pixels per inch) is the image resolution — how many of your artwork’s pixels land in each printed inch, and it is what this calculator works in. DPI (dots per inch) describes the printer hardware: the density of ink dots it sprays, e.g. an Epson inkjet at 1440 or 2880 dpi. A printer lays down many ink dots to reproduce a single image pixel, so the two figures are not interchangeable. People often say "DPI" when they mean PPI; for sizing a canvas, PPI is the correct quantity.

What PPI should I use for digital art?

300 PPI is the standard for high-quality print at normal viewing distance. 150 PPI is acceptable for large prints (posters, banners) viewed from further away. 72 PPI is screen-only. For fine-art giclée printing some artists work at 360 PPI to match the native resolution of Epson photo printers (Canon photo printers are native 300 PPI).

How do I convert cm to pixels?

Divide the size in cm by 2.54 to get inches, then multiply by your PPI. For example, 30 cm at 300 PPI: 30 ÷ 2.54 = 11.81 inches × 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 the uncompressed file size. 32-bit is used for HDR compositing and special effects — file sizes are enormous (quadruple 8-bit). Note this calculator reports the uncompressed pixel-data size; PNG, JPEG and most working files on disk are smaller once compressed.

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 × 8,000 px comfortably in Photoshop. 16 GB handles 12,000 × 12,000 px. Procreate on iPad limits the maximum layer count based on canvas size and device, so larger canvases give you fewer layers.

Can I upscale a low-resolution canvas later?

AI upscaling tools like Topaz Gigapixel can upscale 2–4× with decent quality. However, starting at the correct resolution always produces a sharper result than upscaling after the fact. Decide your final print size first, set the canvas to match (size × PPI), and paint at full resolution.

ArtCalcs

Canvas Resolution Calculator — Pixels for Print Size

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

Print Width

Desired physical print width — divided by 2.54 and multiplied by PPI to give the pixel width

Print Height

Desired physical print height — divided by 2.54 and multiplied by PPI to give the pixel height

PPI (Resolution)

Image resolution in pixels per inch (300 for print, 72 for screen). This is the image PPI, not a printer’s hardware DPI.

Bit Depth

How We Calculate This

How Canvas Resolution Calculation Works

Pixels = (Size in cm ÷ 2.54) × PPI

The calculator converts your desired print size from centimetres to inches (1 inch = 2.54 cm exactly), then multiplies by your target PPI to get the pixel dimensions your canvas needs. PPI (pixels per inch) is the image resolution — distinct from a printer’s hardware DPI (the ink-dot density, e.g. 1440 dpi on an Epson), which is set in the print driver, not in your canvas size.

The uncompressed file size is width × height × colour channels × bytes per channel, where bytes per channel = bit depth ÷ 8 (1 byte for 8-bit, 2 for 16-bit, 4 for 32-bit). This is the size of the raw pixel data held in memory; PNG, JPEG and layered working files on disk are smaller once compressed.

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.