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Hello there, I'm having issues in Illustrator when I go to export my file to a PNG it will only allow me to select 72 ppi and not any higher resolution. I can see previous posts back in 2017 reporting a similar issue and there was a script download fix around. Should I use this? I'm using Illustrator 25.2.1 with a windows operating system, the artboard is 10K x 10K pixels.
Their max. recommended size for a square asset is 12,000 px at 300 PPI. To produce this easily in Illustrator without the Photoshop step requires some quick maths:
12,000 px at 300 PPI is 40 inches (12000/300). Therefore, you'd make a 40 inch artboard and export it at 300 PPI.
Remember that whenever you see 'PPI', that's implicitly suggesting a physical size (inches or cm), and that's what you should work with in Illustrator to make your life less confusing.
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For which purpose do you need the PNG?
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Hi thanks so much for your reply, I'm uploading files to Society6, a print on demand site. They ask for 150ppi minimum.
For which purpose do you need the PNG?
By @Willi Adelberger
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And they ask for a 10K x 10K pixel file?
Then leave it at 72 ppi. Illustrator will then export the exact pixel dimensions and the ppi really doesn't matter if the pixel dimensions meet the requirements.
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Thanks for your reply Monika, That's what I plan on doing, but is this a fault with Adobe illustrator do you think? Like it should be possible to do this? I'm only learning myself so not sure if I'm the problem or adobe is haha
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I have seen Illustrator have trouble exporting pixel files that large (though I just did a couple of tests and it seemed ok for me).
Because of its assumptions about pixel size, exporting a 10,000 px square at 150 PPI will result in a 20,833 px square.
Either way, a 10,000 px wide file at 150 PPI is 1.6 metres wide. Are you actually trying to produce a 1.6 metre square PNG? What are you using it for?
If the answer is yes, then make a 169.33 cm square artboard instead of a 10,000 pixel one. Export that at 150 PPI.
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Their max. recommended size for a square asset is 12,000 px at 300 PPI. To produce this easily in Illustrator without the Photoshop step requires some quick maths:
12,000 px at 300 PPI is 40 inches (12000/300). Therefore, you'd make a 40 inch artboard and export it at 300 PPI.
Remember that whenever you see 'PPI', that's implicitly suggesting a physical size (inches or cm), and that's what you should work with in Illustrator to make your life less confusing.
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Doug!! Thank you so much! I have been googling and researching trying to understand the terminology of PPI and what it actually means and does, and does it really matter if I have the pixel dimensions right etc. I got very confused I won't lie! You have just explained it to me so easily!! Many thanks 🙂 Also Maths was never my strong point I usually stick to art haha
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does it really matter if I have the pixel dimensions right etc...
By @Deleted User
With online services like this, it really shouldn't matter what the PPI is as long as the pixel dimensions are sufficient -- since the PPI will be dependent on whatever size it is printed at. But sometimes it is a requirement anyway for some reason.
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I totally get you! I feel like I've learnt a valuable life lesson here today 🙂 Thanks so much!
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YThere should not be any request for any solution, they should accept PDF files, which are, if no transparency effects are used, independent from any resoluiton. PNG ist not a print file type.
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They 'should', sure. But they don't -- it's PNG or JPEG or nothing for this particular service.
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When you want to print, do they have a PDF option? You should use PDF, not PNG for print!.
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You should, but they don't and they only want RGB because they warn that CMYK will render the color inverted 🙂
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As Monika suggested, export at 72 ppi an change the resolution in Photoshop: Image > Image Size with the Resample checkbox unchecked
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Hi Tom, thank you for your reply, but having to move the file to photoshop after creating it in illustrator and then exporting to PNG seems like an extra unnecessary extra task that will slow down my workflow. Should I not be able to do this in illustrator alone? I'm just learning so forgive me if this is a stupid question!
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Charissa, it is not a stupid question.
It would be a good feature to set the resolution ppi in Illustrator without changing the amount of pixels, but unfortunately that is not possible. You are right it is an additional step having to do that in Photoshop.
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Thank you for your help Tom, I think I know what I'm at now. Many thanks 🙂