Why does Illustrator does not export the right artboard size at 300ppi?

[marcosmrjr]

Hi.

My document is set to 300ppi and the artboard is set to 2250px x 450px.

When I export the file (using the artboard) at 300ppi, Illustrator generates a much bigger image.

Any ideas on how to sort that out? I need to export the file in high-res for printing. Thanks.

[Monika Gause]

Illustrator files don't have a resolution.

At which physical size do you need to print your file?

And why don't you print from a PDF?

[marcosmrjr]

Hi Monika,

Thanks for your reply. I must export the files in jpg format for a print on demand company.

Like I said, when I:

1. create a new document and set it to 300ppi;

2. create an artboard with, let's say, 3000px x 1500px;

3. insert high-resolution images in the file;

4. export the file using the artboard (resolution set to 300ppi)

Then the result dimensions are much bigger than 3000px x 1500px.

If I set the artboard to 300ppi, create an artboard with X and Y dimensions, export the file using the artboard with 300ppi, then obviously I expect to have that file with dimensions X and Y. This is just so very logical.

And if it's not for Adobe, then you have to rethink how you perceive logic. Cuz I've seen many people asking this question and haven't found a reasonable answer up to now.

It seems that the only solution is to export the file with 72ppi. But that leaves me wondering if the file is good enough for printing - which is very confusing, of course.

[marcosmrjr]

I exported the file with 72 ppi and guess what?

No, Illustrator didn't expot the file with the right dimensions. It added 1px to the width AND the height.

[Jacob Bugge]

Marcos,

This may sound unforgivably outdated and boring, sorry; see the highlighted crucial part for this particular issue.

If you wish to have PNGs (PNG24 (also (little) known as PNG32, it holds 24 bit colour and 8 bit Alpha channel (transparency)), of course) look crisp and clean, it is important to have the images in the exact desired final pixel x pixel size, forget about resolution which may actually lead to wrong sizes and hence blurriness. It is easiest and safest to work at the desired size.

A very common unsuitable way is to Export to PNG (remember to use PNG24 and use Transparency for artwork to be in front of different backgrounds) with a medium or high resolution, such as 300PPI.

To retain the clean and crisp artwork, a PNG must be created at exactly the pixel x pixel size that it is to be used for, or at sizes that are powers of 2 times as large (2, 4, 8, and so on).

For clean and crisp artwork avoid JPEG.

It is also important to have the artwork and also the Artboard placed fully within integer/whole pixel X and Y values in the Workspace. Otherwise the resulting image will become a bit wider/taller and the extension(s) will be empty and therefore be (partially) transparent/white.

Therefore, the safest way is to create the artwork at the final pixel x pixel size and use a corresponding Artboard, then either use the Legacity Save for Web (where you can look in the Image Size window for size confirmation) or Export at 72PPI. In either case, use the relevant optimization (available with both ways); it is also convenient to have 72PPI in the Effect>Document Raster Effect Settings.

If you have pure vector artwork, you can relax a bit and have the artwork/Artboard at any size (the Artboard must have the same proportions as the final image), then use the Legacity Save for Web and set either Width or Height in the Image Size and Apply (make sure the other value is also correct).

The Legacy Save for Web may be an old carthorse, but it knows its way home, even if the driver is drunk and sleeping it off in the hay in the back.

[marcosmrjr]

Hi Jacob,

I believe you missed part of the conversation. I'm not using JPEG's because I want to. I was told to do so. It's a slightly different thing. 

[marcosmrjr]

Thanks for your reply by the way. Much appreciated.

[Jacob Bugge]

You are welcome, Marcos.

I know that some printers require JPEGs, but I can (still) find no emntioning of its being mentioned here.

[marcosmrjr]

It seems my reply to Monica was not posted.

I'm having a LOT of issues with Illustrator (and I'm not that new to the software). 

1. Artboards and objects are set to whole numbers and Illustrator still adds an extra pixel to the height and to the width of  the file when I export it;

2. I've read some posts from Monica where she says "forget the 300dpi thing"- which doesn't make much sense to me.

If I create a document with dimensions "A" and "B", set it to 300ppi, and export it with 72ppi, it will have dimension "Y".

If I create a document with dimensions "A" and "B", set it to 72ppi, and export it with 72ppi, it will have a totally different dimension.

My document was set to 300ppi and I want to export multiple artboards AT ONCE for the web in low-resolution. How can I do that?

[Bobby Henderson]

1. Are you using any line stroke effects on objects in the design, particularly anything placed along any edges of the page? If the graphic being produced in Illustrator has to be an exact size of pixels tall by pixels wide it's best to make the artboard in those absolute pixel dimensions and not create objects that overshoot those limits. It's either that or contain all the artwork in a clipping mask set to those pixel dimenions.

One approach is exporting a selected object as a PNG or JPEG image. If the selected object isn't exact in its pixel size and even placement on the artboard you can end up with fuzzy edges and extra pixels. The object doesn't fit the target dimensions.

My own method: I'll carefully design the original vector-based artwork to fit the pixel grid, even doing really picky things like sizing text where the capital letter heights are equal to whole pixel values. It makes a big difference in sharpness. Anyway, I copy the paths in Illustrator to the clipboard and then paste the artwork or AICB paths into a Photoshop document set to the desired pixel size.

2. Any dpi levels, be it 300ppi, 72ppi, etc are only ever relevant for print. DPI/PPI levels don't mean anything for graphics intended for view on web pages or video/film. The only thing that matters for computer screens, TV screens and movie theater screens is absolute pixel numbers, like 1920x1080 for a HDTV screen or 4096x2160 for a 4K theater screen. Web pages are viewed on a variety of computer monitors and mobile devices. Any PPI rating is going to vary based on the device the end user is using to look at the web page.

[Monika Gause]

You don't "set a an AI document to300 ppi". A vector file doesn't have a resolution. That setting you likely refer to is the document raster effect setting. i.e. the resolution for rendering raster based effects. This has no influence on file resolution whatsoever.

[Ton Frederiks · Accepted solution]

And your other problem: 

1. Artboards and objects are set to whole numbers and Illustrator still adds an extra pixel to the height and to the width of  the file when I export it;

is answered here:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator/extra-pixel-when-exporting-for-screens/m-p/11119426?page=...

[marcosmrjr]

This worked, Ton. Thank you SO MUCH! 

[Ton Frederiks]

Good to hear that helped, Marcos!

[Jacob Bugge]

Marcos,

"1. Artboards and objects are set to whole numbers and Illustrator still adds an extra pixel to the height and to the width of the file when I export it;"

As you can see here, doubly enhanced,

It is also important to have the artwork and also the Artboard placed fully within integer/whole pixel X and Y values in the Workspace. Otherwise the resulting image will become a bit wider/taller and the extension(s) will be empty and therefore be (partially) transparent/white.

You can only ensure that by looking at the X and Y values at one of the corners, unless you have an even number of pixels in both W and H; with at least one odd W/H value, at least one of the centre X/Y values will end in .5 when the imagfe is placed in the right way.

That is what also appears from the thread Ton linked to.

In the future, I will underline the need to use the corner values.

[marcosmrjr]

Thanks, Jacob!