Marcus Chen
Marcus Chen Senior Content Strategist at 4OVER4.COM
Question

Why are my images not printing sharp, and what should I do?

Answer

Blurry or soft prints usually come down to two things: low resolution and the wrong color mode. Screen images can look fine on a monitor but fall apart in print if they do not have enough pixels or are still in RGB.

  • Use images at a minimum of 300 DPI at the final print size.
  • Convert artwork to CMYK, the color space used for print, rather than RGB.
  • Do not enlarge small or web-sized images, since scaling up adds no real detail.
  • Start from the highest-resolution original you have and avoid re-saving JPEGs repeatedly.
SettingFor sharp print
Resolution300 DPI at final size
Color modeCMYK

Review your proof before approving the run so you can catch any softness while it is still easy to fix.

Ready to order?

Get your standard flyers printed at 4OVER4

Order Standard Flyers →
Merch That Markets Itself Branded items your customers will actually use and keep. From corporate gifts to event giveaways. Shop Now →
FSC Certified Printer #C013635
G7 Certified Color Accuracy
25+ Years Since 1999
150,000+ Businesses Served