How to Prepare AI Art for Fine Art Prints

November 1

How to Prepare AI Art for Fine Art Prints

With the rise of AI art generation, artists and tech enthusiasts everywhere are exploring the fascinating world of computer-created visuals. With that curiosity, many artists are looking at printing AI art and selling it online.

Yet, as with any type of innovation, it comes with its challenges. AI programs, including popular ones like Midjourney, often churn out the most elaborate, detailed art, but they’re small. And we mean small.

The downside? This small size makes them completely unsuitable for printing! The upside? You can learn everything you need about printing AI art as fine art right here.

We’ve created this in-depth guide on printing AI creations that look just as high-quality on paper as they do on your screen. This guide will navigate you through the essentials you need to know to prepare and print AI art with practical tips and tricks.

Best Format and Sizing AI Art

While any image requires certain standards in order to print it accurately, you need to approach AI art a little differently because of its low-resolution nature. This makes it more difficult to print high-quality images that are suitable for selling to your customers. Check out our top three tips when deciding on the type of format when printing AI art.

PDF is Best. When talking printing AI art as fine art, that is, printing art that is as high-quality as fine art, PDF tends to reign supreme. Unlike other formats, PDF preserves the most intricate details, vibrant colours, and patterns of the artwork. This ensures that the print is a spitting image of the digital version, every time.
JPEG Isn’t Suitable for Large AI Prints. JPEG, while popular, isn’t the most reliable format in this case. Over time and with a number of successive saves, JPEG can cause an artwork’s quality to degrade. This means that imperfections become glaringly obvious, especially when your goal is to print AI-generated art on a large scale. No matter what the artwork is or who it’s for, you always want to make sure that it’s pristine, clear, and detailed.
Consider Aspect Ratio 4:3. An aspect ratio is like the frame that holds your art. It determines how the artwork will be perceived when printed. For AI artworks, we suggest using a 4:3 ratio, as it provides a balanced view and ensures your artwork doesn’t appear stretched or compressed.

The Best PrinTribe Products for Printing AI Art

Printing your AI creations on PrinTribe’s platform couldn't be easier with our wide range of papers, and frames. But how do you know what sizes will work best with our products in particular? We’ve made it simple for you with the below chart.

Premium Framed Prints	Ratio 4:3	Ratio 1:1
Size in cm	75 x 100	38 x 38
		50 x 50
		75 x 75

Premium Canvas	Ratio 4:3	Ratio 1:1
Size in cm	75 x 100	40 x 40
	90 x 120	60 x 60
		90 x 90
		100 x 100
		120 x 120

Classic Framed Prints	Ratio 4:3	Ratio 1:1
Size in cm	30 x 40	40 x 40
		60 x 60
		75 x 75
		100 x 100

Classic Canvas Framed	Ratio 4:3	Ratio 1:1
Size in cm	75 x 100	30 x 30
	105 x 140	40 x 40
		60 x 60
		75 x 75
		100 x 100
		120 x 120

Classic Canvas Stretched	Ratio 4:3	Ratio 1:1
Size in cm	30 x 40	30 x 30
	40 x 60	40 x 40
	60 x 80	50 x 50
	75 x 100	60 x 60
	90 x 120	75 x 75
	120 x 160	90 x 90
		100 x 100
		120 x 120

Rolled Prints	Ratio 4:3	Ratio 1:1
Size in cm	75 x 100	25 x 25
	90 x 120	40 x 40
	120 x 160	50 x 50
		60 x 60
		75 x 75
		90 x 90
		100 x 100
		120 x 120
		140 x 140
		150 x 150
		200 x 200

Upscaling: Why it is Essential

Now that you’re clear on the whole 'size does matter' piece, it’s time to give you the lowdown on upscaling for print quality. But we’re not just talking about any upscaling, we’re talking about AI upscaling.

AI upscaling is different from traditional forms of upscaling because it uses a greater sense of context, which essentially means that it uses machine learning to enhance the final image.

This is why AI upscaling can create such sharper, more accurate images that are then suitable to be printed. Let’s take a deeper look at how it helps you prepare for printing AI art.

The Magic of Upscaling

Revitalising your image - While traditional upscaling can often result in a blurry mess when working with AI art, AI upscaling ensures that your art is able to be viewed exactly as it’s intended. Think of AI upscaling like seeing the artwork through a magnifying glass, where every detail becomes visible.
Enhanced Sharpness – The fine lines, the subtle curves, the hidden patterns – AI upscaling accentuates every nuance, resulting in an image where sharpness is paramount.
Size Freedom – Want to go big? With AI upscaling software, your artwork can be printed in larger sizes without the fear of them looking pixelated. Some software can even improve your image’s resolution by up to four times.

How Upscaling Works

At its core, upscaling is about enlarging an image, so what makes AI upscaling different from basic or traditional upscaling?

Conventional upscaling can cause distortion because it’s not specifically made for enhancing AI images, which are more difficult to upscale. That’s why AI upscaling uses sophisticated algorithms and machine learning to fill in the gaps and output a highly accurate image.

The Alternative to Upscaling You May Not Know About

If upscaling is not where you want to head, then you can always opt for this little-known alternative – convert your image to a vector graphic.

Vector graphics are constructed using mathematical equations and are independent of resolution. By choosing to vectorise your AI images you can print your AI art as large as you like without the quality being affected.

People cleverer than us have designed software that can convert any art image into its vector form. Or if you prefer a do-it-yourself approach, your existing graphics program may have options where you can convert your AI images to vector graphics.

As long as you save the final image as a PDF you are all set to upload your art to PrinTribe and print your AI Fine Art in crisp, clear detail at any size!

We have included a link where you can explore the concept of vectorising your images in more detail.

With the options for enabling your AI art to be printed at Fine Art quality covered, it's time to turn our attention to best practices when it comes to printing your AI art.

Printing AI Art Best Practices

Printing AI creations isn’t just about hitting that “print” button – it’s a meticulous process. To make sure your AI art transitions seamlessly from screen to canvas, it’s important to be aware of these best practices.

Understand Your Art’s Resolution or Vectorise Your Image– Before anything else, get familiar with the resolution of your artwork. A high-res image will give a clearer, sharper print, while a low-res image will appear blurry when enlarged.
Choose the Right Paper – Not all paper is created equal. Matte paper can provide a smooth, non-glare finish that’s suitable for detailed and complex AI art. On the other hand, glossy papers can make colours pop, but they might reflect light more easily. You can try offering both options to your customers so they can choose the paper type that will suit their needs.
Consider the Printing Technique – While inkjet printing is common and versatile, giclée printing is a game changer for AI art. It uses pigment-based inks rather than dye-based, resulting in a more vibrant and longer-lasting print. We recommend doing a test print to preview the image before you do the final print. Or, to save you time and energy, you can sign up for free and use PrinTribe. All you have to do is upload your artwork, and we use premium grade giclée printers, making sure your artwork is perfectly printed every time.
Leave Some Breathing Room – Consider leaving a margin or white border around your AI art. It not only helps in framing, but also ensures that no essential part of your AI art gets cropped out.

The world of AI art is expansive, innovative, and ever evolving. Printing AI-generated art in its finest form requires an understanding of formats, sizes, and upscaling techniques. Whether you’re a pro at the AI art game, or you’re just starting to dip your toes into the computer-generated world, ensuring the right print for your AI masterpiece is crucial.

Have more questions or need guidance on a specific topic? Don't hesitate to reach out to us. Let's make every print count!

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