# Aquarell canvas sizes: plan pixels and DPI for blog images Language: en Canonical: [Aquarell canvas sizes: plan pixels and DPI for blog images]() 中文：[中文 HTML]() English: [English HTML]() Published: 2026-10-22T00:00:00+08:00 Modified: 2026-10-23T10:34:06+08:00 Author: Bison Use a banner, square illustration and small print to distinguish canvas pixels, display width and DPI, so the size fits the intended use before you finish drawing. English translation of the [Chinese original](), translated on 2026-10-23. The article body uses automated translation; app descriptions, historical reading notes and video subtitles receive separate editorial checks. Original publication dates, attribution, code and version notes are retained. **Decide where the image will appear before creating the canvas.** In Aquarell, canvas width and height determine the available pixel area. DPI describes the physical print size represented by those pixels. They are related, but raising DPI does not automatically add brushstroke detail. This tutorial helps you create a personal size plan and use it to make a canvas. You need neither finished artwork nor printing-color knowledge—just decide whether the image is for a blog banner, square illustration, or small printed card. ## 1. Choose the aspect ratio from the final use If the blog displays images about 800 CSS pixels wide, a 1600-pixel-wide canvas is a useful starting point for higher-density screens. This is an example; the actual choice depends on site styling, compression, and loading constraints. Try 1600 × 900 for a banner or 1600 × 1600 for a square illustration. Choose proportions before absolute dimensions. A tall portrait may lose its top when placed in a very wide, shallow banner, even with sufficient pixels. Plan the subject and empty space on paper or a blank canvas rather than rely on enlargement afterward. For both mobile and desktop use, keep essential subjects near the center and important text away from the edges. ## 2. Confirm width and height in New Canvas From the artwork screen, open New Canvas. Choose a preset or enter width and height. These are image pixels, not physical centimeters on screen. After entering 1600 and 900, confirm that the wider side gives the intended landscape orientation. If the interface lets you swap width and height, use it to change orientation; otherwise, edit both values. Choose a background before creating the canvas. Enable transparency for standalone decorative elements, or keep white for a complete white-background image. Canvas dimensions are constrained by device memory and the app, so one device's successful size is not a universal maximum. ## 3. Understand DPI and print dimensions The basic print relationship is inches = pixels ÷ DPI. An image 1800 pixels wide prints at 6 inches, about 15.24 centimeters, at 300 DPI; at 150 DPI, it is 12 inches, about 30.48 centimeters. If the pixel dimensions remain identical, the original image detail has not changed. For web images, focus on pixel dimensions rather than insisting on 300 DPI. For print, ask the printer for physical dimensions and resolution requirements, then calculate the pixels needed. If New Canvas offers a resolution field, enter it there. Otherwise, plan by final pixels and confirm physical size with the printer before output. ## 4. Reserve composition space rather than enlarging endlessly For a 1600 × 900 banner, try keeping the subject within a central area of roughly 1200 × 650, leaving breathing room around it. This is a composition suggestion, not an in-app safe-area feature. Give long titles and illustrations separate areas so text does not cover details after export. Do not create every small exercise at maximum size just in case. More pixels increase drawing, layer, and file-processing demands. Test the style on a smaller canvas first, then choose suitable dimensions for the real use. Layers also consume resources: an exercise needing three layers does not require dozens of empty ones in advance. ## 5. Keep a record of your size decisions Record five items: purpose, aspect ratio, pixels, transparency, and delivery format. For example: blog header, 16:9, 1600 × 900, white background, JPEG; standalone plant decoration, 1:1, 1600 × 1600, transparent, PNG. Reuse this reasoning for future images in the same series instead of guessing dimensions each time. Before drawing, test a thin line, a gradient-like layered-color area, and several lines of text. If the final work includes text, reduce the canvas near its actual display size and check readability. If crowded, adjust typography and composition instead of merely enlarging the whole canvas. ## Checking the result Export a test PNG or JPEG and inspect its actual pixel dimensions against the plan; filling the Photos screen is not enough. Place it on a draft blog page and check mobile cropping and text readability. For print, make a sample at the intended physical size before deciding whether details need redrawing. Keep the native artwork. If a larger output is needed later, first assess whether the original has enough detail rather than enlarge a small image and present it as a new high-resolution work. Check the planned size against the exported file too, in case a reduced export setting was selected. ## Use a small draft to check space for text If a banner includes both a title and illustration, place the real title in the target dimensions before sketching the subject. A long title may need two lines, while a short one leaves more room; do not test with a single placeholder character. View the draft on a phone, check wrapping and cropping, then choose the final canvas. This reveals proportion issues before coloring and avoids shrinking the illustration excessively to fit the title afterward. ## Questions and limitations ### Does changing 72 DPI to 300 DPI make a web image sharper? Changing DPI alone creates no pixels. Web sharpness also depends on source pixels, display dimensions, scaling, and compression. Check excessive enlargement first, then format and quality. ### Does a failed large canvas mean I must upgrade my device? Reduce width and height, confirm the current artwork is saved, and test a smaller canvas. Device memory and current app state affect capacity. This article gives no universal maximum, and one failed creation does not establish a hardware fault. ### Can one file serve both a banner and a portrait layout? The theme and colors can be shared, but compositions often need separate planning. Centered subjects allow more cropping flexibility. For edge text or complex scenes, retain separate originals for different layouts rather than sacrifice content. ## Sources and applicable version Information checked on October 22, 2026, for Aquarell 1.0.5 (iOS / iPadOS 15.0 or later). See [the official description]() and [Apple release lookup](); the interface may change with the version. ## Keep practising - [Creating your first practice piece]() - [Finding the cause of blurry images]() - [Exporting a transparent PNG]()