<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLoading…<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/form>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n

Formatting Digital Photos<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
$\"How$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Ok, let’s talk about how to format photos. For any photo you want to have printed and framed, \u00a0you\u2019ll want to keep the following in mind:
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Make sure you start with the highest resolution photo\/image you can. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
Remember that certain apps and websites (including social media sites) often compress images, so if you save from there your resolution might be much lower than recommended.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t forget there will be a \u00bc\u201d overlap<\/a> with any final framed piece.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If you have a high-quality photo on your phone or desktop that you want printed & framed as-is, all you need to do is upload it and choose an appropriate size. Easy peasy.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If, however, you want to make any sort of edits or alterations to the image, you\u2019re going to have to work with the image in another program before uploading it to your printer\/framer of choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For editing your photos to deal with issues of lighting, red-eye, or artistic filters, there are a myriad of programs and apps you can use depending on what features you\u2019re looking for. The biggest thing to keep in mind here is you want to make sure you can export your edited photos at a high resolution, as discussed above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When it comes to formatting your photos for placement or grouping, the two apps we recommend are either Canva or Photoshop.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Canva<\/a> is a free web app that\u2019s best if you\u2019re a beginner or hobbyist looking for the easiest photo formatting option.<\/strong> While there are more limitations to size and export options here, the trade-off is that it\u2019s quick, straight-forward, and free.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Photoshop<\/a> is great if you already have some design\/technical know-how when it comes to photo manipulation, and are willing to invest in the ability to control exact sizing, color profiles, and export features without limitation.<\/strong> The possibilities are truly endless here, giving you a lot more creative freedom albeit a steeper learning curve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to Format Offset \u201cDigital Matting\u201d in Canva<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
$\"How$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Here at Frame It Easy we offer true matting (i.e. a piece of acid-free matboard bevel-cut to surround your art) that is uniform on each side (1\u201d, 2\u201d, 2 \u00bd\u201d, etc.), if you\u2019re looking for something like an offset mat \u2014 where all sides are not equal \u2014 you can achieve the look by adding in a \u201cdigital mat\u201d before uploading your image to our site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Time needed: 10 minutes. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here’s how to create an offset \u201cdigital mat\u201d in Canva:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Click the \u201cCustom Dimensions\u201d Button <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
To do this in Canva<\/a>, once you\u2019ve created a free account simply go to \u201cAll Your Designs\u201d on your account dashboard, and click the \u201cCustom Dimensions\u201d option in the top right-hand corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Format$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
2. Change the Dimensions <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Change the dimensions to inches (in), and enter the size you want your overall artwork to be. In this case, we\u2019re aiming for an \u201cArt Size\u201d of 16\u201d x 24\u201d, so that\u2019s what we will enter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Format$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
3. Create New Design<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Click \u201cCreate New Design\u201d once you have your measurements entered. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Format$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
4. Upload Your Photo <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
When it opens your new, blank document, navigate to the \u201cUploads\u201d tab on the left-hand side. This is where you can drag and drop the photo(s) you wish to use. Again, upload the highest resolution possible! Once you have the photo uploaded, you can then drag it onto your blank canvas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Format$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
5. Position and Resize Your Photo <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here is where you can adjust the size of your image in relation to your digital \u201cmatting\u201d \u2014 consider your blank background to be the mat. This is your chance to resize\/crop your photo to fit the aesthetic you prefer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Format$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
6. Export as \u201cPDF Print\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you have your image looking the way you want, click the arrow icon in the top right corner to choose your export options. To get your image at 300 DPI, you\u2019ll need to download as a \u201cPDF print,\u201d then click \u201cDownload.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Format$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
7. Convert the PDF to JPEG or PNG<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once the file is saved to your computer, we now have to convert the PDF to a high resolution (\u201chi-res\u201d) .jpeg or .png. (Canva\u2019s JPG and PNG options only export at 96 DPI, which is a bit small for photo printing unless you plan for a much smaller frame.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you have an Apple\/Mac, simply open the PDF in Preview, then go to \u201cFile\u201d > \u201cExport\u2026\u201d and choose your options \u2014 either a JPEG or a PNG, and change the Resolution to 300 pixels\/inch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Format$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\nIf you have a PC, you will need a third party PDF reader that will allow you to export as a hi-res JPEG or PNG, such as Wide Angle PDF Converter<\/a> or Adobe Acrobat Pro<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
8. Upload JPEG\/PNG to Frame It Easy <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once converted, your file is ready to be uploaded for framing! (As mentioned earlier, you may have to slightly adjust the sizing, but it should be close to the original dimensions you entered in Canva. In this case we wanted 16\u201d x 24\u201d, but the default Art Size is 16\u201d x 23 15\/16\u201d when uploaded. We can leave as-is, or manually adjust the height back to 24\u201d with the dropdown.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Format$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n $\"How$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
How to Format a Picture Frame Collage in Canva<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
$\"How$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Similar to above, if you want to frame a collage of photos, you can do so by adding all of the imagery to one file you can then upload to our site.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Once you\u2019ve created\/logged into your free Canva<\/a> account, go to \u201cAll Your Designs\u201d on your account dashboard, and click the \u201cCustom Dimensions\u201d option in the top right-hand corner.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Format$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
2. Change the dimensions to inches (in), and enter the size you want your overall artwork to be. In this case we will use 12\u201d x 12\u201d.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Format$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
3. Click the \u201cElements\u201d tab on the left-hand side, then click \u201cAll\u201d above the \u201cGrids\u201d section. This will bring up a bunch of different collage\/photo grid templates, so choose whichever you like best.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Format$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
4. Once you have the grid you like selected so it pops into your canvas, click on \u201cUploads\u201d on the left side to bring up your photo library. Drag and drop the photos you want to use over your canvas to the spots you want them to be in. You can double click individual photos to adjust inside each grid section<\/em>.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Format$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n* $\"Format$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
5. Once it\u2019s looking the way you like, follow steps 6-8 above to export your file as a PDF, then convert to a JPEG or PNG before uploading for framing.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this case, you can choose to add real matting for a uniform look, or combine this technique with how to create an offset digital mat for something truly unique!
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Format$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
$\"How$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Interested? Check out more about Canva’s photo collages<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to Format Photos in Photoshop<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
While Canva is an awesome tool for designing something quick and easy, if you really want to flex your photo formatting skills you\u2019re going to want to use something more professional like Photoshop<\/a>.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is literally no end to the amount of precision and detail you can get into with Photoshop, so here we\u2019ll just cover the basics of re-creating something similar to the above examples.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. In Photoshop, create a new document in the size you prefer your art to be (in inches), and make sure the resolution is set to 300 pixels\/inch. Since you can control the color mode here, you can choose CMYK* for a more accurate print representation, though any color profile will work for our own top-of-the-line printers here at Frame It Easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Format$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
2. Once you have your blank canvas, import the photo(s) you want to use and arrange in a layout that you prefer \u2014 whether this is an offset \u201cdigital\u201d mat or a collage.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Format$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
3. When you have your image looking the way you like, go to \u201cFile\u201d > \u201cExport As\u2026\u201d and choose either a PNG or JPG. Tick the box labeled \u201cEmbed Color Profile\u201d under \u201cColor Space\u201d.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Format$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
4. Now your file should be all set to upload for printing and framing.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Format$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
*A Quick Note About Color Modes & Print Quality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
$\"Print$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
When it comes to color modes, typically RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is better for monitor display, while CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) is standard for print.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although all colors can be achieved by merging red, green, and blue (RGB) light, monitors are capable of displaying only a limited range of the visible spectrum. So when you want to convert your web files to produce artwork for business cards or brochures, changing the format from RGB to CMYK is very important for those printed documents.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most consumer level printers that accept RGB files automatically convert the images to CMYK which can result in faded, dull or inaccurate color representation, so converting your file to CMYK first gives you better control over the final image outcome. This is why professional printmakers and photographers save their work in CMYK for the most accurate and wide variety of colors.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here at Frame It Easy we print from the exact file you give us, so you can expect a highly accurate result. Our printer can still render RGB files, as we use ten ink nozzles and a print output of over 2000 DPI (so you don\u2019t have to worry about which color profile your image is<\/strong>).

Our print lab uses top-of-the-line large format printers and we print using archival-grade ink on premium semi-matte paper. We print at up to 2880 x 1440 DPI and stay as true to your uploaded file as possible, which is why it\u2019s important you take into consideration size, formatting, and style before uploading your file(s) to us.

We never resample or perform destructive edits to your image, and we maintain the exact profile and colorspace embedded within your file \u2014 we never remove it or add our own.

The only thing we can’t do is calibrate our print output to what you see on your display – which means if you’re looking for extremely<\/em><\/strong> precise color matching on your print output, you’ll want to work with a specialized color lab, but that being said, we have never heard a complaint regarding color accuracy from our many corporate clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
While there may be some technical limitations with your favorite frame shop, the art you frame is really only limited by your imagination. Hopefully, the examples above have armed you with enough inspiration to experiment with your own designs!
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No matter what digital photo\/art piece you choose to frame and mat online, our biggest piece of advice is to be sure you\u2019re working with the highest resolution image possible<\/strong> \u2014 this will ensure a crisp and clear print that will truly shine within your frame.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As always, if you have any questions regarding online framing and matting, please don\u2019t hesitate to reach out to our support team<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Looking to have some photos printed online for framing and matting, but not sure how to format them properly? From understanding sizing and DPI to formatting offset matting and photo collages, we\u2019re sharing some easy tips and tools to turn you into a photo formatting whiz using Canva and\/or Photoshop.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":796,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[3878,3911,3905],"class_list":["post-755","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-tos","tag-framing-tips","tag-matboard","tag-photography"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.frameiteasy.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/755","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.frameiteasy.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.frameiteasy.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frameiteasy.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frameiteasy.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=755"}],"version-history":[{"count":65,"href":"https:\/\/www.frameiteasy.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/755\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26882,"href":"https:\/\/www.frameiteasy.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/755\/revisions\/26882"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frameiteasy.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/796"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.frameiteasy.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=755"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frameiteasy.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=755"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frameiteasy.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=755"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

Dots Per Inch<\/th>	Looks best from…<\/th>	Looks good from…<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
300+<\/td>	All distances<\/td>	All distances<\/td><\/tr>
200<\/td>	2+ feet away<\/td>	1 foot away<\/td><\/tr>
150<\/td>	3+ feet away<\/td>	1 1\/2 feet away<\/td><\/tr>
100<\/td>	4+ feet away<\/td>	2 feet away<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n Note: It is not possible to add detail to a photo after it is taken \u2013 for example, there is nothing that can be done to a photo taken by an older cell phone camera to make it look like a picture taken by professional photography equipment. Since DPI is the amount of visual information in an image, once you’ve captured the photo, you can’t artificially add more.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n $\"Frame$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n Here at Frame It Easy, we take the guesswork out of figuring out what size and DPI your uploaded photo is. Once you upload a file (.jpeg or .png), we have a handy slider that will show you the size we can print it at in relation to DPI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What If You Found Your Photo Online?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Copyright and intellectual property concerns aside, usually photos found online are not nearly as detailed as photos that are intended to be printed on paper. That\u2019s because most screens cannot display more than 72 dots per inch, the standard web resolution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, when you print a photo out and hold it at arm\u2019s length, your eyes can discern up to 300 dots per inch, which is why 300 DPI is the best quality for any printed media. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For a myriad of reasons, though, it\u2019s best to steer clear of using imagery found through an online search \u2014 instead look for high quality prints you can either purchase or are available for download with explicit usage rights<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n \n\t\t\t\t\t FREE DOWNLOAD – Offset Matting Printable Guide<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

How to Format a Picture Frame Collage in Canva<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSimilar to above, if you want to frame a collage of photos, you can do so by adding all of the imagery to one file you can then upload to our site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n