User Guide

Academic Courseware: Chapter 1
Joyce Ryan
6
Resolution
The word “resolution” can be used to describe different things.
Spatial resolution — describes the dimensions of an image in width
and height.
Color resolution — often referred to as “color depth” or “bit depth”;
refers to how many colors are available to define the image.
Scanner resolution — refers to the number of dots per inch (DPI). If
you have to enlarge an image, it should be done on the scanner and not
in Corel Painter. DPI is also used for the resolution of printers,
describing how many dots per inch the printer can apply to the paper.
Screen resolution — refers to the number of pixels per inch (PPI).
Computer monitors can be set for different screen resolutions. The
setting determines how many pixels the monitor can display. A large
monitor can accommodate a high setting. A small monitor may be easier
to see at a lower setting.
Line frequency — also known as “screen frequency”; refers to the
number of lines per inch (LPI) that a halftone screen uses to break down
a continuous tone image into printable dots for reproduction on a
printing press. Low line frequency (large dots) is used for porous papers
like newsprint. Coated stock can hold more detail and can take a higher
line frequency. Always ask your service bureau what LPI you should be
working at.
An image must be broken into dots with a halftone screen to print on a
commercial printing press.
When you are creating an animation with Corel Painter, consider
• the type of animation you are producing,
So how do we understand all
these different references to resolution?
It’s all about dots—the dots just come
in different flavors! Whenever people
are talking about “resolution,” they
are talking about a grid of dots that
are assigned or mapped to a given
space, usually measured in inches or
centimeters. The more dots you put in
an inch, the more detailed the image
will be—it will have a “higher rez.”
Some software, games, and
Web sites will stipulate the ideal
settings for your monitor, so that you
can see the images as they were
intended.