Guide
How to print your file
You purchased the authorized digital file. Here's how to get a quality print from your trusted print shop. The print is not included in the purchase: you handle it yourself.
1 · Download the file
Find the file in your account area, under «Your copies». Download and keep it safe: it's your authorized copy.
2 · Choose a printer
Use a fine art print lab or a good photo print center. Reliable online printing services also work well.
3 · Follow the size guidance
Each artwork shows its recommended size at 300 PPI and, where useful, larger sizes with their expected rendering. You can always print smaller at full quality.
4 · Paper and finish
For art we recommend fine art papers (cotton, matte) or high-quality photo papers. Ask your printer for advice based on the artwork's style.
5 · Color and proof
If possible ask for a color proof. On-screen colors can differ from print: a good lab calibrates color profiles for a faithful result.
6 · Allowed use
The copy is for personal / non-commercial use. The artist's master file and the artwork's original are not included.
The GALAA model
How GALAA evaluates print quality
The artwork defines the format, not the sheet.
GALAA evaluates the quality of the master file while always respecting the artwork's original proportions. Square, portrait, landscape, panoramic or custom: every proportion is valid. No artwork is ever cropped, stretched or distorted to fit a standard format.
The reference: 300 PPI
300 PPI is GALAA's reference for high-definition printing. The recommended physical dimensions are calculated from the artwork's real pixel dimensions: a 6000 × 4000 px file, for example, corresponds to about 50.8 × 33.8 cm at 300 PPI. Print PPI should not be confused with the file's embedded DPI metadata: changing a file's DPI does not add any detail to the image.
The minimum for new uploads
A new master file is suitable when it satisfies both conditions: at least 8,699,840 total pixels and a shortest side of at least 1,750 pixels. The total-pixel requirement establishes a minimum amount of visual information — it corresponds to GALAA's historical A4-at-300-PPI reference — but the artwork itself can have any proportion. The short-side minimum prevents extremely narrow files from qualifying only because they are very long.
Standard sheets as supports
A4, A3, A2 and A1 remain useful references for print supports, not categories the artwork must conform to. A non-standard artwork can be printed on a larger standard sheet and trimmed while preserving its original proportions: a 67.7 × 16.9 cm artwork, for example, can fit on an A1 with trimming. This is technical guidance only: GALAA does not currently provide printing or trimming services.
Beyond the reference
300 PPI is the reference for high definition, not an absolute maximum print size. Larger sizes can be appropriate: as effective PPI decreases, the natural viewing distance of a wall-hung work increases. As orientation: from 300 PPI, high definition even up close; 240–299, very high definition; 180–239, ideal for wall viewing; below 180, viewing distance becomes increasingly important. Final results may vary depending on the paper and printing process.
Preparing the file
GALAA accepts high-quality JPEG/JPG and TIFF/TIF. Export the original at maximum native resolution, with its original proportions. Avoid artificial upscaling: it creates no real detail, and increasing DPI metadata alone does not improve the file.
Every proportion is welcome
All suitable when the minimum requirements are met.
In the future you'll be able to buy a real print directly from GALAA. For now we start with the file-only option, for simple and fast access.