Guides · Etsy sellers
File names and print instructions for printable wall art
Name every file by artwork, ratio and largest size, for example sunset_4x5_16x20in.jpg, so buyers can match it to their frame without opening it. Add a one-page guide that lists which file prints which sizes, says to print at 100% or “actual size”, and suggests a print shop for anything bigger than Letter or A4.
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What should a printable file be called?
A good name answers the buyer's question before they open the file: which frames does this fit? sunset_4x5_16x20in.jpg says it all: the artwork, the ratio (4:5, the 8x10 family) and the largest size the file prints at. A few rules:
- Artwork name first, so all of one design's files sort together.
- Then the ratio, then the largest size with its unit (in, cm or the A size).
- No spaces or accents: letters, digits, hyphens and underscores work on every computer, phone and inside ZIPs.
- Never
final_v3.jpgorIMG_2041.jpg; buyers keep these files for years. - The same pattern across your whole shop, so returning buyers recognise it.
FrameReady names files exactly this way by default ({name}_{ratio}_{size}) and cleans the name for you. Custom patterns, for example with your shop name, are part of Pro — coming soon.
Which file prints which sizes?
This is the table to put in your listing and in the PDF. Each file prints every size in its row without cropping, as long as it was saved at the largest one.
| File | Prints at | Metric frames |
|---|---|---|
sunset_2x3_24x36in.jpg2:3 ratio | 4×6 · 8×12 · 12×18 · 16×24 · 20×30 · 24×36 in | 10×15, 20×30, 30×45, 40×60, 50×75, 60×90 cm |
sunset_3x4_18x24in.jpg3:4 ratio | 6×8 · 9×12 · 12×16 · 18×24 in | 15×20, 30×40, 45×60 cm |
sunset_4x5_16x20in.jpg4:5 ratio | 4×5 · 8×10 · 16×20 in | 20×25, 28×35, 40×50 cm |
sunset_11x14_11x14in.jpg11:14 ratio | 11×14 in | — |
sunset_A-series_A1.jpgA-series ratio | A5 · A4 · A3 · A2 · A1 | A5, A4, A3, A2, A1 |
sunset_1x1_20x20in.jpg1:1 ratio (optional) | 4×4 · 5×5 · 6×6 · 8×8 · 10×10 · 12×12 · 16×16 · 20×20 in | 10×10, 15×15, 20×20, 25×25, 30×30, 40×40, 50×50 cm |
sunset_5x7_5x7in.jpg5:7 ratio (optional) | 5×7 in | 13×18 cm |
What should the print instructions say?
Keep it to one page. Buyers need four things, in this order:
- Unzip first. On Windows, right-click the ZIP → Extract All; on a Mac, double-click it; on an iPhone or iPad, tap it in the Files app. Download every ZIP (
sunset_etsy-files_1-of-2.zipandsunset_etsy-files_2-of-2.zip). - Pick the file for your frame, using the table above. If the frame isn't listed, measure it and match the shape; or ask.
- Print at 100% or “Actual size”, not “Fit to page”. A home printer handles up to Letter or A4 (what fits on a sheet); for larger sizes, send the file to a print shop or online photo lab and ask for the exact size.
- Colour and paper. Screens and printers show colour differently, so a print can look a little different from the screen. Suggest a test print on the paper they'll use before printing large.
Add what buyers may do with the files (for example, personal use only) and how to reach you. A buyer-facing version of these steps is in how to print a digital art download; you can link to it.
Where should the instructions go?
In the listing description, so buyers can check sizes before they buy, and as a PDF in the download, so the answer is with the files when they print. FrameReady's buyer size guide PDF (Pro — coming soon) is built from the files it actually exported: it lists each file, the sizes it prints sharply, the sizes it prints only enlarged, and the frames it fits, and goes inside the first ZIP.
Frequently asked questions
What should I name my printable files?
The artwork's name, the ratio and the largest size, with no spaces: sunset_2x3_24x36in.jpg. The ratio tells buyers which frames it fits; the size tells them how big it prints.
Why do buyers say a file is the wrong size?
A ratio file is saved at its largest size, so someone who wants an 8x10 opens a 16 × 20 in file and thinks it's wrong. Say in the guide that one file prints every size of its ratio, and that a print shop or print dialog scales it to the size they choose.
Should I include a PDF with print instructions?
Yes, if there is room in a ZIP or a spare file slot: one page with the file-to-frame table and the print settings answers the usual questions before they're asked. FrameReady puts its size guide PDF inside the first ZIP.
Should my shop name be in the file names?
It helps buyers find the files later in a busy Downloads folder. FrameReady's free default is {name}_{ratio}_{size}; custom patterns with {shop} are part of Pro — coming soon.
What should I tell buyers about colours?
Screens and printers show colour differently, so say a print may look a little different from the screen, and suggest a test print on the paper they'll use before printing large.
Sources and how the numbers were worked out
Pixel, crop and size figures on this page are calculated from the same size data the FrameReady tools use (inches or millimetres × DPI), not copied from elsewhere.