To repeat this with image size, I’m going to increase the image size to 6,000 pixels by 9,000 pixels (to match the canvas size adjustment I made above).
Canvas Size Vs Image Size In Photoshop – Differences Explained
Canvas size and image size might sound and look similar in Photoshop, but these are two very different things. Although both impact the final size of the file you are working with, the canvas size and image size options change different aspects of your project. Located in the same menu, it can be easy to confuse the two.
Luckily, this guide will clear the air to help you better understand the differences between the two.
What Is Canvas Size In Photoshop?
In Adobe’s world, the term canvas represents your workspace. In Photoshop specifically, this term doesn’t apply to the image you opened itself, simply to the workable space in the program.
By adjusting the canvas size, you can increase or decrease the size of the area you can work on.
Is Artboard Size And Canvas Size The Same?
In a way, the artboard size and canvas size are very similar (more similar than canvas size and image size). However, these two are not exactly the same things.
An artboard in Photoshop is a blank canvas on which you can add images, objects, text, and other elements. The artboard can hold multiple layers and layer groups that you add to the project. You can have more than one artboard in a single open document in Photoshop.
The canvas refers to the one workspace you have open.
Artboard size and canvas size are the same in the sense that they are both only adjusting your workable area and not any elements inside of them. All image(s) and content you have in the workspace area will hold their original dimensions when you adjust the artboard or canvas size. But artboards are multiple pages, and canvases are just a single one.
What Is Image Size In Photoshop?
Image size impacts the actual dimensions and resolution of the image you have opened in Photoshop. This is most often used when wanting to print a photo; you can resize the image to the exact size of the print you wish to make.
Changing the image size will impact the quality of your image because it either expands or contracts the pixels in the photo. If you increase the image size too much, your photo may begin to look pixelated. If you decrease the image size significantly, then the image may appear sharper because the pixels are getting more compressed and squished.
How to resize an image in Photoshop: Image Size vs. Canvas Size
Most of your images will not be sized to the exact dimensions you need. You have several options at your disposal.
To change the size of an image in Photoshop, you can use the Image Size or Canvas Size command. You can also use the Crop tool or Free Transform command to make an adjustment. You can use these choices individually or in combination to achieve the desired results.
Image Size
The Image Size command lets you permanently reassign the total pixel count, as well as resolution, for a particular image. You can also use this command to upsample or downsample an image. This is an easy way to size an image to a specific height or width.
With your image open, choose Image > Image Size, or press Cmd+Opt+I (Ctrl+Alt+I on Windows). The Image Size dialog box offers several choices. You can choose to manipulate the pixel dimensions of the image (measured in pixels or percent).
You can also modify the print size, which is the size of the image when printed. You can modify the print size based on percent, inches, centimeters, millimeters, points, picas or columns. The most common choices are percent, inches, or centimeters, because most users easily understand these units of measure.
Then, set the Document Size to measure in inches. Be sure to select the Resample Image option if you want to change the pixel dimensions. Choose the method to Resample Image that is most appropriate for your image. Bicubic Automatic is the most common method, but you may have special circumstances. Click here for more information.
Leave the Constrain Proportions check box selected, or you will introduce distortion. You generally want to keep the width and height constrained to the same ratio so the image resembles its original appearance.
Finally, enter a resolution value and click OK.
Canvas Size
The canvas size is your work area. When you create a new document, you can specify the size of your canvas. When you scan a photo or import a digital image, the canvas size is automatically set to the edge of the image. You may need to change the canvas size to crop or extend the canvas of your image to work on specific areas of the image.
To get started open your image and choose Image > Canvas Size, or press Cmd+Opt+C (Ctrl+Alt+C on Windows). In the Canvas Size dialog box you’ll see the dimensions of your current canvas. You can specify a new canvas size using a variety of measurements. Pixels is a useful measurement if you’re creating screen graphics, whereas inches or centimeters is easier to understand for print work. Using percentage is also good for incremental amounts.
Be sure to select the Relative check box. This disregards the numerical values of the current canvas size and allows you to specify a new amount to be added to the existing image.
Ensure that the anchor point for the image is set to centered. This will expand the border in all directions around the center of the current image.
Finally, specify a Canvas extension color. This is the color that Photoshop places around the image when you change the canvas size. You can choose to use the foreground or background colors that are loaded in the toolbox. You can also use white, black, gray or other, which can be any color you specify. Click OK.