Best Practices 2 of 6
Quality Recommendations
Judge compression at the real display or output size. Examine text, high-contrast edges, gradients, and fine texture for blocking, banding, or ringing.
Evaluate images at three scales: pixel view for artifacts, final physical size for legibility, and realistic viewing distance for overall appearance. A defect seen at 800% zoom may be irrelevant on a textured surface, while a slightly clipped face can be obvious on the finished item.
When comparing exports, use the same source and crop so quality and file size are the main changing variables. Inspect portraits, fine texture, text, and high-contrast edges at both 100% and intended output size. Keep the candidate that satisfies the actual use case rather than assuming the largest file is best. For physical work, compare an approved proof on the real material when image fidelity matters.