DPI Tips for Comic Artist: Making Print & Digital Webtoons

Posted By S-morishita Under Blog, webtoon tips, webtoon tutorial

Understanding DPI for Webtoon-Style Comics: Balancing Print and Digital Quality

When starting a digital comic or webtoon-style comic, one of the most common questions is:
“What DPI and canvas size should I use so my comic looks good both on Webtoon and in print?”

If you’re creating comics for both print and Webtoon Canvas, this blog post will break it down for you—no confusion, no pixelation, and no ruined quality.

What is DPI and Why Does It Matter?

DPI (Dots Per Inch): This measures the level of detail in an image. A higher DPI means high-resolution images that are clear and crisp, especially for printing.
72 DPI vs. 350 DPI:
- 72 DPI is perfect for Webtoon Canvas or on-screen areas like digital platforms because it keeps the file size small and easy to upload.
- 350–600 DPI is ideal for printing comics because it ensures your work looks sharp on paper without blurriness or pixelation.

Step-by-Step: Creating Comics for Both Webtoon and Print

To make your comic look amazing in both formats, follow these steps:

1. Set Up Your Master File (High-Resolution Images for Print)

Use a canvas size of 6.6 x 10.2 inches (standard comic book trim size).
Set the DPI to 350–600 DPI in your program (like Clip Studio Paint, Medibang paint, ibispaint, jump paint, etc.).
This is your working file—the high-res version you’ll use for printing.

2. Resize for Webtoon Upload (Webtoon Canvas)

Once you finish your page and want to upload it on Webtoon Canvas, follow these steps:

You can either save a copy of your master file (don’t overwrite it!) or if the program you are using allows it you can actually select the export option and then resize the export save file to be a lower dpi and size. Clip studio paint has their own built in webtoon export option which makes the process a lot easier.
Resize the width of the canvas to 800px (Webtoon’s recommended size). You can split your page into panels if needed. Additionally webtoon canvas also resizes image files for you so you can skip this step if you aren’t able to resize your export file with the program you’re using.
Set the DPI of the exported copy to 72 DPI.
Export the file as a PNG or JPEG for Webtoon upload.

Why does this work? Starting with high-resolution images (350 DPI) preserves details. When you resize down to 72 DPI, the quality stays clear because you’re reducing resolution from a high starting point.

Why Not Draw Everything at 72 DPI?

Drawing at 72 DPI from the start might seem easier, but it comes with risks:

Your art could look blurry or pixelated if you decide to print it later.
You lose flexibility for dramatic effects like zooming into details or resizing panels for impact.

By working at 350–600 DPI and exporting to 72 DPI, you future-proof your art for both Webtoon-style comics online and printed books.

Webtoon Format Comics and Digital Art Tools

Let’s also touch on some terms that often come up when working on digital comics:

Speech Bubbles and Sound Effects: Keep your text and sound effect layers separate when working in programs like Clip Studio Paint. This helps when resizing for Webtoon or print.
On-Screen Area: Webtoon’s vertical scrolling format requires thinking about what’s visible on-screen at one time. Resizing your panels helps adjust for this.
Dramatic Effect: High-res files let you zoom in or crop panels for extra drama without losing quality.

Quick DPI Checklist for Beginner Webtoon Comic Artist

Draw your comic in high-resolution:
- Canvas size suggestion: 6.6 x 10.2 inches
- DPI suggestion: 350–600 DPI
Export for Webtoon Canvas:
- Width suggestion: 800px
- DP suggestionI: 72 DPI
Keep two versions:
- High-res version for printing.
- Resized version for Webtoon Canvas upload.

Common Beginner Mistake: “Quality Gets Destroyed When Resizing”

If your comic looks blurry after resizing, here’s what might be happening:

You’re shrinking the original working file instead of exporting a resized copy.
Always keep your master file at 350–600 DPI and export resized files for digital upload.

Final Tip: Think Ahead

If you’ve been apart of the original community of webcomic creators, you may know that planning for both print and digital is key. Tools like Clip Studio Paint make it easy to adjust page size and export files at different DPIs. By starting with a high-quality file, you have endless flexibility.