Rendering High-Resolution: Why DPI Matters for MTG Proxies

We've all seen them: "Potato Proxies." Cards where the text is fuzzy, the set symbol is a blob, and the art looks like a Minecraft screenshot. The culprit? Low DPI.

What is DPI?

DPI stands for Dots Per Inch. It measures how many droplets of ink a printer places in a single inch of paper.

• 72 DPI: Standard screen resolution. Looks fine on a monitor, looks horrible on paper.
• 300 DPI: Standard print resolution. Good for photos, "okay" for text.
• 600+ DPI: High-quality print. Essential for small text (like Oracle text on Magic cards).

The Magic Card Challenge

Magic cards are small (2.5" x 3.5"). Yet, they contain a massive amount of information.

• The copyright text at the bottom is microscopic.
• The set symbol has tiny lines.
• The text box texture has a complex pattern.

If you print a card image that is 750 x 1050 pixels (typical Scryfall scan size), that is roughly 300 DPI. It looks passable, but if you look closely, the text will have "soft" edges.

To get crisp, sharp text that looks real, you need a source image that is closer to 1200 DPI or higher, which is then downscaled by the printer to its native resolution.

How TCGCustom Handles This

When you export text from TCGCustom, we don't just give you a static JPEG. We render the card vectors at a high scale.

1. Vector Text: The text isn't a picture of text; it's mathematical curves. It remains sharp at any size.
2. Upscaling: When you hit "Download," (especially with 'High Quality' settings), we render the card at 2x or 4x the standard size.

The Takeaway

• Never print "Screen Grabs": Don't screenshot a card and print it.
• Check your settings: Ensure your printer is set to "Best Photo" or "Max DPI."
• Source matters: Use a high-quality card generator that exports large files. If your exported card image is under 1MB, it's probably too small for high-quality printing.