What is “application viewing distance”?
The application viewing distance is the distance that the viewer typically views the image from. A billboard, for example, is typically viewed from hundred of yards away. As such, a billboard does not require a high resolution; 30 dpi is more than sufficient. Truck graphics and banners are usually viewed from 10, 25 or 50 feet away so the resolution needs to be higher. Wall murals are at times viewed from very close-up. As such they should be printed at a high dpi (300 dpi minimum) so that the print looks good at a viewing distance of 2-to-3 feet. Things like posters, labels and sticker that are all viewed close-up should be printed at as high a resolution as permitted by the supplied artwork.
