Most printable wall art on Etsy is sold in five aspect ratios: 2:3, 3:4, 4:5, 11×14 and the ISO A series, often with a square 1:1 version as a separate listing. Each ratio covers a whole family of frame sizes, so five well-made files at 300 PPI let a buyer print almost any common size without cropping.
Ratio first, size second
A ratio describes the shape of the print, not its size. A 2:3 file can be printed at 4×6 in, 12×18 in or 24×36 in and keep exactly the same composition. That is why sellers think in ratios: one large file per ratio can be scaled down to every smaller size in the same family.
If you upload a file in the wrong ratio for the buyer's frame, they have to crop the artwork or leave white borders. Offering the main ratios avoids most of these questions before they reach your inbox.
Common ratios and the sizes they cover
| Ratio | Common sizes (inches) | Common sizes (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| 2:3 | 4×6, 8×12, 12×18, 16×24, 20×30, 24×36 | 10×15, 20×30, 40×60, 60×90 |
| 3:4 | 6×8, 9×12, 12×16, 18×24 | 15×20, 30×40, 45×60, 60×80 |
| 4:5 | 4×5, 8×10, 16×20, 24×30 | 20×25, 40×50 |
| 11×14 | 11×14 (a size of its own, close to 4:5) | 28×35.6 |
| ISO A (1:1.414) | A4 is about 8.3×11.7 | A5 14.8×21, A4 21×29.7, A3 29.7×42, A2 42×59.4, A1 59.4×84.1 |
| 1:1 (square) | 8×8, 10×10, 12×12, 20×20 | 20×20, 30×30, 50×50 |
The 11×14 in size is popular in the US but does not match 4:5 exactly, so it deserves its own file. ISO A sizes are the standard in Europe and much of the world, and every A size has the same shape, so one A1 or A2 file scales down to A3, A4 and A5.
Pixels needed at 300 PPI
For a print viewed up close, 300 pixels per inch is the usual target. Multiply each side in inches by 300 to get the pixel size.
| Print size | Pixels at 300 PPI |
|---|---|
| 8×10 in | 2400×3000 px |
| 11×14 in | 3300×4200 px |
| 16×20 in | 4800×6000 px |
| 18×24 in | 5400×7200 px |
| 24×36 in | 7200×10800 px |
| A4 (21×29.7 cm) | 2480×3508 px |
| A3 (29.7×42 cm) | 3508×4961 px |
| A2 (42×59.4 cm) | 4961×7016 px |
Make each file at the largest size you want to support in that ratio. A 24×36 in file prints perfectly well at 8×12 in; the reverse is not true.
Which five files to include
A widely used set of five files looks like this:
- 2:3 at 24×36 in (7200×10800 px), covering 4×6 up to 24×36 in.
- 3:4 at 18×24 in (5400×7200 px), covering 6×8 up to 18×24 in.
- 4:5 at 16×20 in (4800×6000 px), covering 8×10 and 16×20 in.
- 11×14 in (3300×4200 px) on its own.
- ISO A at A2 or larger, covering A5 up to A2 (or A1 if you make it bigger).
Square artwork is usually sold as its own listing, because a square composition rarely works when cropped into a tall frame.
Etsy's file limits
At the time of writing (October 2026), Etsy lets you attach up to 5 files to a digital listing, with a maximum of 20 MB per file. Large JPEGs at 300 PPI can approach that limit, so save at a sensible quality setting and check each file size before uploading. If you need more files, a common approach is to put several sizes in a ZIP file, but many buyers find single image files easier to open, especially on a phone. Check Etsy's current rules before you rely on these numbers.
Add a simple size guide image to your listing photos that shows which file covers which sizes. It answers the most common buyer question at a glance.
Doing it faster
ArtworkPilot turns one artwork into print files in every common ratio at 300 PPI and creates a size guide image for the listing, along with mockups, a product video and listing text. You can try it with a 7-day free trial.