Facts about A3 paper

Its size dimensions, usage and a bit of history

A3 paper is part of the ISO 216 standard used all over

the world. It is one of the more popular paper formats

used internationally. The A3 paper is also now

supported by most printer and computer software

programs.

The dimensions of an A3

paper are 297 × 420

millimetres or 11.69 ×

16.54 inches. In PostScript,

its dimensions are rounded

off to 842 × 1190 points.

Its printing surface

including margins is 394 x

257 millimetres.

The ISO 216 standard is based

on the principle that when you

fold any size paper in half it will

still retain its aspect ratio of the

square root of two. By cutting

an A3 paper in half in its

shortest side you will produce

an A4 paper. When you fold two

A3 papers next to each in a

spread it will result to an A2

paper.

The practical and aesthetic advantages of the

square root of 2 aspect ratio for paper sizes

were probably first noted by physics professor

Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, reinvented over a

hundred years later in Germany by Dr. Walter

Porstmann. They were adopted as the German

standard DIN 476 in 1922 to replace the huge

variety of other paper sizes in use until then,

and to make paper stocking and reproduction

methods cheaper and more efficient.

The A3 paper format is used for activities in projects that need a large paper space to

write, draw or paste all the details. Many presentations, charts and enlargements use

A3 paper. It is also used by artists to render large drawings and by architects to draw up

their construction plans and structure outlines. In the fashion world, designers use it

to render their designs for clothes and costumes with elaborate details. Some map

makers also prefer A3 paper when they want a map format that is neither too small to

show streets nor too large for the bearer to handle it easily and conveniently.

When printing a picture on A3 size, the image will need to

meet a certain minimum resolution

At 300 ppi the needed image resolution

is 3508 x 4961 pixels. This is best for

viewing images on a close distance as in

coffee table books, calendars,

magazines, brochures, etc. Photo books

on the same resolution will work fine

on a lower pixel count of 250. These

dimensions are acceptable for

producing good quality images.

At 150 ppi the pixel count has to be

1754 x 2480. This is ideal for viewing

images on a fairly short distance as in

newspapers and posters.

A digital camera that offers a

decent image quality and has a

resolution of at least 8 or 12

megapixels can already produce

A3 size pictures of excellent

quality.

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