Journal Figure Requirements: DPI, Formats and Sizes
Figure specs for Nature, Science, Cell Press, Elsevier and PLOS ONE: column widths, DPI for photos and line art, formats, fonts and a checklist.
Last updated: October 11, 2026. Every specification below comes from the publisher pages linked under Sources. Requirements change; always confirm with the journal's current author guidelines before submission.
Quick answer: Most journals want figures sized to their column width (about 85–90 mm single, 174–190 mm double), photographs at 300 dpi or more at final size, line art at 1000–1200 dpi, vector files (PDF/EPS) for graphs and diagrams, TIFF for images, RGB colour and 5–8 pt sans-serif text. Check each journal's exact specs.
What does DPI mean for a journal figure?
DPI (dots per inch), more precisely PPI (pixels per inch), is the number of image pixels per inch of printed size. It only means something together with a physical size: an image 1063 pixels wide is 300 dpi at 90 mm but only 150 dpi at 180 mm. That is why Elsevier lists minimum pixel widths for each column width. Vector graphics have no fixed DPI; they are redrawn sharply at any size.
What are the figure requirements of major publishers? Comparison table
| Publisher / journal | Widths (single / 1.5 / double) | Photos (halftone) | Line art | Preferred formats | Text size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nature | 89 / 120–136 / 183 mm | ≥300 dpi (450 dpi recommended for top quality) | Vector preferred | PDF, EPS, AI (vector); TIFF, PSD, JPEG | 5–7 pt; 8 pt bold panel labels |
| Science (AAAS) | 5.7 / 12.1 / 18.4 cm print widths | ≥300 dpi at final size | ≥300 dpi if not vector, higher preferred | AI, EPS, PDF; TIFF/PSD/PNG for photos | ~7 pt, not below 5 pt |
| Science Advances | 9 cm / up to 14.4 cm / 18.4 cm | ≥300 dpi | ≥1200 dpi | Vector preferred | — |
| Cell Press | 85 / 114 / 174 mm | ≥300 dpi; B&W ≥500 dpi | ≥1000 dpi | TIFF (LZW), vector PDF/EPS | 6–8 pt Arial |
| Elsevier (most journals) | 90 / 140 / 190 mm | 300 dpi | 1000 dpi (combination 500 dpi) | TIFF, EPS, PDF, JPEG (photos) | Recommended fonts, legible |
| PLOS ONE | 789–2250 px wide at 300 dpi | 300–600 dpi | 300–600 dpi | TIFF or EPS only, ≤10 MB | Legible at final size |
How do the major journals differ?
Nature
Nature's standard widths are 89 mm (single column) and 183 mm (double column), with 1.5-column figures of 120–136 mm; the full page depth is 247 mm. Photographic images must be at least 300 dpi at the maximum size they will be used, and the research figure guide notes that online proofs go up to 450 dpi. Text should be sans-serif (Arial or Helvetica), 5–7 pt, with 8 pt bold lowercase panel labels, and must remain editable rather than outlined.
Science and Science Advances
Science's instructions give print widths of 5.7 cm (1 column), 12.1 cm (2 columns) and 18.4 cm (3 columns), lettering about 7 pt and not smaller than 5 pt, and lines at least 0.5 pt. Its 2025 figure preparation PDF instead describes a two-column grid (9 cm and 18.3 cm), so check the version linked from your submission system. Science Advances requires at least 1200 dpi for black-and-white line art and 300 dpi for images.
Cell Press
Cell Press two-column journals use 8.5 cm, 11.4 cm and 17.4 cm widths, with a recommended maximum figure size of 6.5 x 8 in. Resolution must be at least 300 dpi for colour or greyscale, 500 dpi for black and white and 1000 dpi for line art at print size. Text should be Arial, about 6–8 pt, with line weights of 0.5–1.5 pt and capital-letter panel labels.
Elsevier
Elsevier's artwork guidelines ask for 300 dpi for halftones, 1000 dpi for line art and 500 dpi for combination art. For bitmap figures, its sizing table translates this into pixel widths: at 90 mm single column, 1063 px (300 dpi), 1772 px (500 dpi) or 3543 px (1000 dpi); at 190 mm full width, 2244, 3740 or 7480 px. Elsevier recommends 0.25 pt line work (absolute minimum 0.1 pt) and about 1 pt for prominent plot lines.
PLOS ONE
PLOS ONE accepts figure files only as TIFF or EPS, 300–600 dpi, up to 10 MB, 789–2250 pixels wide and at most 2625 pixels tall at 300 dpi. Files must be named Fig1.tif, Fig2.eps and so on, and captions go in the manuscript, not inside the image. PLOS offers a free figure-checking tool (NAAS, formerly PACE) that can convert and resize files.
Vector or raster: which format should you use?
| Content | Best format | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Graphs, charts, diagrams, schematic illustrations | Vector: PDF, EPS, SVG→PDF | Sharp at any size, text stays editable |
| Photographs, microscopy, gels, blots | TIFF (LZW compression) | Lossless; preserves raw data integrity |
| Mixed (image + labels) | Vector file with embedded ≥300 dpi image, or TIFF at 500–600 dpi | Labels stay crisp |
| Avoid | Low-quality JPEG, screenshots, images pasted into Word | Compression artefacts and lost resolution |
How do you prepare a figure that meets journal requirements?
- Find the target journal's widths and DPI and set your canvas to the final width (e.g. 89 mm or 183 mm) from the start.
- Build in vector. Plot in R/Python and export PDF or SVG; assemble in Inkscape, Affinity, Illustrator or LabCanvas. Use vector illustrations such as Sciicons SVGs and MolDraw or Sciicons Molecules structures so schematics stay sharp.
- Set fonts at final size. Use Arial or Helvetica at 5–8 pt (journal-dependent) and do not convert text to outlines unless asked.
- Check line weights. Keep strokes at or above 0.25–0.5 pt at final size.
- Keep images at native resolution. Never upsample; if an image is too small, place it smaller.
- Use RGB colour unless the journal requests CMYK, and a colour-blind-safe palette.
- Export vector PDF/EPS, or TIFF at the required DPI with LZW compression.
- Run the publisher's checker where one exists (e.g. PLOS NAAS) and view at 100% and 200% zoom.
How many pixels do you need? Quick reference
| Width | 300 dpi | 500 dpi | 1000 dpi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 85–90 mm (single column) | 1004–1063 px | 1673–1772 px | 3346–3543 px |
| 114–140 mm (1.5 column) | 1346–1654 px | 2244–2756 px | 4488–5512 px |
| 174–190 mm (double column) | 2055–2244 px | 3425–3740 px | 6850–7480 px |
Formula: pixels = width in mm ÷ 25.4 × DPI.
Common reasons figures get sent back
- Images below 300 dpi at final size, or upsampled.
- Text smaller than the minimum or in mixed fonts.
- JPEG artefacts in blots and micrographs.
- Figures wider than the double-column width.
- Inappropriate image manipulation (all publishers above have image-integrity policies).
Related tools and guides
- How to make a graphical abstract
- Best free tools for scientific figures
- Sciicons Gel Builder and Well Plate Colorer for vector gel and plate panels
Sources
- Nature final submission: https://www.nature.com/nature/for-authors/final-submission
- Nature research figure guide: https://research-figure-guide.nature.com/figures/preparing-figures-our-specifications/
- Science, preparing an initial manuscript: https://www.science.org/content/page/instructions-preparing-initial-manuscript
- Science, revised manuscript: https://www.science.org/content/page/instructions-preparing-revised-manuscript
- Science Advances figure guide (2026): https://www.science.org/cms/asset/94238a69-3add-4d93-9e79-804c7ef9ec01/sciadv_guide_to_preparing_figures_2026.pdf
- Cell Press figure guidelines: https://www.cell.com/information-for-authors/figure-guidelines
- Elsevier artwork types and sizing: https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies-and-standards/author/artwork-and-media-instructions/artwork-types , https://www.elsevier.com/en-gb/about/policies-and-standards/author/artwork-and-media-instructions/artwork-sizing
- Elsevier artwork FAQ (line weights): https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies-and-standards/author/artwork-and-media-instructions/artwork-faq
- PLOS ONE figures: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/s/figures
Frequently asked questions
- What DPI do journals require for figures?
- Most journals require at least 300 dpi at final printed size for photographs and colour or greyscale images. Line art (black-and-white graphs and drawings) needs much more: Elsevier asks for 1000 dpi, Cell Press at least 1000 dpi, and Science Advances at least 1200 dpi. Combination figures typically need 500–600 dpi.
- What is the standard single-column figure width?
- It varies: Nature uses 89 mm (single) and 183 mm (double), Cell Press 85 mm and 174 mm, Elsevier 90 mm and 190 mm, and PLOS ONE allows widths from 789 to 2250 pixels at 300 dpi (about 6.7–19 cm).
- Which file format is best for journal figures?
- Vector formats (PDF, EPS or AI) are best for graphs, diagrams and illustrations because they scale without blur. Use TIFF for photographs and microscopy. Some journals have restrictions; for example PLOS ONE accepts only TIFF or EPS figure files.
- Can I increase DPI in Photoshop to meet the requirement?
- No. Nature, Science and PLOS all warn that artificially increasing resolution (upsampling) does not add detail. Re-export from the original vector or raw image at the correct size instead.
- What font size should figure text be?
- Typically 5–7 pt at final size for Nature (8 pt bold panel labels), about 6–8 pt for Cell Press, and roughly 7 pt (minimum 5 pt) for Science. Use a sans-serif font such as Arial or Helvetica.
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