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Graphic Accord
Graphic Accord / glossary

Aspect ratio

Aspect ratio is the relationship between a graphic's width and height.

Meaning in graphics work

Aspect ratio is the relationship between a graphic's width and height. It describes proportions independently of the units or overall physical size used.

It differs from scale, which changes size while preserving proportions. Forcing artwork into a different ratio can distort it unless cropping or additional space is deliberately chosen.

Example and practical consequence

A landscape campaign image adapted to a portrait display may require a new crop, extra background or a redesigned layout. Stretching the entire image can change faces, logos and product shapes.

Choose fit, fill, crop or redesign explicitly and review the result at the target dimensions. Record which content is removed or added rather than treating every resize as a harmless enlargement. A matching ratio still leaves resolution, bleed and equipment-fitting requirements to check separately.

Take it to the next job

  • Approve the adaptation method and any crop before changing proportions.
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Sources and further reading

Photography & image credits

Photographs illustrate display, production and venue contexts; pictured organisations are not endorsements or verified partners.

  1. Trade and Charity Stands - Devon County Show 2023 (52925566105).jpg — Stephen and Helen Jones from England. CC BY-SA 2.0. Resized and converted to WebP; composition retained. Display may be fitted to the layout. The optimised photograph retains those reuse terms: download image.

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