Canvas and File Formats

Paint Tool SAI supports various file formats for different purposes. This guide covers canvas setup and all supported file formats for saving and exporting your artwork.

Canvas Setup

Creating a New Canvas

  1. File β†’ New (or Ctrl+N)

  2. Configure canvas options:

    • Width/Height: In pixels

    • Resolution: DPI for print (typically 300)

    • Background: White, transparent, or custom color

Preset Sizes

Common canvas presets:

Preset

Dimensions

Best For

A4 (300 DPI)

2480 x 3508

Print documents

Letter (300 DPI)

2550 x 3300

US print

HD 1080p

1920 x 1080

Digital display

4K UHD

3840 x 2160

High-res display

Square Social

1080 x 1080

Instagram

Canvas Size Limits

See 32-bit vs 64-bit Canvas Limits for detailed information on maximum canvas sizes.

Native SAI Format (.sai / .sai2)

Overview

SAI’s native format preserves all features:

  • All layer types - Including special layers

  • Layer properties - Opacity, blending modes, clipping

  • Selection data - Saved selections

  • Tool settings - Brush configurations used

SAI Ver.1 Format (.sai)

  • Used by Paint Tool SAI Ver.1

  • Compatible with Ver.2 (can open in both)

  • Maximum file size: 2GB

SAI Ver.2 Format (.sai2)

  • Native format for SAI Ver.2

  • Supports Ver.2 exclusive features:

    • Text layers

    • Shape layers

    • Linework layers

    • Perspective rulers

  • Not compatible with Ver.1

Tip

Save in .sai format if you need to open files in both Ver.1 and Ver.2.

Adobe Photoshop Format (.psd)

SAI provides excellent PSD compatibility:

Export Features

When exporting to PSD:

  • βœ… Raster layers

  • βœ… Layer groups (folders)

  • βœ… Opacity and blending modes

  • βœ… Layer masks (clipping groups)

  • ⚠️ Text layers (rasterized)

  • ⚠️ Shape layers (rasterized)

  • ⚠️ Linework layers (rasterized)

Import Features

When importing from PSD:

  • βœ… Standard layers

  • βœ… Layer groups

  • βœ… Common blending modes

  • ⚠️ Adjustment layers (ignored)

  • ⚠️ Smart objects (rasterized)

  • ⚠️ Layer styles (may be flattened)

Note

SAI will rasterize vector content from PSD files. Keep original PSDs if you need to edit vector elements.

Image Formats

BMP (Bitmap)

  • Extension: .bmp

  • Layers: Flattened only

  • Color Depth: 24-bit RGB

  • Transparency: Not supported

  • Best For: Maximum compatibility, no compression

PNG (Portable Network Graphics)

  • Extension: .png

  • Layers: Flattened only

  • Color Depth: 8-bit or 24-bit + alpha

  • Transparency: Full alpha channel support

  • Compression: Lossless

  • Best For: Web graphics, transparent images

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)

  • Extension: .jpg / .jpeg

  • Layers: Flattened only

  • Color Depth: 24-bit RGB

  • Transparency: Not supported

  • Compression: Lossy (quality adjustable)

  • Best For: Photos, web sharing

Warning

JPEG compression causes quality loss. Avoid repeatedly saving as JPEG.

TGA (Targa)

  • Extension: .tga

  • Layers: Flattened only

  • Color Depth: 24-bit or 32-bit

  • Transparency: Alpha channel optional

  • Best For: Game development, 3D textures

Export Settings

Best Practices by Use Case

For continued editing:

Save as .sai2 (or .sai for Ver.1 compatibility)

For Photoshop workflow:

Export as .psd

For web publishing:

Export as .png (transparent) or .jpg (opaque)

For printing:

Export as .png at full resolution, or .psd for print shop workflow

For archiving:

Keep .sai2 original + .png backup

Quality Settings for JPEG

When exporting JPEG, consider:

Working with Multiple Formats

File Organization

Suggested folder structure:

Project/
β”œβ”€β”€ Working/          # .sai2 files
β”œβ”€β”€ PSD/              # Photoshop exports
β”œβ”€β”€ Final/            # Finished PNG/JPG
└── Reference/        # Reference images

Troubleshooting

Can’t open .sai2 in Ver.1

.sai2 format is Ver.2 only. Open in Ver.2 and save as .sai or export to PSD.

PSD layers don’t match

Some Photoshop features don’t translate. Check for:

  • Adjustment layers

  • Smart objects

  • Layer styles

  • Blend mode compatibility

File too large

  • Reduce canvas size if possible

  • Merge unnecessary layers

  • For PSD, consider β€œMaximize Compatibility” being disabled

See Also