How big should your first pattern be?
A 29 × 29 board has 841 spaces. That is enough for a small animal, a flower or a simple keychain. A 58 × 58 pattern uses four of those boards; it gives you more room for curves and shading, but also more beads to place.
For a photo, crop close to the face or subject before choosing a size. More cells help, but they cannot rescue a face that occupies a tiny corner of the image. Compare the preview at a normal viewing distance, then choose the smallest version that still keeps the details you care about.
Count boards and beads separately
Width and height describe the whole grid, including empty cells. The bead list counts only filled cells. A large outline can therefore use fewer beads than a small, solid design.
The editor shows both the grid size and the number of boards. If you use a 50 × 50 board, change the board setting before printing so the page breaks match your equipment.
Check the spacing before printing
Bead diameter and peg spacing are different measurements. For an actual-size template, use the distance between peg centers on your board.
Print the PDF at 100%, measure its 100 mm ruler, then check a few rows against the board. If the far edge drifts out of line, adjust the print settings before printing the remaining pages.