If you’re a designer, the idea of printing your own posters may seem daunting. With so many options out there, it can be hard to decide which ones to choose and how to go about making them, especially if you’ve never done it before. This comprehensive guide on how to print your own posters will take you through everything from choosing the right paper stock to using industry-standard design software to preparing your file for print and submitting it to your printer. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have all the information you need to start making your own poster prints in no time!
Choosing Colors
Start by choosing colors that complement each other. Choose colors from nature, like green and yellow or red and purple. You can also choose contrasting colors, such as blue and orange. If you want a more creative approach, you can use an online color-composition tool to create an aesthetically pleasing combination of hues. Once you have a few good options in mind, use your computer or phone to play around with different arrangements until you find something that works for your design concept.
Choosing a Size
The first step in planning your poster design is deciding on a size. It’s important that you choose a size that will best communicate your message. A standard movie theater poster is 24 inches wide and 40 inches tall, but there are other sizes you may want to consider as well.
For example,
if you’re designing a banner for an event where space is limited, such as inside a subway car or restaurant booth, smaller sizes may be best.
Choosing Paper
Paper weight is measured in pounds. The most common weights are 24-pound, 32-pound, and 48-pound. Generally speaking, thinner paper is better for designs that have lots of small details or a small amount of ink coverage; thicker paper is better for detailed large images. You can determine what you need with some trial and error; any good print shop will be able to tell you what their standard paper weight is.
Choosing Fonts
When you’re choosing a font, it helps to have a specific audience in mind. If you’re designing your poster with an art or graphics theme in mind, choose a font that aligns with that topic. For example, if you’re designing a science-based poster, use fonts like Futura, Helvetica or Avant Garde. If you want your poster to match corporate style guidelines, choose fonts such as Times New Roman or Baskerville instead. You can also select a font based on your desired tone—if you want your poster to be formal and serious, consider using serif fonts (fonts with extra lines at the end of letters) like Times New Roman or Garamond. If you want something more modern and fun, try sans serif fonts (fonts without those extra lines) like Arial or Century Gothic. You can even mix and match different fonts on one poster—just make sure they complement each other well!
Technical Aspects of Printing Posters
When it comes to printing posters, you should understand that there are a few basic technical aspects that must be considered. These include things like size and resolution, paper types and thicknesses, substrates, lamination and mounting options. Learn more about each of these below.
Final Checklist
If you want your poster printing service project to be as stress-free as possible, make sure that you take these final steps before sending it off. It’s better to catch mistakes and clear up any confusion before you commit any time or money on a print run.
