Poster artwork, understood.
Prepare poster artwork with practical guidance for image resolution, bleed, type size, color, cropping and proof approval.
Start with Poster print file checklist: size, bleed, resolution and fonts, the overview for this topic. Each guide after it answers a separate buying, preparation or troubleshooting question.
START HEREPoster artwork · 5 MIN READ
Poster print file checklist: size, bleed, resolution and fonts
What a print ready poster file needs: a PDF at trim plus 0.125 inch bleed, images at 150 to 300 ppi at final size, embedded fonts and a safe margin.
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Poster artwork · 5 MIN READ
Poster resolution: how many pixels each poster size needs
Multiply printed inches by pixels per inch: an 18 x 24 poster needs 5,400 x 7,200 pixels at 300 ppi. Pixel tables, crop math and when 150 ppi is enough.
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Poster artwork · 5 MIN READ
Poster bleed and trim: file sizes, safe area and frame allowance
Poster bleed is usually 0.125 inch per side, so an 18 x 24 poster is built at 18.25 x 24.25 inches. File sizes, safe areas and frame allowances by size.
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Poster artwork · 5 MIN READ
Poster font size: how big text must be to read from a distance
How big poster text should be for the distance people read it from, using the road sign rule of 1 inch per 30 feet and ADA sign minimums, with a chart.
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Poster artwork · 5 MIN READ
Poster color proofing: why prints look darker than your screen
Why poster colors print darker than on screen, which color proof to ask for, how ICC profiles fit in and how to review a proof in the right light.
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Poster artwork · 5 MIN READ
How to crop a photo for a poster without losing the subject
Crop a photo for poster printing by matching the ratio of 11 x 14, 12 x 18, 18 x 24 or 24 x 36, comparing fit and fill and checking the pixels you keep.
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Poster artwork · 5 MIN READ
QR codes on posters: size, placement and scan distance
How big a QR code should be on a poster for the scan distance, why the quiet zone matters, where to place it and how to test the code before printing.
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Poster artwork · 5 MIN READ
PDF or JPG for poster printing: which file format to send
PDF or JPG for poster printing? Compare vector text, fonts, bleed, compression and color, see when a JPG is fine and how to check the file before sending.
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Poster artwork · 5 MIN READ
How to approve a poster proof: a checklist before printing
A poster proof checklist for content, layout and production details, plus how to check QR codes, handle late changes and record the exact approved file.
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