Large format printing is essential for creating banner stands and other large marketing banners that make a real impact. However, designing the artwork for large format printing is often a challenge for designers, especially those who do not have much experience in this area. So what should you know about designing for large format printing and bannerstands before you have a go yourself?
Use Vector Images
Most readers of this blog are already involved in vector design, and this experience will be a huge advantage if you attempt to design artwork for large format printing. Using vector images allows you to work with smaller size files that will not slow down your computer, and they also scale up easily. There is no point attempting to design a huge banner to scale, so instead work at a smaller size to make things easier.
Fonts can become a big issue when you are designing artwork for large format printing. You must ensure that the words can be read from far away without becoming illegible. For this reason you should avoid using fonts that are hard to read, and make sure when you are designing the artwork that the text does not get lost in the design but stands out.
You may find that your letters are affected by kerning, which is where the letters look closer together when viewed from a distance, and this can affect the legibility. You may therefore need to add some extra spacing between the letters before sending the work to the printer.
LESS IS MORE
The aim of artwork for banner stands is to get a message across as quickly as possible. No matter where the banner is appearing, assume that you only have a few seconds to capture the attention of passers by. You need to make the message clear and simple to understand, and this typically involves using as few words as possible, and making sure that the image captures attention without interfering with the message.
Are Contact Details Necessary?
When you have the final say in the design, try to avoid squeezing in unnecessary information. For example, you may not need to insert contact details in your design because people may be able to get these from the company in the form of a brochure or business card at a trade show. However, in other forms of large-format printing, including the contact details may be more important so you have to make a call here.
Before You Send It to the Printers…
Large format printing is expensive, so you want to ensure that you get everything right before you send off your design. One trick is to step a few metres back from your monitor to see how the design looks from further away. It is easy to get so involved in the finer details that you forget to check how well the message comes across from a distance.
You could also print out a few sections of the design at the larger size, especially the font, in order to see what the final version will look like. Simply print off a few pages in your own printer and then stick them to the wall at the end of the room to see if there are any noticeable issues.
It’s also a good idea to print out a small version before you print out the final version. This won’t show you exactly how the final version will look, but you may be able to pick up a few errors and any issues with misalignment.
Experiment with Large Format Printing
If you do not have much experience in large-format printing then keep the above tips in mind. Designing for large format printing is a very different skill and takes some getting used to, but it is all a matter of practice. It may take a while to perfect your skills, but get the design right and the result will be a stunning banner that captures attention and generates interest.
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