Avoiding the challenges of large scale printing
Whether you need signs, posters or banners, your project will call for some large scale display printing. Because it is absolutely essential that your publicity exudes professionalism and attention to detail, it is important to understand how to achieve this small miracle. You will need to get the right fonts, colors and images displayed optimally. Then you will have to place your content within a balanced and charming design.
It is also a good idea to have a working knowledge of certain details, like the difference between a vector and a bitmap, or how RGB color systems are different from CMYK, etc.
Because there are digital processes available for every small thing, it is not uncommon to overlook some of the finer points that make a big difference in large scale printing. To shed some light on the matter, the following 5 tips can help you achieve the posters and signage that will speak of your business quality and precision.
1. Vectors Images Vs. Bitmaps
Large-scale prints should be done in vectors, not bitmaps. Vectors may look the same, but they function very differently. In a bitmap, colors and values are assigned a specific color at a specific location. But, a vector uses a mathematical equation to define the shapes, lines and colors. This means that no matter the size of your image, the forms and figures will always remain clear and crisp. When you try to do the same thing to a bitmap you will only achieve a jagged blocky look after a certain point.
Another important advantage is that a vector image will be much smaller than its equivalent in a bitmap image. This might not seem like a big deal, but when it comes to printing a large amount of copies, you will find that a smaller file spools into the printer easier and more efficiently. Then there is the added advantage that your file will be easier to manage and you will spend less time loading and uploading it as well.
2. Choose your fonts wisely
Your signage is more effective if it can be seen and clearly identified from a distance. This means it must be chosen for not just is visual appeal but also its readability. Most people find script style fonts very hard to read at any distance, the same for serif fonts. Even some sans serif fonts can pose a readability issue.
For example:
- Sans serif fonts that have
- Large spacing between the letters can make it hard to distinguish words.
- When the letters are spaced too closely together, the letters themselves become unintelligible.
- Bold fonts can be too crowded.
- Fonts made of thin lines can be lost in the background.
To see if your font choice is clearly visible, see how far back from the monitor you can stand before the words are unreadable. Even better, have someone with fairly poor eyesight who is unfamiliar with the text read it. If they can read the message from the other side of the room, you can rest assured your signage is on point.
Another small issue to be aware of is the use of cross-platform fonts. You never know what type of operating system will be in use at your print shop or the many other locations that you may try to access your project. If you do not have a cross-platform font this can make it a little problematic for general applications.
Some of the best cross-platform fonts include:
- Arial
- Georgia
- Times New Roman
- Trebuchet
- Verdana
3. Color choices
Just like with the fonts you choose you will want to be sure that the colors you choose stand out against each other and add to the readability of the sign. After selecting the color you want for your fonts, choose a background that allows these colors to stand out. Another important point is to keep color schemes simple. Anything over three different colors is overkill and can affect the visual quality of your sign.
On the other hand, if you will be creating something that your audience will stop to read, you can feel free to use the color schemes you want.
Another important point on colors that is often overlooked is the importance of switching from RGB colors to CMYK. You will have more color options with the RGB scheme, but printers will use the CMYK. IF you also use CMYK colors you will be sure to get a clearer color rendition and this can be very important to large scale printing. If you are working with Photoshop, choose “Image>mode>CMYK color” to make the change.
4. Balance is key
One important factor that runs ubiquitously through all signage is the need to be clearly understood and attractive. They are supposed to deliver the full message even if a person only gives the poster a passing glance. To accomplish this, you need to keep the clutter to an absolute minimum. In the interests of making things interesting, it should not be too sparse either.
Use only a few well-placed graphics – keep space around the graphic to not overload your viewers with information.
Feel free to use simpler graphics rather than more complicated images.
Go easy on the text, you may have all the words to fill a book, but your audience will only really benefit from a simple title and possibly a simple sentence or two beneath. One exception would be posters for events that will need to have extra information included.
5. Factoring for page bleed
Another obstacle to optimal large-scale printing is page-bleed. The good news is that this issue is easily addressed. Bleed is the term for when the inks reach the edge of the paper. To avoid this, keep a margin all around the work to allow for printer error. Or simply use a larger sized paper to print the same sized image.
You don’t really need that much space either, simply allow a margin of 3mm – 5mm all around. Make sure that no text or graphics appear in this margin.
