How to Make a Poster 1. Choose your platform. • Adobe Indesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, are all great for custom designs. • Canva is great for quick designs.
2. Poster Size • For optimal printing, make sure at least one side of your document is 24 inches long. Standard poster size is 24in by 30in. *Other sizes are available, but first talk with John Marshall to learn about your options.
A. Adobe Programs • Enter the dimensions when you first create a new document. • In the width bar type “24in”. When you enter the dimensions it will convert it into points. Don’t worry it is still 24”. • In the Height bar type in “30in”. • Choose your desired orientation, then click “OK”.
• If you forget to enter the dimensions, you can always get back to this window and change the size by going to File>Document Setup.
B. Canva • Choose “Use custom dimensions”. • Select “in” in the drop down menu.
• Type “24” in the width and “30” in the height for a portrait poster or visa versa, for a landscape one. • Click “Design!”
3. Make Your Poster A. Image Quality • Make sure all the images you use are a good quality. Generally the resolution needs to be at least 1000 pixels by 1000 pixels. It is not fun to have to redesign your poster because the resolution in one of the pictures is too low. • To check the resolution on a picture open it in Preview (Most pictures open in Preview by default). • Go to Tools>Show Inspector. A General Info window will open, it will read the image size. If the size isn’t greater than or equal to 1000 x 1000 pixels you should find a larger image for your poster. • Some sites that offer free high resolution photos are: • unsplash.com • gratisography.com • jaymantri.com • getrefe.tumblr.com • magdeleine.co • picography.co • foodiesfeed.com • picjumbo.com • superfamous.com • nos.twnsnd.co • publicdomainarchive.com • thepatternlibrary.com • imcreator.com/free (requires attribution) • littlevisuals.co (requires email) • join.deathtothestockphoto.com (requires email)
4. Prepping Your Poster to Print • When you have finished your design export it as a pdf so it is ready to print.
A. Adobe Programs • For Indesign and Illustrator, go to File>Export, the Export window will open. Photoshop, go to File>Save As. • In the Format drop down menu, choose “Adobe PDF”
• Click “Save”. Another window will open, but just click the “Export”.
B. Canva • In the upper left corner of your Canva design, click “Download or Link”. • A window will open, choose the PDF option. From here follow the site’s directions.
5. Printing Your Poster • Now that your poster is ready to print, find John Marshall, Glenn Williams, or Danielle Flinn, so they can help you print it.