So You Want to Make a Banner…
Decide where your banner will go
Do you have a specific location for the banner? Will it be inside or outside? How will you hang it? How will be people view it – walking by, driving by, etc? This all can impact your banner design including size of the banner, size of the design, how many words you want to use, etc. You want your banner to be eye catching and readable.
If you already have your design, great! PDF is the required file format to use with our large format printer. We are able to convert most files if you are unable to save your file as a PDF. Bring in your design on a flash drive or email it to us at imagine@champaigncountylibrary.org You will need to be present when your banner is printed.
Banner Material Available in the Lab
Where/how you place your banner will determine how long the banner will last. The banner we have is 13 oz. It will last for a couple of years outdoors as long as it is not allowed to flap in the wind. Metal grommets are available to install on your banner to help with hanging your banner.
What size do you want your banner to be? Banner material is on a roll and we have two different widths of banner 38” and 30”. The printable area is approximately 2” less than the actual size of the banner. There will always be a white margin around your design, the printer will not print edge to edge. When designing, use 36” and 28” as your maximum available area for printing. If you design for 30” we will need to shrink your design or you will need to re-design it. Tools are available in the Lab to trim your banner if you wish.
Additional materials are available in the Lab to use with the large format printer including poster paper, removable/permanent adhesive and ultra-removable wall sticker. All material is white and can be printed on only one side.
Designing your Banner
If you need to design your banner, we have a number of programs available at the library that you may use to create your design including Publisher and Adobe Creative Cloud. If you have access to the internet, Canva.com is an easy online tool you can use to design your project.
Sizing
Decide what size of banner you want to print. Some design programs will allow you to create a template with the actual dimensions of your project. If you are not able to do this, decide if your banner will be landscape (wide) or portrait (tall) and design accordingly.
Wording
Decide what you want your banner to say. Keep it simple but be sure to get your message across. Usually banners are seen from a distance, so you want a short and direct message.
Select the lettering
Usually you will want to use large lettering when designing a banner.
Letter Height Best Readability Distance Maximum Distance
3” 30’ 100’
4” 40’ 150’
6” 60’ 200’
Fonts
You may be tempted to use unusual fonts; however, that may make it more difficult for people to read your sign. Also, thin lined fonts may be difficult to read from a distance.
Contrasting Colors
If you want to use color in your design, as a general rule you want high contrast between the background and the lettering. Dark blue on a white background would be easier to see than light yellow on a white background.
Images
When selecting images to use in your design, be sure they are of high quality. An image may look great on your monitor, but it may not translate the same when printed. If a picture does not have the correct properties it may become pixelated (fuzzy) when enlarged. Images should be at least 300 dpi (dots per inch). You can find the resolution of your image through a program like Adobe Photoshop or in the properties menu of the image file
If a banner will be viewed from a distance, resolution is not as important as when it will be viewed at close range. When a pixelated image is viewed from a distance, you do not notice but up close you will see the flaws.
Searching Google for Images
If searching for images on Google, you can limit your results by size. Click on TOOLS then SIZE. Choose LARGE from the drop-down list. Click on a picture and the size will show in the preview frame at the right of the screen. The larger the file the better.
Please keep in mind, images may be protected by copyright. There are online sites that give access to high quality and royalty free images. Two popular sites are: Pixabay.com and Pexels.com. Images available in canva.com are usually good quality pictures.
Printing Your Banner
You will need to be present during printing. You will also be responsible for any trimming and installing any grommets. Printing times vary by job size but usually take between 5 to 30 minutes.
The image will always look pixelated on the computer monitor. We do not have a reliable way of determining the quality of your project. If you enlarge your project on your computer monitor and you notice pixilation, you may want to consider using different graphics. You are responsible for any items you print.
Payment is by cash or check only.
Remember, you do need an appointment to use the Imagine Lab and anyone using the lab must have their own library card and signed release form.
Decisions when making a banner