As signage moves into a more digital age, we see more and more uses of signage design online and on our screens. However, there are still plenty of opportunities (and demand) for physical posters and signmaking. When this is needed, you will have a general idea of what the client wants in terms of size, but how big should your design actually be? What spacing and design guidelines should you adhere to? Signelements are here to help you drill down on the 4 main poster sizes you’ll need to work with.
1 – 24” x 36” (Largest Size)
The largest print form on this list is also known as ‘Super A1’ (or Architectural D). This format is often used for signage at festivals or concerts, in store windows to aid promotions and expressive home décor. You are more likely to see this format sed in a professional capacity however, with retail and commercial opportunities being the most likely to employ this sizing. What to work towards here is a large centralized graphic with surrounding peripheral text to support the message (although realistically, there is more than enough canvas space here to support any creative concept you can think of).
2 – 18” x 24” (Medium Size)
While we class this as ‘medium’ size (or Architectural C), this is not quite the size of a standard poster. This sizing is also often us3ed for promotional reasons where space may be limited, but the message still needs to be large enough to catch potential consumers eyes. In this case, it is important to focus on text size as it still needs to be large enough to be legible. Places this might be found included bulletin boards, offices or university residence floors.
3 – 11” x 17” (Smaller Size)
This size can also be known as tabloid or ledger. This is considered the smallest standard poster size, and can be found used for infographics or safety notices. As the sizing of posters gets smaller, the text used should be larger (as a rule of thumb) so that the message can be seen in a clear and legible format.
4 – 8.5” x 11” (Letter Size)
This is just standard A4 paper size. Main usages of A4 can be notices, bulletin board sheets, informational handouts and more. As such this sizing can be found in a wide range of locations, from domestic to professional environments. If using this sizing, be aware of the size of your text in relation to the graphics, as the message will need to be eye-catching but also large enough to get the message across in a clear and concise manner.
Whenever you are designing a poster or any form of signage, we always recommend using vector graphics over images due to scalability. Having a vector image that can scale to any resolution without any loss of quality is an invaluable tool when trying to retain a crisp, clean feel to the message you are trying to convey. For a collection for some of the best poster/signmaking graphics in the industry, see Signelements’ featured vector gallery collection.
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