Poster Printing

Seymour Library has a nice article on content and design here:  https://knox.libguides.com/how-to-create-a-poster

General Poster Printing Guidelines for Faculty, Staff, and Students

• NOTE:  We do NOT print political posters.  Printing such posters jeopardizes the college's not-for-profit status. The only exception is for students/student organizations, and they must be billed for the printing.
• We do NOT print posters for personal use.
• We do not cut posters to size to fit a frame, etc.  This is the responsibility of the end-user.  
• All print jobs should be submitted to the Help Desk at least 12 hours before pickup.  This allows for the discovery of printing issues and correction of same.
• Posters under 12 x 18 should be printed via Xerox printers  (7500 series, 7800 series, Color Cube, and WAC Graphics printer.  You may need to use the bypass feeder.
• The standard poster size is 24" x 36"
• Various widths of paper are available:  11", 18" 36" and 42".  We may print posters up to 120" in length.  Photo grade paper is available in a 36" width.
• Posters printed for student coursework does not carry a printing fee. 
• ITS will charge $8 per linear foot for non-course work posters. An account number is required before the poster can be printed (ask Campus Life if you're not sure). Account numbers should look as such: XX-XXXX-XXX-YXXXX
  
• In the interests of saving ink please do not design posters with predominantly solid or dark backgrounds.
• We print posters in the following files formats:  pub, pubx, or .pdf file.  Other formats will be rejected.

PROOFREAD!!

Applications to use to create your poster

Apps include:

1. Microsoft Publisher (recommended) - with the file saved as .pub, .pubx or .pdf file.
2. Microsoft PowerPoint with the file saved as a .pptx or .pdf file.
3. Adobe Creative Cloud Apps with the file saved as .pdf file.
4. You may use other applications of your choice provided you save the document as a .pdf file.

Paper Size

1. Be sure to set the paper size BEFORE creating your poster - Posters sized at 8.5 x 11 will NOT scale up appropriately for printing. 

2. We will NOT print incorrectly sized posters.
3. Most class posters are 36” x 24” and set to Landscape orientation. Other common sizes are 36" x 36", 36" x 42" and 36" x 48".
4. Maximum limiting dimension in one direction is 42”.
5. ½” margins are recommended (though there is a default white margin around all posters printed, about 1/8").

Naming the File

Name your file as a combination of the  class name, your username and size   e.g.  Bio210-rmdavis-24x36

This allows the Help Desk to track the printing of your poster.

Background Color

• Do NOT use a solid or dark color for your background. This "wets' the paper and causes wrinkles in the poster. This also uses significant amounts of very expensive ink.
• Use dark colors with borders, text, etc. for contrast.  
• A color gradient is a good option for backgrounds.

Items you may include on your Poster

• Text (a 30 point minimum is suggested), Bullets, Images, Graphs, Charts, Clipart, Autoshapes - Don’t include too much text in blocks. Set the poster up much like an outline for your actual poster presentation.
• Images
• Imported images - photos, graphs, etc. may pixelate significantly when "blown up" for a poster. Use as high resolution images as possible.

Submitting your Poster for Printing

• Allow sufficient time for printing.  Typically we request 12 hours. When entire classes or multiple classes are printing - typically at the end of the term - we simply need more time so please allow 24 hours. We print in the order received.  
• Make sure your poster is set up correctly - orientation and size
  

• Submit your poster using this form:  ITS Poster Printing Request 

• Optionally, you may bring the poster to the Help Desk (SMC E005) on a flash drive.

• You will receive a confirmation email when your poster is ready to be picked up.

• Posters will be at the help desk in SMC E005.

Naming and Dating the Printed Poster

• Wrap the printed poster in plastic covering.
• Write the name of the person who submitted the print job in addition to date printed on the plastic covering.