Whether you’re designing a large-scale poster, creating in-store signage for a new product or need to let customers know that your business is open, you’ll probably need large format printing. But how does this process work and how can you make sure your print looks great? In this article, we’ll explore the basics of wide and small format digital printing and how they differ from traditional printing methods.
Digital printing, also referred to as wide-format, uses large printers that spray microscopic ink droplets onto your chosen material to create quality prints. This type of printing is quick, efficient and cost effective, making it ideal for smaller runs of prints like flyers and brochures. In addition to offering full colour digital printing, Snap Centres in Adelaide also offer offset printing, a more traditional method that requires the creation of plates for each colour, which adds to the upfront costs and lead time.
When it comes to large format printing, you’ll need to take into account the size of your substrate as well as the detail in your image. In general, larger print sizes require larger margins to ensure that your finished piece looks crisp and clean. For example, a standard margin of 1/4 inch will look cramped when printed on a 36” x 48” sheet and should be increased to around 1.5-2 inches.
For the best results, we recommend that you use vector images, which are created using mathematical calculations to form lines and shapes from one point to another. Unlike raster images, which are pixels that recalculate to accommodate each zoom, vector images scale limitlessly.