Poster Printing

Graduate Poster Printing Information

There are many different things that go into creating a good presentation poster, both graphical and technical aspects that will drastically change the way your poster is printed. Although each person faces different issues when creating and printing a poster, several things can come up on a regular basis. Please use the information and instructions listed below when creating your poster.

Use of Images from the Internet
1. Be very careful about copying and pasting images and graphics from the internet into your poster. Most images that are available on the internet have resolutions of 72 dpi, which is far below the recommended 150 dpi for printing.
2. IF you download images from the web, be aware that enlarging them on your poster will create a printed image that is quite blurry and pixilated.
What program do I use to create my poster?
1. There are many computer programs available at Penn State that are capable of creating a large poster. Which one you choose depends largely on your level of computer experience.
2. From an ease of use standpoint, Microsoft PowerPoint is the best program to use.
3. From a quality standpoint, either Adobe Photoshop or Adobe InDesign is the best program to use.
4. Other programs like Microsoft Publisher, Adobe Illustrator, and Quark may be used, however due to issues with print and color quality as well as ease of use, they are not recommended.
How big should my poster be?
1. The maximum size that can be printed on the color plotters in the SALA building is 36 inches by 48 inches.
2. This paper size is also listed as "Arch E" on some printers.
3. If you have the option of setting the resolution (dpi) of your poster, it is recommended that you specify at least 150 dpi.
What type of file do I need to turn in to be printed?
1. The preferred file type is an Adobe PDF file. This is the easiest to print from and is the safest and most efficient way to transfer your poster onto our printing system.
2. An image file is also acceptable, although not recommended. The best file type to use is a JPEG.
3. In addition to the original JPEG or PDF file, please make sure you include the original PowerPoint file on the CD.

Creating a poster in Microsoft PowerPoint

Open PowerPoint
Select "File" and then "Page Setup"
1. Specify a page width and height as 36 inches wide and 48 inches high
Create the background of your poster. Solid dark colors are not recommended due to the fact that the color that is shown on the screen is never EXACTLY what is printed.
Continue to lay out your poster by inserting text and images, being careful not to enlarge low resolution web images too much.
When your poster is complete, it is time to create the PDF file from which the poster will be printed.
1. Take your file to a PC that has Adobe Acrobat Professional installed on it:
  1. Select "File" and then "Print"
  2. Choose "Adobe PDF" as your printer.
  3. Click on "Properties." This should open a window with the "Adobe PDF Document Properties."
  4. Choose "Arch E" from the options under "Adobe PDF Page Size."
  5. Change the default settings under "Adobe PDF Conversion Settings" to "High Quality."
  6. Click "OK" to close the PDF properties window.
  7. Click "OK" in the Print window to create the PDF file.
  8. You will be asked to provide a file name and location for the PDF file.
  9. After the PDF file has been created, it should open automatically in Adobe Acrobat Professional. Zoom in on the PDF file to at least 200% and look at your images. If they appear highly blurry or pixilated, then the images that you used in PowerPoint were either low resolution, or they were enlarged too much. You will need to replace the images and create a new PDF file.
  10. Once the PDF file has been created, burn both the PDF file and the original PowerPoint file to a CD.
  11. Check the CD to be sure that the files were burned correctly.