Scaling artwork for large print
A huge print does not have to be designed at full size. Building it at a fixed scale is normal practice, provided everything in the file scales with it.
Why work at scale?
A full-size file for a six-metre banner can be slow to open, heavy to send and over the page limit of some software. Building it at a simple ratio keeps your computer happy and gives the same result, as long as we know the scale and you have allowed for it in the image resolution.
Worked example: a 6000mm x 3000mm banner.
Say you have decided that 50ppi at final size is enough for its viewing distance. Each ratio then needs the following.
| Scale | Document size | Image ppi in the document | 10mm of bleed becomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:1 | 6000mm x 3000mm | 50ppi | 10mm |
| 1:2 | 3000mm x 1500mm | 100ppi | 5mm |
| 1:4 | 1500mm x 750mm | 200ppi | 2.5mm |
| 1:10 | 600mm x 300mm | 500ppi | 1mm |
The pixel count of the image does not change. Only the way it is described does. Whichever scale you use, the image needs to be about 11,800 pixels wide, because 6000mm is about 236 inches and 236 at 50ppi comes to that figure. Not sure which ppi suits your job? See viewing distance and print quality.
What needs to scale with it.
- Strokes and effects. In Illustrator, turn on Scale Strokes and Effects before you resize, or a thin line will end up far too heavy or too fine.
- Shadows and blurs. Soft effects are often rasterised at a fixed resolution, so a shadow can break up into blocks when enlarged. Test them at 100%.
- Bleed. It has to follow the same ratio, as our guide on setting up bleed explains.
- Small text. Size your text in terms of the finished piece, so an 80mm letter is 8mm in a 1:10 file.
When the shape changes.
Scaling is simple if the proportions stay the same. A-sizes all share one shape, so A4 scales up to A0 at 400% with no cropping, because each step up multiplies the sides by about 1.41. A 16:9 slide, however, will not fill a 3:2 print, and neither will an A4 layout fit a banner that is three times wider than it is tall.
In those cases, do not stretch it. Pulling artwork out of shape makes logos fat and faces wide, and people notice at once. Rearrange the elements instead, or extend the background. Our design team can adapt a layout to a new shape.
An A4 layout is not a poster
A leaflet enlarged by 400% is a giant leaflet. Its small print is suddenly huge and its images have lost detail. Decide what the larger piece has to do, then rebuild it for that job.
Tell us the scale
Put it in the file name and in your notes, for example "banner_1to10_6000x3000mm". We would much sooner read it than guess.
Artwork at building scale.
Your questions.
Which scale should I use?
Use a simple one such as 1:2, 1:4 or 1:10, so that nobody needs a calculator. Pick the largest that your computer will handle comfortably.
Can you enlarge a vector logo to any size?
Yes. Vector shapes stay sharp at any scale. It is the photos placed in your layout that set the limit.
Can I send a low-resolution version for approval?
Yes, a small preview is useful for checking layout, but label it clearly so that it never gets printed by mistake.