Quick answer: supply large format images at 120 DPI at final print size. Displays viewed up close can go to 150 DPI, and hoarding viewed from 10 metres or more can drop to 50 to 72 DPI. Build in CMYK, outline fonts and flatten gradients before you export.
Large format printing has its own artwork rules. Files prepared for offset, small-format or screen printing often don't translate cleanly to wide-format output, and the result is delays, reprints and disappointing colour. Most of it comes down to five preventable mistakes, plus one question people rarely ask: what resolution does this print actually need at the distance it will be viewed from? This guide covers both, from a trade printer that produces large format work for sign shops, resellers and agencies across Australia every day.
Mediapoint is a trade-only wide-format printer in Derrimut, Melbourne. Since 2006 we've printed banners, signs, labels and display graphics for sign shops, print resellers and agencies Australia-wide — white-labelled and blind-shipped, so your clients only ever see your brand.
1. Supplying RGB instead of CMYK
RGB is built for screens; printers use CMYK inks. The two don't translate cleanly, and deep blues, vibrant greens and bright oranges shift the most. Set artwork up in CMYK from the start rather than converting at export, where colour intensity is lost.
For colour-critical work such as brand colours or repeat jobs that must match, specify Pantone C references. They give the printer a fixed target, so the colour stays consistent from run to run. See colour matching for your customers' jobs.
2. Leaving fonts as live text
If the printer doesn't have your exact font, design software substitutes it automatically, and you often won't notice until the job is printed. Convert all text to outlines before exporting the PDF. It locks the type in place and is the single most effective way to make sure artwork prints exactly as supplied.
Trade printers keep prices sharp and turnaround fast by printing files as supplied rather than fixing artwork, so print-ready files matter.
3. Using raster images where vectors would work
Vectors are built from shapes rather than pixels, so they stay sharp at any size. Logos, text, icons and shapes should always be vectors. Raster images have a fixed pixel count and pixelate when scaled past it, which matters when artwork is several metres wide. Use rasters for photographs, at the resolutions below.
4. Forgetting to flatten gradients
The RIP (the software that turns your file into printer instructions) can interpret live gradients differently from your screen, causing banding or colour shifts. Flatten gradients before export so there's nothing left to interpret. It takes seconds in Illustrator or InDesign.
5. Not checking artwork at 100%
View the PDF at 100% before sending. That's the size it will print, and pixelation that's invisible at 25% becomes obvious. If the file is built at reduced scale, as big banners often are, scale your zoom to match: a file built at 10% should be checked at 1000%.
What resolution do you need? DPI by viewing distance
Our standard for large format raster images is 120 DPI at final print size. That's right for most banners, signs and displays. Large format is viewed from a distance, and the eye can't resolve fine detail from a few metres back, so resolution can scale with viewing distance:
| Typical viewing distance | Examples | Guide resolution at final size |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 metre | Pull-up banners, point-of-sale, counter displays, standees | 120–150 DPI |
| 1–3 metres | Corflute® signs, shopfront and wall graphics, event banners | 100–120 DPI |
| 3–10 metres | Fence mesh banners, PVC building banners | 72–100 DPI |
| 10 metres or more | Construction hoarding, large building wraps viewed from the road | 50–72 DPI |
These are guides, not hard limits. Going higher than you need just makes files bigger and slower to process, without a visible improvement. Going lower risks visible pixelation. If in doubt, use 120 DPI.
Worked example: a 3-metre banner built at 10% scale should be set up at 1200 DPI, so it lands at 120 DPI when scaled to full size.
Pre-send checklist
- Built in CMYK, with Pantone C for critical colours
- All text outlined
- Logos and shapes as vectors
- Gradients flattened
- Checked at 100% (or scaled to match a reduced-size file)
- Raster images at the right resolution for the viewing distance
- Bleed included (see bleed and crop marks)
Frequently asked questions
What DPI should large format printing be?
120 DPI at final size is the standard. Displays viewed up close can go to 150 DPI; hoarding viewed from 10 metres or more can drop to 50–72 DPI.
Should large format artwork be CMYK or RGB?
CMYK, from the start of the design.
Do fonts need to be outlined?
Yes. It prevents font substitution and is the most effective way to avoid delays.
Vector or raster for large format?
Vectors for logos, text and shapes; rasters only for photographs, at the right resolution.
Why do gradients sometimes print badly?
RIP software can interpret live gradients differently. Flattening them before export avoids it.
Get large format jobs right first time
Fixing these five things removes most of the artwork issues that delay large format jobs. For more, see common print file mistakes and in-house vs trade printing. Mediapoint is a trade-only large format printer for sign shops, resellers and agencies. Register for a trade account to see live pricing and production dates.
