A poster rarely works alone. The ticket, the social graphics, the banner at the door and the programme should all be recognised as one event at a glance. We design the set from one brief, so you book it once and every piece agrees.
Poster design
Read from across the room.
Poster design is a test of restraint: one headline, one image and the essential details, readable in passing. We design posters for events and businesses.
What works
What makes a poster work?
Distance. A poster is read by someone three or four metres away who did not stop to read it, so the headline has to do the whole job in a glance, and the rest is there for the few who step closer. We decide the one thing it must say, set that in type you can read across a room, and keep the details to what someone needs to act: date, place, price and a web address or QR code.
Gigs, exhibitions, open days, sales, safety notices and public campaigns all follow the same rule. The difference is tone, and that comes from your brand.
Sizes
Which poster size do you need?
The A-series is standard in the UK and South Africa, and US printers work in inches. Each A size is double the one before and shares its proportions, so one design scales up without recropping. US sizes differ, so those versions are adjusted rather than stretched.
| Size | Dimensions | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| A3 | 297 × 420 mm | Noticeboards, shop windows and staff rooms |
| A2 | 420 × 594 mm | Walls, easels and A-boards |
| A1 | 594 × 841 mm | Exhibition stands, foyers and hoardings |
| A0 | 841 × 1189 mm | Large walls and conference poster sessions |
| 11 × 17 in (tabloid) | 279 × 432 mm | The US noticeboard size, close to A3 |
| 18 × 24 in | 457 × 610 mm | US shop windows and event boards |
| 24 × 36 in | 610 × 914 mm | US walls and foyers |
Conference and research posters are often A0 or 36 × 48 in. Ask the organiser, because every venue sets its own limit.
Included
What comes with a poster design?
- Type sized for distanceHeadline, second line and details set at sizes that read from where the poster will be seen.
- Print-ready PDFCMYK, 3 mm bleed (0.125 in for US printers), fonts embedded, at the size you order.
- A scaled version for large formatA0 and bigger supplied at a reduced scale when the printer asks, with everything vector where possible.
- Digital versionsA screen-sized JPEG or PNG for social media, your website and WhatsApp, and a 16:9 version for digital screens.
- An editable source fileNext month’s date becomes a change of words, not a new design.
Kinds
Event and business poster design
Events
Gigs, shows and open days
The act or the reason to come first, the date and venue second, tickets third. Our site for Roar Entertainment shows how bill-style type sells a show.
Business
Shops, sales and launches
The offer first, your brand throughout, and a QR code to the product or booking page.
Campaigns
Charities, schools and public bodies
One message and one image repeated across sizes, so the poster, the roller banner (pull-up banner in South Africa) and the flyer read as one campaign.
Notices
Safety, health and workplace
A clear hierarchy and plain words, printed on durable stock or laminated for site conditions.
Print & design
Related services
Questions
Questions about poster design
Question not here? Send it to us and we will answer it directly.
Ask a questionHow do we start a poster with you?
Email hello@redfoxbranding.com or use the project form with the event or offer, the date it must be up, the sizes you plan to print and any photos or logos you have. We reply with a fixed quote covering every size and the digital versions. If you need the poster, flyer and social posts as a set, say so and we quote them together.
What resolution do photos need for a poster?
At A3 or 11 × 17 in, 300 pixels per inch at print size, so a full-bleed photo needs to be around 3,500 by 5,000 pixels. Larger posters are viewed from further away, so A1 and A0 print well from 150 ppi, though a phone photo that looked fine on a flyer may still fall short. Send the originals, not screenshots, and we tell you what will hold up.
What paper should a poster be printed on?
Indoors, 170 gsm silk is the usual choice, and 200 gsm or more gives a poster that hangs flat. For windows, ask the printer for a reverse-printed or window-cling version. Outdoors, printers use waterproof synthetic papers or print straight onto board or vinyl, which is signage work; our signage design page covers that.
How is poster design priced?
By the number of designs and sizes. One poster in one size is the quickest job; versions for several events, a run of dates or a second language add a little time, and each is listed in the quote. If you post regularly, ask about a template your team can update, so a new date does not mean a new design.
Promoting an event?
Get a quote for poster design
Tell us what the poster is for and the sizes you plan to print, and send any photos, logos and the date it must be ready. We reply with a fixed quote in pounds, rand or dollars that covers every size. Your poster design starts when you approve it.