How to Make a Banner

Do you need a quick and easy way to promote your newest product? Or maybe your birthday party is coming up and you’re looking for a creative decoration? Create your own custom banners. It isn’t very hard to do. However, it isn’t the same as creating small print products like flyers and posters. There are many things you need to keep in mind in banner printing.

Here is an easy step-by-step guide on how to create a printable banner:

1.Choose what kind of banner you want

Before you start creating a banner, think about what you’re using it for and where you’re going to install it. There are several kinds of banners you can choose from.

If you’re looking for a simple party decoration, get a custom size banner. Use roller banners or X-banners to display information about your business and its products and services in trade exhibitions or in your shop. For more information about the different types of banners and how to use them, check out our article. 

Consider the purpose and the location for your banner. It can help indicate what banner you need.

2. Set-up your banner file

Once you have selected a type of banner, you can now set-up the design document. The set-up for a ready-to-print banner is not the same for a flyer or poster.

In banner printing, you need to input the exact dimensions of how large you want your banner to be. The file resolution also needs to be lower. Printable banners’ resolution should be around 72 dpi to 150 dpi, depending on the distance between the banner and the viewer. Since you are looking at this print product from afar, it does not need to be very sharp and clear like posters and booklets.

Don’t forget to place a bleed around the perimeter of your artwork. This will ensure that your banner doesn’t have thin white lines at the edge, if the paper moves in the cutting machine.

You can also use product templates that are already optimized for banner printing. You can get them from your online printer’s website. If you do not have a design program available, you can use free tools like Canva to create your banner.

3. Create your design

Once you’ve set-up your file, it’s time to start customising the banner to your preference.

Use graphics, photos, and fonts that  can be easily read from a distance. Using low-quality photos and graphics will not only look cheap and unprofessional, but it will also be ignored, if people cannot understand what they’re seeing and reading.

Make sure that important details such as the time, date, location, and prices are as legible as possible. You want people to understand your banner the second they see it.

Create a large margin of around 50mm in your design file especially if you plan to put rings or tunnels in your banner. Do not place important details beyond that margin. There’s a large chance that it will be cut off when the rings of the banner are placed.

After these rules for banner printing are put in place, you can be creative as you want. Feel free to experiment with the layout or edit your banner template as much as you want.

When you are done finalising your design, save your work in the preferred format of your printer for large format printing. The most common formats are PSD, PDF, and JPG.

4. Choose your printing preferences

Decide how you want your banner to be printed. Express your preferences to the employees of your local printer or indicate them in your online printing service’s step-by-step order form.

First, indicate the dimensions of your printable banner. Make sure the dimensions are the same as your design file.

Next, choose what banner material you want to use. The material will depend on how and where you intend to use your banner. Most banner materials can be used both indoors and outdoors. If you want a banner that can deal with the wind more easily, use a wind-proof banner. If it’s just for a birthday celebration, consider getting a budget PVC banner.

5. Choose the finishes for your banner

In this step, decide on what finishes to put on your banner. There are plenty of options to choose from. You can choose to have trimmed edges, rings, or tunnels on the opposite sides. Elastic bands for suspension can also be included as well.

6. Complete your order

To finalise your order, choose how many banners of that design you want to have printed. Then pick your turnaround time, pay for your order, and submit your artwork.

Getting a fun party banner or outdoor advertisement is as easy as pie. Surprise your party guests with a cool banner or bring in customers into your store with an amazing product banner.