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I need to print a banner with the size of 3x1m. Does that mean I should design the banner in Inkscape (my prefered vector software) with the canvas size of 3m x 1m also? Or could I design in smaller ratio like 30cm x 10cm?

Actually, I have designed it with the canvas size of 3m x 1m. In order to print it in 3m x 1m, so when I export my design to PNG, should I enter the banner size of 10630px x 3543px?

Thanks.

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  • PNG? Why PNG ?? You meant PDF right?
    – Vinny
    Feb 16, 2017 at 14:09
  • @Vinny Sorry, I have never printed a banner before. This is the first time. So I must have PDF while printing? Thanks for letting me know. Feb 16, 2017 at 14:19

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PNG is mostly intended for web and small images, icons, etc, while PDF is generally the standard for printing. Also, forget about pixels when doing print work. Read this for a detailed explanation of how formats work.

This should be discussed with the company going to produce the actual banners, since each printer has different ways of looking at this, depending on their machines, workflow, etc. While most printers will probably prefer to print PDF's, some could require a JPG or TIF or EPS format.

When exporting a PDF for print, make sure you include crop and bleed marks, also something you need to discuss with the printing company.

About the actual size, you should be fine if you already have the canvas set to 3x1 meters, or half-size at 1.5x0.5 meters should also be fine. If the artwork is 100% vectors it should be easy to adjust this later in the process.

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  • The canvas size of 30cm x 10cm is also okay? Feb 16, 2017 at 14:52
  • That's 10 times smaller, so not sure. It could work with a few quick adjustments. Show the PDF to your printer and they will be able to confirm this. If you already have a 3x1 canvas, use it.
    – Lucian
    Feb 16, 2017 at 14:55
  • Okay thanks. By the way, I am designing using Inkscape, which all vectors. Feb 16, 2017 at 14:56
  • Wait. "If the artwork is 100% vectors it should be easy to adjust this later in the process.". Does that mean I can export to different sizes? Feb 16, 2017 at 14:58
  • Yes, because vectors can easily be scaled up (from a smaller size to a larger size) without quality loss.
    – Lucian
    Feb 16, 2017 at 14:58

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