A custom poster needs to be the right size to catch people’s attention. If it’s too small, people won’t notice it. If it’s too large, it will look awkward and out of place. You need to design your own poster with the dimensions in mind. Standard poster sizes will vary depending on the intended purpose and location. A locker or bedroom poster, for example, doesn’t need to be as large as a promotional retail poster. When you’re brainstorming poster ideas, you need to coordinate the design, message, location, and dimensions. Use our poster size guide to make a poster that fits the venue and conveys your artistic vision.
Designing Posters for Personal or Professional Use
The size of your custom posters will depend on where they are displayed and what their intended purpose is. A store poster, which might feature product photos, promotion details, or branded imagery, will likely be large and visible from afar. After all, it needs to capture the shopper’s attention in a crowded store. An informative poster will need to be large enough to capture all the info and display it in a balanced layout. Classroom posters need to fit your available wall space and be readable from around the room. Movie posters for film festivals, dorm decor, or promotional purposes need to fit in the theater display boxes. Political posters should be large and clearly convey your name and call to action. Event poster sizes for open houses, conferences, trade shows, and street fairs will depend on the type of event and venue.
How to Select a Poster Size
11×17 Posters
Small but impactful, an 11” x 17” poster is great for people with limited wall space for their promotional display. The small poster size still offers plenty of space for your design, and you can create a vertical or horizontal layout. You can hang them around town, like on notice boards in community centers or at local shops. Small businesses can use this size to share specific information about products, sales, and any other information in a compact space. These tabloid-sized posters can list services for hair salons, nail salons, landscapers, and handymen. It’s also a great size for giveaway posters that authors, filmmakers, artists, musicians, and brands can give out to fans. This is also an affordable marketing print, since the size and bulk quantity help you save money on marketing signs.
16×20 Posters
This average poster size is incredibly versatile. It’s large enough to capture people’s attention, but not too big for the space. You can set it up at events, like concerts, conferences, trade shows, and festivals. You can use the poster to share detailed information, like auto services, car wash options, and health information. A 16” x 20” poster is also the smallest classroom poster size, since it is large enough for students to see from their seats.
18×24 Posters
An 18×24 poster is an ideal medium-sized print. It’s large enough to catch the eye and provides plenty of space for a detailed design. These posters are best viewed from a few feet away, making them great for retail posters, cafes, lobbies, and other businesses. This is also the classic concert poster size, so bands can sell music merch to their fans. GotPrint’s 18×24 poster printing lets you order between one and 10,000 posters. It’s a cost-efficient poster size, as it’s large and eye-catching without being too expensive.
22×28 Posters
As a slightly larger poster, a 22×28 poster is a popular poster size that has many of the same benefits as an 18” x 24” poster. There are two different layout approaches you can take: text-heavy or design-centered. There’s plenty of room for text printed in a font size that people can read; just make sure your layout doesn’t overwhelm readers. Alternatively, you can have one bold, eye-catching design that instantly captures people’s attention. Display these customized posters in a high-traffic area at or above eye level to make the biggest impact.
24×36 Posters
The most popular poster size is 24” x 36”. Large and attention-grabbing, a 24×36 poster is a high-impact layout for large-scale displays. The size is fit for a variety of scenarios. Retail window displays, large educational posters, and trade show displays can all be printed on 24” x 36” posters. The size makes it easy to see the poster content from several feet away. Print maps, schedules, company branding, or any other detailed info on the poster. The size makes it easy to remember your brand. For personal use, these dimensions make great wall decor for living room galleries. The statement wall art provides a visual focal point for a room.
27×40 Posters
A 27×40 poster is the most popular movie theater poster size. These dimensions ensure the promotional poster, sometimes called a one sheet, can fit inside theater lobbies and poster display cases. 27×40 movie posters are printed vertically to best display the film information.
40×60 Posters
As our largest poster size, 40 x 60 posters are striking signs that people won’t be able to miss. Large custom posters are ideally located in high-traffic venues. They are typically meant to be viewed from a distance, so you might choose to display them above eye level. Order large posters for a storefront display, school event, large wall art, or photo backdrop. If you’re wondering where to print large posters, look no further. GotPrint’s premium print quality ensures that your large poster looks professional and high-definition.
Square Posters
Custom square posters offer a fun spin on the traditional poster dimensions. As a more unique sign option, custom square posters are best used for art posters, graphic design displays, and simple text. This is also a great option for adding size and shape diversity within your gallery wall. Since so many prints and signs are rectangular, a square adds a distinct pop. GotPrint offers square posters in 12” x 12” and 30” x 30”.
Bulk Poster Printing vs Large Format Poster Printing
Print bulk posters for large-scale marketing campaigns. This helps reduce costs, as a larger order volume reduces the cost per poster. Printing large quantities is the best option for people who are printing posters to sell online or at craft fairs. This option also allows you to print double sided posters. Bulk order between 100 and 10,000 posters.
Sometimes, all you need is one poster. If you’re just looking for the perfect piece of home decor, a well-placed marketing poster, or a small-scale promotional campaign, this poster maker simplifies the process. There is no order minimum quantity, and you can order as many as 150 posters. Single quantity poster orders also offer a wider variety of sizes. However, you can only order single sided posters.
Materials for Poster Paper
For GotPrint’s Large Format Posters, we offer two different paper stocks: matte and glossy. The 9 mil Photobase Matte paper is photo-grade, meaning it is crafted to best display images. This material results in a matte poster with no glare. It’s great for prints with a lot of information for people to read. 9 mil Photobase Glossy is also photo-grade, but this one has a shiny finish. The glossy poster paper is best for artistic designs with vibrant colors.
Bulk Poster printing is available in different poster paper stocks. The thickest poster paper, 100 lb. Gloss Book, has a smooth surface with a shiny finish. This material is sturdy and resists damage, which makes it ideal for short-term outdoor displays. Similarly, 80 lb. Gloss Book is slightly thinner, but the glossy finish is still compatible with bright colors. 80 lb. Matte Text is a crisp white paper used for matte posters.
How to Hang Posters
Your poster hanging method will depend on the location and purpose. Some people use clear tape to attach posters to telephone poles and other public spots. Painter’s tape will keep your poster up, but you can also use patterned washi tape for a cuter display. You can use tacks to stick posters to bulletin boards in public spaces. Adhesive putty, sometimes called poster putty, is the easiest way to hang a poster on a clean, flat surface. However, the best way to hang a poster is inside a frame, especially if your poster is part of a gallery wall or being used as high-end decor. This protects the paper and your design for long-term use.
Poster Purposes
As a versatile marketing tool, posters have a wide variety of uses. Ad posters and marketing posters can promote products, events, and services. These designs should be simple and direct, include a clear call to action, and appeal to your desired demographic. Display them in relevant areas. Political campaign posters spread the word about a candidate or a relevant issue. Classroom posters can explain relevant educational concepts and serve as motivational posters to encourage your students. Custom movie posters are another classic use of the material. Print movie posters for film festivals, theater lobby displays, and advertising campaigns.
For personal use, many people use posters as personalized room decor. This allows you to create artwork that no one else has. You can hang posters for room decor to make the space truly your own. You can mix and match poster sizes on wall displays to create a truly unique gallery wall. Learn more about finding copyright-free artwork for personal posters.
Poster Templates
GotPrint can help you find the right free poster design template for both Large Format Posters and Bulk Posters. This simplifies the design process, as the graphics will look great on the print. The customization process is simple. You can upload your own photos and design elements, and you can fully customize the text boxes.
Business Posters
Promote your brand with simple, professional business poster designs. These templates allow you to add your company logo, name, and important details to the layout. Make sure to add a call to action: apply to join the company, visit the website, attend an event, or anything else that will benefit your brand.
Political Posters
Running for office? Create custom campaign posters to encourage people to vote for you. Add your professional headshot and campaign slogan to the layout. There should also be a call to action: voting for you, following your socials, or supporting a cause that’s crucial to your platform. You can even use vote posters to encourage voter turnout.
Classroom Posters
Inspirational classroom posters are a great way to decorate your room with appropriate signage. Use personalized posters to share your classroom rules. You can also print educational posters for classroom decor, like alphabet posters for classroom signage and math posters for classroom signage.
School Posters
Promote school events, like a back-to-school bash, talent show, science fair, book fair, or parent-teacher conferences. Include the event location, date, time, and RSVP info. There are many other academic posters you can make as well. Plus, you can make posters for your sports teams and clubs. Here’s how you can design senior posters for your favorite graduate.
Where to Get Custom Posters
GotPrint is the best poster printer available. We use premium poster materials, including multiple poster paper stock options. Long-lasting UV inks beautifully showcase your design, and our detailed printing process results in clear prints, clean lines, and rich colors. Whether you’re printing marketing materials, informative information, artwork, or photographs, the image definition and color brilliance will impress everyone who sees them.