Large Format Printing
IU East students, faculty, staff, or departments may print posters, banners and other wide-format publications with the Epson 9800 Color Plotter (up to 44" wide with max. resolution 2880 x 1440 dpi). The plotter is located in the IUE Library behind the reference desk.
The cost per poster is calculated based on the length (linear foot). The poster is always 44" (3.75 ft) wide. The maximum length per poster is 8 ft. For 2007-2008, the fee is:
| Resolution | Price per linear ft (3.5 sq ft) with paper | Avg. price per sq. ft. with matte paper |
|---|---|---|
| Low (Line Drawing) | $4 (matte)/$6 (glossy) | $1.14 |
| Normal (Block letters or graphics, but plenty of white space) | $5 (matte)/$7 (glossy) | $1.43 |
| High (60% or more ink coverage) | $6 (matte)/$8 (glossy) | $1.71 |
You have the choice of matte or glossy paper. Special arrangement must be made if you want to use your own paper (the fee structure will be adjusted based on the material).
Bring your finished work in electronic format to the Library. You may borrow a USB flash drive from the Library. Note that you must show up in person to use the plotter. The Library staff will not take your order over the phone or email.
For page layout, we support Adobe Pagemaker. We can accept Adobe Acrobat PDF documents if they are created with the correct specifications for color separation and high-resolution imagesetting. For single page documents, we also support Adobe Illustrator, Microsoft Publisher and Microsoft PowerPoint. For image editors, we support Adobe Photoshop.
Before printing, a fee estimate will be provided. For students, staff or faculty, the fee must be paid at the Bursar's office. The completed prints will be held until the student returns with a receipt from the Bursar. Payment is accepted in the form of cash, check, or credit card. The Office hours for IUE Bursar's Office are Monday-Thursday 8am-7pm and Friday 8am-5pm. For IU East departments, payment can be billed to your department.
Tips for Preparing Posters and Banners
When preparing a poster or banner, be sure to design it at the size you want to print it. If you design an 8.5" x 11" document, it will not look as good at 22" x 30".
Presentation Poster with PowerPoint
Most conferences have a 4'X8' area for display.
PowerPoint is a popular choice for posters. However, PowerPoint has a maximum page size of 56” (width or height). Therefore, if you are trying to create larger posters (bigger than the max. page size), you may want to consider Microsoft Publisher instead.
Set the page size (select “Page Setup” under “File”) before adding any data, images, or text.
Avoid the use of special fonts, if possible. A minimum font size of 24 points is recommended for general text. 18-point is fine for references and acknowledgements.
Microsoft Publisher for Posters and Banners
Microsoft Publisher 2003 is a program that is best supported by our printer for designing posters. It has a set of poster and banner templates. However, you may also create your own. To create your own, create a new publication (select “New” under “File”). Under the “File” menu, select “Page Setup”. Under “Publication Type”, select “Custom”. Set the page size before adding any data, images, or text. One of the two dimensions can not exceed 44" as that is the width of the paper.
Note that in Publisher 2003 when you preview a large banner or a poster sized publication by using the Print Preview feature on your computer, graphics on the page may appear to be cutoff and cropped. Additionally, the page may appear as a single 8.5 inch by 11 inch sheet in the preview. This does not affect the way that the publication prints from the large format printer. The publication will print as expected.
Send your comments and questions to Matt Dilworth.
Disclaimer
The library expects that users will have taken the appropriate steps to obtain copyright permissions for using images and materials that they have not designed themselves. Title 17 of the U.S. Code governs the use of copyrighted materials. The patron assumes liability for any infringement.
