5 Rules for Effective Billboard Design
1- Use simple Bold/Thick Fonts
2- Use contrasting background colors
3- Around 7-10 words are best
4- Use phrases that help your customers find you Online
5 – One form of contact information (you don’t need a website, a phone number, and email address)
ARTWORK SPECIFICATIONS FOR PRINTING/REPRODUCTION
Send your layout in a JPEG or PDF file format – CMYK.
With Corel, Illustrator, Freehand, or any vector layout—always convert all text to curves or outlines.
Use a thin black outline if your layout background is basically white.
No need to include a bleed on any part of your layout.
Scaling Guidelines for Artwork Specifications
A good rule to follow when starting with the correct scale for your design would be the following: Anything 14’ or larger should be built at a 1/2” = 1’ scale.
Sizes 13’ and smaller should be built at a 1”=1’scale.
GUIDELINES
Bulletin 168” x 576” (14’ x 48’) ………………………………. 3.5” x 12”
bleed – A.K.A. “Jumbo”125” x 272” (10’5” x 22’8”) …….12.5” x 27.2”
Photos & Scans
When using a digital camera, use the highest pixel setting possible.
When scanning, scan at 300 DPI with the image at an average size of about 5″x5″. If in doubt, send us the layout and we will check for sharpness.
Use a thin black guideline if your basic layout is a white background.