| Generally speaking, a vinyl banner is | | | | 2. Keep your design simple and striking. |
| easy to design. Anybody with a little | | | | The best designs contain two or three |
| bit of graphic design experience can | | | | basic elements. Usually these will be a |
| design a vinyl banner. And even if you | | | | photograph, a large headline, and an |
| have no experience, your supplier can | | | | "identifier" such as your company name, |
| point you in the right direction, or | | | | logo, or phone number. |
| even design your banner for a small | | | | 3. Use bright colors. The most striking |
| charge. | | | | vinyl banners have lots of bright |
| Here are some things to watch for when | | | | colors. |
| designing a vinyl banner... | | | | 4. Design your vinyl banner so it is |
| 1. Use software that handles CMYK full | | | | readable for your target audience. If it |
| color output. There are at least three | | | | is going on a building or beside a road |
| kinds of software you can use: | | | | on a fence, or on an outfield fence at a |
| - Image editors like Photoshop, | | | | baseball or soccer field, MAKE SURE YOUR |
| PhotoPaint, or PhotoImpact | | | | MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE IS LARGE ENOUGH |
| - Page Layout programs like Quarkxpress, | | | | TO BE READ. |
| Pagemaker, or InDesign | | | | 5. Make sure your images have sufficient |
| - Illustration programs like Illustrator | | | | resolution. For some advice on image |
| or CorelDraw | | | | resolution, see the Vinyl Banners FAQ. |
| Generally speaking, programs that are | | | | 6. Make sure your vinyl banner fits the |
| designed for consumers or general office | | | | area where you're going to mount it. |
| applications are not recommended: e.g., | | | | Don't guess at the size. Most people who |
| Word, Wordperfect, Publisher, Excel, | | | | are not familiar with signage will |
| etc. If you have a specific inquiry, | | | | UNDERESTIMATE the required size. |
| don't hesitate to ask your vinyl banners | | | | 7. Consider alternative methods of |
| supplier. A good source of information | | | | mounting your vinyl banner. Grommets are |
| is your contact person at You can ask a | | | | the "default" method of mounting a |
| design or production related question by | | | | banner on a wall or fence. But often |
| using the contact form on any page on | | | | "pole pockets" are simpler and more |
| the site. | | | | efficient. |