Ecochic Lifestyles, a furniture store that is known for their one-of-a-kind reclaimed wood and metal furnishings, contacted us because they needed new graphics for a trade show they were going to attend. They already had an existing trade show booth which had a total of 6 walls that needed graphics. We made 14 panels total to cover the areas and each panel was digitally printed using our large format printer. We printed the images onto VM-Polyedge and laminated them with clear vinyl to give them a glossy finish. Polyedge is a high quality magnetic receptive print media that provides smooth and easy installation.Reusable Signage
We installed VM-InvisiLock onto the trade show booth walls for the Polyedge graphics to attach to. InvisiLock is a custom engineered, high energy magnet that is made to support magnetic receptive print media like Polyedge. Ecochic wanted the graphics mounted magnetically so they could be removed from the trade show booth walls after events and reused in different locations.
As you can see, these are very large images that we printed for them. Large format printing is notorious for highlighting any error in a design. Whether you are creating a banner, a poster, or another type of trade show graphic, large-scale artwork has the unique challenge of being viewed both up close and far away. In order to ensure the quality of your final graphics from all distances, you have to make sure that you have the best file formatting.
Raster vs. Vector
When it comes to images and graphics, there are two basic types: raster-based or vector-based. An example of a raster-based graphic is a JPG. They are made from smaller pixels that can become pixelated and lose quality when enlarged. Vector-based graphics are made from lines and geometrical shapes that are defined by mathematical equations. This means that the graphic can be enlarged without any loss in clarity or sharpness. Adobe Illustrator is a popular program that provides vector-based editing.
Resolution and Color Models
If you would like to have a large format print of your artwork, you need to make sure that the photo has a high enough resolution to avoid it losing quality when it is enlarged. Another thing to pay attention to is the color setting on your design software. You will most likely have the options of RBG, CMYK, and Pantone. RBG works well for digital pieces like your website, however, CMYK works better when printing because it works with pigmentation instead of light. Using CMYK ensures that you’ll have a more accurate color to what you want when your artwork is printed.
Pantone can be used when you want to match your large format graphic with an existing color like other graphics or your logo. Pantone colors can help you assure consistency because you can make sure that you have the same color for all of your advertisements and merchandise. If you provide us with a color sample, we will help you match the right Pantone color.
Our website has a gallery of other event signage we have made if you want to check it out. If you already have an idea of what you would like displayed to represent your company at your next event, you can request a quote here.