Vinyl banners have really taken an exciting leap in the last decade or so. Gone are the days of plain, unexciting banners that took hours to produce and were a pretty penny to make. The introductions of the digital medium and the images that go with them have made for bright, exciting banners.
Large format digital printers allow for full colour images and vinyl lettering can really look great, though there are often discrepancies in the quality – much of which is caused by incorrect imaging being used. Choosing the right image format can make all the difference to the quality of the PVC or vinyl banner –so, what do we recommend?
Vectors – Sometimes these are also called EPS or PDF extension files and these are used for a range of different images. The thing with vectors is that they are based on mathematical formulas and so they can be increased or decreased in scale perfectly, without any negative effect on the image. Vector files are used in the business name or phone number, as well as in the logo. These files can be blown up or shrunk but the quality will always remain the same, making them ideal for a variety of applications.
TIFF &PNG – If you are looking for a file type that can be used for full colour images and is perfect for lossless compression then TIFF and PNG files are ideal. These files use an algorithm or mathematical formula that ensures no information is lost once the image is created to the same output size as the media. This means that the image quality is excellent and makes them great for a whole host of printing jobs.
High Resolution JPG Files – These files come in a high resolution format, meaning they are of a high quality and look fantastic. They are then compressed to save on the size of the file and make it easier to send. There will be some image loss when these files are compressed but it is more often than not, unnoticeable to the human eye and won’t impact too much on the end product. Just as is the case with the TIFF and PNG files, High res JPG files will need their specifications to match the size of the print to ensure they are high quality images.
These file types can all be used for vinyl and banner printing projects. However, if you are having a logo designed ask for vector files. Doing so will ensure your vinyl banners will look great at the next event you attend.
Cormac Reynolds has written on design for a number of years and takes an amatuer interest in the changes and developments in the area.