How to Make QR Code Posters
The black and white designs that resemble on-screen crop circles may be becoming more prevalent as smart phone use takes over many daily tasks, but the intricate patterns within those QR code designs are exactly rendered to achieve a specific purpose. QR codes are making their way into magazine ads, direct mail materials and other publications. Once you have a working QR code, import it into your next Microsoft Paint-created poster. Viewers will not only be able to see and read the poster, but they’ll be able to snap a picture of the QR code and take further action.
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Instructions
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Launch Microsoft Paint. Click the Paint button and choose “Open.” Browse to the image of the QR code and double-click the code file name.
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Click the Paint button again and choose “Properties.” Type new dimensions for the poster into the “Width” and “Height” boxes, such as “24” and “36” respectively. Click the “Inches” radio button if not selected. Click the “OK” button. Paint resizes the workspace and adds white to the canvas around the QR code.
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Click the dotted line “Select” button on the ribbon. Draw an outline around the QR code – it is OK if you capture part of the white Paint canvas in the selection.
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Drag the QR code into place on the poster, such as the bottom-right corner.
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Click the “A” icon on the ribbon. Choose a colored square for the poster headline text or leave black as the default. Click the top of the poster, choose a font and size and type the headline.
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Move the cursor below the headline and adjust the font if desired. Type additional information, such as a description of the product or event the poster is advertising.
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Move the cursor to below or near the QR code. Type information such as “Snap this QR code for a discount coupon.” This is optional.
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Click a new color in the “Colors” section. Click the paint bucket image in the “Tools” section of the ribbon. Click anywhere on the white canvas to give the poster a background color. This will not affect the white space of the QR code.
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Click the Paint bucket icon once more. Click “Save As.” Type a name for the poster file, select a destination to save it to on the computer and click the “Save” button.
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Tips & Warnings
Although it is possible to make a version of a QR code in Paint, you’d just be drawing a design meant to look like one, not one that actually works. To make a non-working QR, simply select the black color from the “Colors” ribbon and click the thickest line option under the “Size” menu. Draw the boxes and squiggles to form the image of the QR code. For a QR code to work, it must be generated from an actual QR code renderer, which will allow poster viewers to take further action. This is why it’s best to import an existing QR code into Paint and design the poster around the established image.
