How to Make Poster Prints of Yourself

Poster mailing tubes

Desktop publishing is the old term used for designing documents on your home computer that needed to be taken to a commercial publishing house. Now you can design just about anything and upload it to a printing company and have it mailed back to your home within a day or two. Posters are fun projects, including ones that you make of yourself or other family members.

Things You'll Need

• Digital camera
• USB cable

Instructions

1. Take a picture of yourself using a digital camera with the setting on a high-resolution picture. For a poster print, you will need the high resolution so that the picture will not appear grainy. Your camera should be a 5-megapixel or higher for the quality necessary for a poster print. Use a tripod with the timer setting on your camera or have a friend take a few shots for you.

2. Upload the pictures to your computer with your USB cable or by inserting the camera's memory card into the slot in your computer. View the picture on your computer's picture editing software. Open the actual picture you want to make into a poster and look at it as large as you can to make sure you like what you see before you print it. Look for fuzziness or lack of focus, which will be emphasized in a larger print.

3. Sign into an online poster printing company. The company will need your mailing and billing address, as well as a form of payment. Preview the requirements and options for printing to make sure you like what the company offers. Many of the normal photo printing companies don't deal with poster-sized prints and might have more restrictions than a company that works primarily with larger prints.

4. Upload your picture to the website and set your specifications for a 24-by-30 sized poster or whatever size you like. Pay for the order and ask for notifications to be sent to your email address. This way, the company can tell you when it finishes the order or send you any questions.

5. Wait for the poster to arrive in the mail. It will usually come mailed in a cylindrical cardboard container. Open it and lay it on a flat surface to relax until it lays flat. Check it for quality. Sometimes a little cropping may occur to allow for bleed room for the printer.

Resources

• Large Format Posters