How to Make Posters in Illustrator
Illustrator is one of the pieces of software that comes with Adobe Creative Suite. It can be used to create art which can be re-sized, larger or smaller, without losing quality. For this reason, many designers choose to make posters using this software so that art of varying sizes can be produced without losing quality when printed.
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Instructions
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Open the Illustrator software by clicking on the application's icon. Then select "File," then "New" from the drop-down menus at the top. This will open the New Document Window.
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Name the file by typing in the new file name at the top of the New Document window. Set the width and height of the poster as well. Standard sizes for posters are 12 inches by 18 inches or 24 inches by 36 inches, but any sizes can be chosen. Set color mode--printing usually requires art to be set in CMYK mode--and raster effects to High, 300 dpi. Select OK when finished.
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Draw a box to contain some of the text using the Type Tool. Begin typing the desired text and format it using the format selections on the tool bar in the top of the window. Select type fonts and sizes. Headings on posters generally are set in font sizes of 75 or higher, depending on the amount of text.
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Format the text to the center, right or left by using the "Paragraph" Window which can be accessed through the Window drop-down menu at the top of the screen. Select colors by using the Colors window, located in the same menu.
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Select "File" then "Place" and choose a picture or graphic file to add them to your poster. More than one picture can be added by deselecting the previously placed picture, then choosing "File" and "Place" again.
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Use the Select Tool (black arrow at the top left of the tool bar) to select items and move them around the page. To move, simply select the object, then click and hold the mouse key down to grab the object. Then drag it to where you want it to go.
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Use the Select Tool to resize items by clicking on an item, then selecting one corner. Hover over that corner with the cursor and a line with two arrows will appear. Left-click and hold as soon as you see that arrow and drag the mouse, enlarging or decreasing the size of the transforming box until the desired size is achieved.
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Draw graphics using the drawing tools located in the tool bar such as rectangle, ellipse and star shapes. These can be filled in with color or gradients using the color window or the gradient window. To create a gradient, select the item, then click on the gradient window. Select one of the ends of the gradient line and then choose a color that you want that side of the gradient to be. Select the other side of the gradient slider and select the second color for the gradient. Your changes will be made in the preview window.
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Save the file when completed by selecting "File" and "Save" in the drop-down menus.
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Tips & Warnings
Design the poster with a few eye-catching graphics and bold lettering. If using the poster for advertising, do not make the poster too busy; leave ample white-space to allow the reader's eyes to read and understand the poster at a glance.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit flower cutouts poster image by robert mobley from Fotolia.com
