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Blank walls can make a room feel impersonal and uninviting. But with a few printed photos, you can transform those bare spaces into a warm, customized gallery. Creating custom posters from your photos is an easy and affordable way to showcase your favorite memories while adding splashes of color and life to any room.
Getting Started
Before diving into the poster printing process, gather the digital photo files you want to use. Sort through your camera roll, computer, cloud storage – wherever your pictures are saved. Once you have the images selected, make sure they are high enough resolution for larger poster prints by checking each file’s pixel dimensions.
Selecting Print-Worthy Photos
Not every photo will work well as a poster. Some key things to look for are:
- Image Quality – Poster-sized prints will reveal any blurriness or graininess, so start with crisp, high-resolution images. Low-quality pictures rarely turn out well as large prints.
- Subject Matter – While artistic blurs or unique framing can work, busy images with too many subjects tend to look cluttered when blown up. Simple photos with a clear focal point usually make the best posters.
- Colors – Think about how the colors will appear when supersized. Vibrant hues tend to pop, while muted tones may get lost. Bold, contrasting vibrant colors often look striking.
Once you find some photo contenders, you may want to edit them first using a photo editing program to touch up colors, crop, and make other adjustments for optimal custom poster printing.
Choosing Print Size
After selecting your images, the next decision is what size to print them. Standard poster sizes range from roughly 12×18 inches up to 24×36 inches and larger. When framing the photo posters, you’ll want to allow for mat borders, which take up even more wall space.
Consider:
- Wall dimensions – Measure the available wall space to determine the right poster size for that area.
- Number of prints – If making a gallery wall with multiple pieces, smaller sizes allow for more variety.
- Budget – In general, the larger the print size, the higher the cost per poster.
Many online printing services have previews that allow you to see how your images will look at different sizes before printing. This can help you pick the ideal dimensions.
Print Quality Options
Most printing companies give you choices for paper types and print qualities, which impacts the final look and cost. Some common options:
Paper Type
- Standard Photo Paper – A basic matte paper or semi-gloss finish photographic paper.
- Premium/Archival Paper – Thicker, higher-quality papers designed for longer-lasting custom poster prints.
- Canvas – For a classic art canvas look with a visible texture.
Print Quality
- Standard Resolution – More affordable but with lower image quality.
- High Resolution/Best Quality – Captures finer details for a crisper, higher-end look.
Consider the paper and quality level if you want the posters to be smudge-resistant, fade-proof, or have other specialized features. These premium options add to the cost but result in beautiful, museum-like prints.
Creating a Cohesive Look
While each poster may feature a different photo, there are ways to give them a cohesive, intentional look as a set.
Framing
Using the same frame style, color, and mat borders helps tie together a gallery wall of mixed poster sizes and subjects. Frameless poster hangers or standout frames in a signature hue can also unite the pieces.
Photo Editing
Another option is digitally editing the images with the same filter or adjustments before printing. This could mean giving all the photos a certain color tone, level of brightness/contrast, level of saturation, etc. Even something as simple as converting all images to black and white can link the posters stylistically.
Themes
For a tighter aesthetic, you may want to print posters featuring photos from the same general location, time period, color palette, or subject matter. Travel photos from a single destination or family portraits over the years are two examples of themed poster galleries.
If doing a mixed gallery without an overriding theme, try grouping and arranging the different poster images in creative ways like by room, chronology, color scheme, portrait vs landscape orientation, or any other way that brings a sense of order.
The Poster Printing Process
After uploading your selected images to the printing service, carefully review how they will appear as full-sized posters during the previewing stage. This lets you catch any errors, unwanted cropping, or image quality issues before finalizing your order.
Next, choose your preferred paper type, print quality level, and any image editing options. Costs rise with premium paper stocks and highest resolution printing, but the upgrades are usually worth it for richly-detailed, long-lasting posters.
Once you confirm everything looks right, complete your order and wait for the printed posters to arrive! Most quality poster printing services take three to seven business days for delivery.
Hanging Your Posters
With your custom posters printed, all that’s left is hanging them on the wall. This can be as simple as a poster frame hung at eye level or part of an artfully arranged gallery wall.
For single, centered posters, leave about 6-10 inches of empty space around the outer edges to let the piece breathe. With gallery walls, use paper helper design templates or mark wall locations with painters tape to properly space and level each poster before securing them.
Don’t be afraid to embrace asymmetry and mixed orientations – rules are made to be broken when it comes to personal home style! Grouping and overlapping poster frames in unique patterns can give dramatic, modern looks.
Conclusion
The possibilities are endless for making those bare walls into personalized, memory-filled backdrops using your own favorite photos. With a few simple tips, some creativity, and quality printing, you can affordably turn any space into a uniquely ‘you’ gallery in no time.
Image Credit: depositphotos.com
