The vinyl banner

Introduction

Pictures speak louder than words and digital printing advances have made it incredibly easy for any community group or business to promote their message economically and effectively. With packages such as Photoshop and Illustrator from Adobe anybody can be create stunning images using photographs, text and other graphical decoration. Full colour photo-quality images can be produced with minimal effort. Design possibilities are only limited by your imagination. However, if your banner is not installed correctly, your efforts may be wasted.

Choosing a substrate

Different grades of vinyl banner material are suitable for different projects. Choice will depend on among other things, installation location, indoor or outdoor, intended life, installation type and overall size. If installing a vinyl banner in exposed areas a vinyl mesh may be the better substrate option. Vinyl mesh is perforated to allow wind to pass, thereby reducing the strain on the banner and on the structure on which the banner is mounted. Vinyl mesh is also sometimes used to allow light to pass, for example on building wraps, where it is required to let light pass through to the offices hidden behind. Vinyl mesh is not as heavy as normal banner vinyl. When buying, discuss the best option with your banner printer.

Supplying Artwork

The majority of banner printers will be able to offer in-house design services. If supplying your own images, vector format files are preferred. Vector files will scale to almost any size without distortion. On the other hand, bitmap images do not scale. A general rule is that every time the size of the bitmap image is doubled when scaling the image up to the required print size, the image resolution is cut in half. For example an image prepared as one foot by one foot at 300dpi will become 150dpi if the image size is doubled. If used to create a banner four feet by four feet the dpi would be reduced to 75dpi. The effect of this is that your bitmap image will appear pixilated and if used for printing you banner, the print quality will be poor. If supplying bitmap files the image should be at least 50% of required print size and at a minimum of 300dpi. This can make for large files. For vector images the image size is not an issue.

Depending on screen setup, colours will not always appear the same on different screens. If you need to specify specific colour shades or tones, you should include codes for the selected colours based on the Pantone Matching System. Your print company should be able to match to these codes.

It is also good practice to convert text to outlines to eliminate any font issues. Font issues can arise for instance if your printer does not have the font version that you wish to use for your text. Converting to outlines effectively converts the letters to shapes and breaks link to the font. Most graphic packages will provide this functionality though it may be referred to by a different name.

Finishing Options

When you banner is printed you may have various options for finishing. These would include hems and eyelets, sleeve, pocket and flat cut. Depending on how the banner will be displayed you may choose one or a combination of the available options.

Installation and maintenance

Provided they are hung correctly, vinyl banners can continue to display your message for many years. Vinyl banners are usually hung either using rope between posts or brackets or attached directly to a flat surface. Tensioned wire systems may be required instead of rope in cases of large banners or where banners are to be hung in exposed locations.

If hanging a banner using the rope method, you need to take care to avoid putting undue strain on individual eyelets. One way to achieve this is to start by feeding the rope through the eyelets from one side of the banner to the other, just like lacing a shoe. Do this on the top and bottom edges of the banner. When the lacing up is completed, tie the rope off at either end, making sure to leave sufficient for tying the banner to the post. The posts to be used should be firmly installed. Start off by attaching one top corner of the banner to the one post. Then attach the other top corner to the second post. Make sure the banner is centred between the posts and that it is level and taut. Tie off each rope end securely. Next attach the bottom corners in turn to the posts. Make sure the sides are vertical and taut. Tie off each rope end securely.

If mounting the banner to a flat surface, make sure you use the bolts, fittings and tools appropriate to the surface being used. Remember the holes made to hang the banner may be permanent. Start by attaching one top corner hook to the wall. Then using that as a guide, first mark the location and then attach the remaining hooks to the wall. There should be a hook for each eyelet on the top edge of the banner. Repeat the process for the bottom edge and sides of the banner if required. Make sure the banner is level, flat to the surface and taut. Also check there is nothing protruding from the surface that could damage the banner.

There are many wall frame systems available on the market. These systems normally require the banner to be flat cut that is no hems and no eyelets. The frame will need to be attached to a flat surface. Typically the banner will simply snap into the frame. As important, these wall frame systems often allow banners to be easily changed as promotions change. Your print company should be able to provide details of products available.

There is also a huge choice of pole based frame systems and quick display systems for displaying banners for use in open spaces, for example in a field or in an exhibition hall. These range from simple pull up banner stands that can be transported in a small case to full size exhibition stands. Your print company should be able to provide details of products available that would sit your requirements.

Finally, if your vinyl banner requires cleaning, a simple soap and water mixture and a clean soft cloth is all that is required.

Conclusion:

When the vinyl banner was first discovered, digital print makers were frowned upon by the skilled sign makers of old. Market forces have seen a rapid growth in digital print companies. Some local authorities now look on the banners as being a scar on the landscape.

Article Source: http://myarticlezine.com

Peter Debrun runs a small print company Bannershop Limited in the United Kingdom.

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