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Welcome to Shortrunposters.com!

Setting Up Files

It's imperative to setup your files before you send in your order, as we do not check individual files for proper layout or resolution.

Understanding how Shortrunposters.com processes orders will enable you to properly setup your own files to yeild consistent results.  The actual image area is 17" x 23" for the 18 x 24 posters - we incorporate a 1/2" white margin on all sides.  The 24 x 36 posters actual image area is 23" x 35".  We do not skew or crop images, so the entirety of the image you submit will be printed.  The following scenarios will help you understand what all of this means.

 

crop

 

  • Submitting a file for exact 1/2" margins

    If you need to have an exact 1/2" margin on all sides of your poster, then you will need to resize your image to 17" x 23" for 18 x 24 posters and 23" x 35" for 24 x 36 posters.  We will automatically rotate the image to the correct orientation.

    rotate

     

  • Submitting a square image

    If you submit a square image, it will be proportionately scale to the max print area and centered on the page.  It is necessary to have the image in the correct orientation before you send the file.

    dog

     

  • Maintaining a particular sized image on a poster

    Sometimes you may want an image to not scale to the max print area.  There's a very simple way to achieve this, but some basic knowledge of a graphics program is required.  We already know that the max print area is 17" x 23" on the 18 x 24 poster and 23" x 35" on the 24 x 36 poster, and that any image uploaded will be scale proportionately to fit.  We also know that if a 17" x 23" file is uploaded for the 18 x 24 poster, for instance, it will not be scale - in fact it will be printed at 100% size.

    With that knowledge in mind, what you can do is create a "blank" file, with a white background, that is 17" x 23" or 23" x 35".  Then, you can place the image you want printed on this new blank file.  We are, in a sense, "tricking" the system into printing a file at 100% size with no scaling.

    scaling

     

  • Including non-printing marks on files

    Because files that you submit are printed in their entirety, when you include non-printing marks like crop marks, color bars, registration marks, etc. in your files, they will print.  Our workflow process is so automated that we normally don't see the images until they are printed.  In other words, we do not preflight each order.  Unless you want crops marks on your poster, be sure to NOT include these in your file upload.

    crop marks