What is a large format printer?
A large format printer is a printer designed to print very large items, like posters, banners, signs, or artwork.
Equipment in Creative Experience
• HP DesignJet Z6 44-in Postscript Printer T8W16A at all Creative Experience locations
What you’ll need
• An image or design you would like to print
Acceptable File Types
• All common image file types, including: jpg, png, bmp, pdf
Printing Dimensions
• Maximum width is 36” or 10,800 pixels
Materials
Creative Experience offers a variety of paper options:
° Regular Paper
° Photo Glossy
° Matte Canvas
° Banner Paper
° Removable Adhesive Fabric
Cost
• The cost for large format prints varies by paper type and is charged by the linear foot.
• Charges are rounded to the nearest dollar.
• Regular Paper: $1 per linear foot
• Glossy Paper: $2 per linear foot
• Matte Canvas: $5 per linear foot
• Banner Paper: $5 per linear foot
• Removable Adhesive Fabric: $5 per linear foot
• Items will not be printed until the cost is confirmed and the funds are available on your Library card
• You can use your free monthly print credit towards large format prints
How to Get Started
• Visit a Creative Experience location or
• Submit you files be large format printed using our online form
Things to Know
• You will be notified by email or phone when your item is ready for pick up
• Completed items will be held for 14 days
• For prints needed the same day, please visit one of our Creative Experience locations in-person
• Staff reserves the right to deny any print job that violates the Library’s Technology Use Policy
Tips for Good Prints
When printing images at large sizes, achieving a clear print can be more complicated than when printing small images. Here are some simple tips that will help you avoid bad prints:
• Use the original image file if possible. Images downloaded from social media sites like Facebook have been downsized for those services. They will not print as clearly as the original photos.
• Generally, the larger the file size, the higher quality the image. For example, a photograph that is 500kb will most likely not look as sharp as one that is 10mb.
• A photo cannot be enlarged without losing quality. Staff can resize photos, but if scaled up too far, the photo will become blurry.
• More pixels means a bigger image. Knowing your image’s dimensions in pixels will give you a sense of how large it will print without blurring. For example, because we print images at 300 pixels per inch, an image that is 10,800 pixels wide will print clearly at 36” wide.
Need help getting started?
Check out our events calendar for upcoming Creative Experience programs or schedule a one-on-one Tech Connect appointment.
