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Jacci's Desktop Publishing Blog

By Jacci Howard Bear, About.com Guide to Desktop Publishing since 1997

Large, Really Large Format Printing

Wednesday January 19, 2005
Sometimes we tend to take the small view of desktop publishing - if we can't print it from our desktop printer it's not something that has anything to do with DTP, right? Wrong. Architects and engineers use computers to design skyscrapers and jumbo jets. And desktop publishing can be used to put the sign out in front of that building or the artwork on that jet. And even more prevalent than skyscrapers and airplanes are the billboards we see along highways and country roads throughout the country. -->

And yes, today desktop publishing often puts the pictures on those big signs. But the use of billboards goes way back... way, way back.

Anna Lim writes, "Billboards can trace its lineage back to the earliest civilization. We could trace human genealogy along with the history of billboards and outdoor advertisement." Billboards - Snapshots of History.

Also: Advertising Design | Signage and Signmaking

Comments

July 11, 2008 at 3:18 pm
(1) Banners and Signs Plus says:

Large format printing is certainly a rapidly growing industry, as more and more companies are making their advertisements bigger for maximum impact.

Billboards have been around for quite some time, and they have proven to be an effective form of advertising. With companies always looking for new, unique adverting mediums, building wraps, huge vinyl and mesh banners, vehicle wraps, and wallscapes are just a few of the other large format printing applications that have been gaining tremendous popularity over the last 10 years.

The print technology behind today’s large format dye-sublimation printers and solvent-based inkjet printers has really come a long way over the last few years. This has helped make these large format images sharper and more vibrant than ever before. At the same time, it has made these types of large format displays much more cost-effective for both the large format printing companies and the advertisers.

These large format printing applications are very effective for advertising, brand awareness, and in some cases, even decorative. As they continue to get bigger, look better, and cost less, their popularly will grow even more.

Banners and Signs Plus

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