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Pro-Tip #8 - Using Photoshop to Design

Posted by Fraser Simpson on 30th May 2019

PLEASE NOTE: THIS INFORMATION IS SPECIFICALLY FOR DESIGNING IN ADOBE PHOTOSHOP, AND IS RECOMMENDED FOR USE BY INDIVIDUALS WITH PHOTOSHOP EXPERIENCE.

Large format design for trade show displays can be tricky, you're designing a 10ft backdrop at full size! We're here to help, and we have a team of professional graphic designers ready to assist with any questions you have. To design your artwork with our templates we recommend using either Illustrator or Photoshop. In this blog, we're sharing some key tips for designing artwork for your custom backdrop in Photoshop

To get started, first you'll want to download the templates for the display you're purchasing, you can find them under "Product Details" on the product page. 

  1. Once downloaded, open the template in Photoshop.
  2. The Import PDF pop up will open. First set the resolution to 125dpi. Then change the crop-to box to "Media Box". If you're designing a 20ft display, set the resolution to 200dpi as the template is at half scale.
  3. Make sure the color mode is set to CMYK and then click ok to open.

Now it's time to design eye-catching artwork so your trade show booth stands out against your competitors at the exhibition/conference! If you're including photos, larger photos that are 300 dpi will output the best image quality, although perfect clarity is hard to achieve when printing any photograph in large format. When you're happy with your design, save the new file and send it over to our graphics department!

  1. First hide or delete the graphic template and then flatten the layers by right clicking on one of the layers. 
  2. Select "Save As" to set the location and format type. We suggest TIFF or Photoshop PDF. TIFF is preferred as you can control the file size a little easier.
  3. Once you have clicked "Save", the TIFF compression page will pop up. Select LZW compression so that the file size is reduced without compromising the image quality.

To send the art file to our graphics team, head to the website and click "Upload Files".* When you've selected your files and clicked upload, be sure to wait on the page until you have confirmation that they were sent. You'll also receive an email confirming that the files were received successfully. If you do not have the confirmation email, please try again or head to display.wetransfer.com. You'll then receive graphic proofs within 24 hours and once you have approved them, we'll send it straight to production!

Now it's in our hands, we've got you covered! You'll receive your custom printed backdrop a week later** in time for your trade show or exhibition. Time for you to make new connections and maximize your time at the event, confident knowing your trade show display is a hit at the show!

Alternatively, we offer in-house design services by our team of experienced trade show industry graphic designers. CLICK HERE for more information on our design services. 

*You can only submit artwork once you have completed the purchase and received your order confirmation number.

**Most of our displays are in your hands 5 business days after artwork approval. Some displays will have a different lead time that could mean your order will arrive sooner or later than 5 business days. Be sure to check the production time listed on the product page or contact us with any questions about the turnaround time.

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