Framed poster A2 mockup and print template

Framed poster A2: what to know

An A2 poster in a black frame is a common size for shop walls, cafe art and prints sold online. The black frame suits bold artwork and photography.

• At 300 dpi an A2 print needs about 4961 x 7016 px; at 150 dpi about 2480 x 3508 px. Check your file before you design.
• The frame lip covers a few millimetres of the print. Keep text and signatures at least 10 mm from the edge.
• Turn on Mount board to see the print with a white border, a common gallery look.

Parts of a poster

Posters sell products in shops, promote events and are sold as wall art. The studio has A-series, 50 x 70 cm and US sizes, shown unframed or in a black, white or oak frame with an optional mount board, so you can show a print as it will look on a wall. Size and resolution matter more here than on any small print: a poster is big, and every flaw in the file is enlarged.

Print

The poster itself, at the size you pick.

Frame

Black, white or oak. It sits outside the poster size and its lip covers a few millimetres of the edge.

Mount board

A card border inside the frame. It covers a margin of the print, as real mounts do.

Safe area

Keep text and faces away from the edges, which a frame or mount can cover.

How to size it

1. Pick a standard size. Ready-made frames come in standard sizes, so a custom size often needs a custom frame.
2. Work out the pixels you need: millimetres divided by 25.4, times the dpi. An A2 poster at 300 dpi is about 4961 x 7016 px; at 150 dpi it is about 2480 x 3508 px.
3. Seen from a metre or more, 150 dpi at full size usually looks fine. Up close, aim for 300 dpi.
4. Add 3 mm bleed for unframed prints that are trimmed, and keep text 10 mm or more inside the edge if it will be framed.
5. With a mount, keep important detail well inside the print: the window is smaller than the poster.

Materials and finishes

Coated paper, about 170 to 250 gsm (matte, silk or gloss)

Shop posters and event posters. Gloss is vivid but reflects light; matte and silk are easier to read under lights.

Photo or fine-art paper

Wall art to sell. Heavier, with richer colour and longer life.

Uncoated paper

A flat, natural look for illustration and type posters. Colours print softer.

Finishes

Mount board

A white border inside the frame that gives the print room and a gallery look.

Lamination

For posters handled or hung where they get wet or dirty. Not needed behind glass.

Mistakes to avoid

• A low-resolution image enlarged to poster size: it looks soft or blocky. Check the pixel size before you design.
• Text right at the edge of a framed poster: the frame lip or mount covers it.
• A size that does not match any ready-made frame: custom framing can cost more than the print.
• Thin, light text on a busy photo: it disappears from a distance. Test the poster at real size, or zoom out.

How to make it in the studio

1. Open it. Press Customise this framed poster A2. It opens in the 3D studio at 420 x 594 mm.
2. Set the size. In the Size panel, pick a preset or type your own measurements.
3. Add your design. In the Design panel, upload your logo or artwork: it goes on the front first. Pick other faces to add colours, text or images to each.
4. Check it in 3D. Turn the pack around. Switch to the flat print view to see the artwork on the print file.
5. Download. The Download panel gives you the print template first, then mockup images for your store or social posts.
6. Get it made. If you want a quote, send the design to packitmama from the Download panel, and we will reply personally.

Questions