URGENT help with billboard document set up

Hi everyone ! Hope you are well
I require some advice about something - I am required to design 3 x billboards . I’ve asked the printing company for a scale and any other specs but I’m not understanding (I’ve never made artwork for billboards)

Can someone please let me know how I’d go about setting up a document in either photoshop or in design?

The size of the billboards are
-10000mm x2000mm
-12740mmx2750mm
-11300mmx2420mm

The printer said that I should size it down 20% , artwork in 300dpi and that I should use the above sizes

Please may I have some advice in the sizing down part ?

Size it down [by] 20% or rather size it down to 20%?

Simply do the document setup smaller right from the start and mention the drawing scale (e.g. 1:5) when sending it to the printer. Some Tools like Affinity Designer have a feature for documents with drawing scale, but it is not necessary.

I strongly recommend doing your homework for what is important from a design perspective when designing billboards and demand/buy a contract proof from your printer.

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They most likely want you to design them at 20% of the target size and 300 DPI. Once printed, their DPI will drop to 60 (20% of 300), which should be OK, since such large-format billboards are usually viewed from a distance at which a low DPI isn’t a problem.

In this case, the sizes and DPI of the files should be as follows:

  1. 2000 mm x 400 mm, 300 DPI

  2. 2548 mm x 550 mmm, 300 DPI

  3. 2260 mm x 484 mm, 300 DPI

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As @Joe said, they’re asking you to create the artwork at 20% of the final size, not reduce it by 20%.

This requires some arithmetic, which @Jakub_Trybowski did for you. Make the billboards the sizes he indicated at 300 dpi (ppi).

The billboard company will resize them to their full size, decreasing the dpi (ppi) to the lower resolution needed for billboards.

You didn’t mention bleeds. Are the billboards printed or digital (electronic)? Digital billboards don’t need bleeds; printed billboards do. If you’re not familiar with bleeds, we can explain. Did they mention bleed sizes? Did they provide you with a template showing bleed sizes?

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Hi Joe :wave:
I was also wondering if they meant reduce it by 20% or down to 20% but I’m assuming it’s the smaller value

Thank you ! I will tell them that I’m using the 1:5 scale

Thanks for the advice of buying a contract proof !
Appreciate your help

Hello Jakub

Thanks a lot this really helps me ! I’m not sure why I was overthinking this !

I will apply this to my design
And thank you for already providing the dimensions
Really appreciate it :grinning:

Hi there Just-B !

Thank you , yes I will follow what Jakub worked out for me
Appreciate your advice :smiley: noted with regards to the resolution :+1:

I do know what’s bleed, but the company hasn’t even told me what bleed I should add - I was thinking maybe 100mm bleed on each side ?

That might be enough, but it’s best to ask them. Good luck.

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Just ask the print shop what the bleed should be.

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