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Poster Sizes: The Ultimate Guide To Choosing The Right Poster Size

This guide breaks down poster sizes, from the smallest standard size to large format prints. Learn which size poster is best for your photos, ads, and designs.

Tony Musso By Tony Musso, Art Director · 8 min read
Framed wall art mockup showcasing various poster sizes for decor inspiration and design choices.

When you’re planning to print posters, one of the most important steps is choosing the right size. Whether you’re making a letter sized poster for a community event or ordering large format prints for outdoor advertising, the poster’s dimensions can make or break your design. This guide will walk you through the most common poster sizes, when to use them, and how to make sure your images and text look great at scale.

Poster Sizes

Posters come in many shapes and sizes, from the smallest standard poster size of 11 x 17 inches to extra large posters like 24 x 36 or even 27 x 40 inches. Standard poster sizes exist for a reason: they’re easy to frame, print, and display in stores or high traffic areas.

If you’re not sure which size poster works best for your project, start by asking how far away viewers will stand and how much information you need to display. Large text on a big poster is easy to read from across the room, while smaller posters are better suited for close-up settings like trade shows or store displays.

Photo Posters

Photo posters are a popular way to bring vacation photos, favorite family portraits, or kids’ photographs to life. With a sharp background image and the right size poster, your photos can transform into beautiful poster prints ready to hang on a wall or frame for display.

Print Posters

When you print posters for advertising or personal use, it’s important to verify the image file quality. Low-resolution photographs may look fine on screen but blur when enlarged. Always upload the highest-quality file you can, especially for large format prints.

Custom Poster

Sometimes, standard poster sizes won’t fit your vision. That’s where custom sizes come in. A custom poster gives you full control over the poster’s dimensions so you can scale your artwork, create a unique display for a brand, or design elements tailored to a specific wall or table space.

Poster Printing

Most printers offer standard poster sizes like 11 x 17, 16 x 20, 18 x 24, and 24 x 36. Some also provide larger options like 36 x 48 or 40 x 60 inches. With same day pickup or day pickup services, you can upload your file, choose your size, and collect your poster at the store in just a few hours.

Medium Posters

Medium posters, such as 16 x 20 or 18 x 24, are a go-to option for events, store advertisements, or artwork for the home. They’re big enough for large text and details but not too large to frame and hang on a wall.

Movie Posters

Movie posters are usually printed at 24 x 36 inches or 27 x 40 inches, which makes them easy to advertise movies in theaters or frame as collectibles. These sizes have become a standard because they balance scale with practicality, making it easy to display in high traffic areas.

Large Posters

Large posters, such as 36 x 48 or 40 x 60, are ideal for banners, outdoor advertising, or trade shows. These oversized prints are designed to capture attention with bold fonts, large text, and simple design elements that can be easily read from a distance.

Bulletin Posters

Bulletin posters are commonly used for community events, local advertisements, and special offers. They’re often printed in standard poster sizes like 11 x 17 or 18 x 24 so they can be placed on store bulletin boards or community tables.

Same Day Pickup

If you’re in a rush, same day pickup makes it easy to create and collect a poster within hours. Upload your file online, choose from standard poster sizes, and pick up your print at the store. Same day services are useful for last-minute community events, business promotions, or personal projects.

Same Day

Same day poster printing is also helpful for schools, trade shows, or business advertisements where deadlines are tight. You can upload your artwork in the morning and have it ready for display by the afternoon.

Day Pickup

Day pickup services keep the process simple and fast. Whether you need a 16 x 20 medium poster or a large 24 x 36 size poster, you can place an order and collect it the same day.

16 x

The 16 x 20 poster is a popular size for artwork, photographs, and personal prints. It’s large enough to stand out on a wall but small enough to frame easily. This size poster works well for family portraits, kids’ artwork, and creative displays.

11 x

The letter sized poster (11 x 17) is the smallest standard poster size. It’s commonly used for bulletin boards, small store advertisements, and local events. Though compact, it still provides enough space for a background image, event details, and large text that can be easily read up close.

If you’re ready to explore artwork that looks stunning in every size, take a look at Laboo Studio’s 

When you’re planning to print posters, one of the most important steps is choosing the right size. Whether you’re making a letter sized poster for a community event or ordering large format prints for outdoor advertising, the poster’s dimensions can make or break your design. This guide will walk you through the most common poster sizes, when to use them, and how to make sure your images and text look great at scale.

Poster Sizes

Posters come in many shapes and sizes, from the smallest standard poster size of 11 x 17 inches to extra large posters like 24 x 36 or even 27 x 40 inches. Standard poster sizes exist for a reason: they’re easy to frame, print, and display in stores or high traffic areas.

If you’re not sure which size poster works best for your project, start by asking how far away viewers will stand and how much information you need to display. Large text on a big poster is easy to read from across the room, while smaller posters are better suited for close-up settings like trade shows or store displays.

Photo Posters

Photo posters are a popular way to bring vacation photos, favorite family portraits, or kids’ photographs to life. With a sharp background image and the right size poster, your photos can transform into beautiful poster prints ready to hang on a wall or frame for display.

Print Posters

When you print posters for advertising or personal use, it’s important to verify the image file quality. Low-resolution photographs may look fine on screen but blur when enlarged. Always upload the highest-quality file you can, especially for large format prints.

Custom Poster

Sometimes, standard poster sizes won’t fit your vision. That’s where custom sizes come in. A custom poster gives you full control over the poster’s dimensions so you can scale your artwork, create a unique display for a brand, or design elements tailored to a specific wall or table space.

Poster Printing

Most printers offer standard poster sizes like 11 x 17, 16 x 20, 18 x 24, and 24 x 36. Some also provide larger options like 36 x 48 or 40 x 60 inches. With same day pickup or day pickup services, you can upload your file, choose your size, and collect your poster at the store in just a few hours.

Medium Posters

Medium posters, such as 16 x 20 or 18 x 24, are a go-to option for events, store advertisements, or artwork for the home. They’re big enough for large text and details but not too large to frame and hang on a wall.

Movie Posters

Movie posters are usually printed at 24 x 36 inches or 27 x 40 inches, which makes them easy to advertise movies in theaters or frame as collectibles. These sizes have become a standard because they balance scale with practicality, making it easy to display in high traffic areas.

Large Posters

Large posters, such as 36 x 48 or 40 x 60, are ideal for banners, outdoor advertising, or trade shows. These oversized prints are designed to capture attention with bold fonts, large text, and simple design elements that can be easily read from a distance.

Bulletin Posters

Bulletin posters are commonly used for community events, local advertisements, and special offers. They’re often printed in standard poster sizes like 11 x 17 or 18 x 24 so they can be placed on store bulletin boards or community tables.

Same Day Pickup

If you’re in a rush, same day pickup makes it easy to create and collect a poster within hours. Upload your file online, choose from standard poster sizes, and pick up your print at the store. Same day services are useful for last-minute community events, business promotions, or personal projects.

Same Day

Same day poster printing is also helpful for schools, trade shows, or business advertisements where deadlines are tight. You can upload your artwork in the morning and have it ready for display by the afternoon.

Day Pickup

Day pickup services keep the process simple and fast. Whether you need a 16 x 20 medium poster or a large 24 x 36 size poster, you can place an order and collect it the same day.

16 x

The 16 x 20 poster is a popular size for artwork, photographs, and personal prints. It’s large enough to stand out on a wall but small enough to frame easily. This size poster works well for family portraits, kids’ artwork, and creative displays.

11 x

The letter sized poster (11 x 17) is the smallest standard poster size. It’s commonly used for bulletin boards, small store advertisements, and local events. Though compact, it still provides enough space for a background image, event details, and large text that can be easily read up close.

If you’re ready to explore artwork that looks stunning in every size, take a look at Laboo Studio’s Wall Art Prints Collection. Each design is available in a range of poster sizes, making it easy to find the right fit for your room, store display, or business. Whether you want a small print for a desk, a medium poster for your wall, or a large format print to make an impact, you’ll find options that scale beautifully.

. Each design is available in a range of poster sizes, making it easy to find the right fit for your room, store display, or business. Whether you want a small print for a desk, a medium poster for your wall, or a large format print to make an impact, you’ll find options that scale beautifully.

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