Design Your First Poster or Flyer in Photoshop
Learning Objectives
- Set up a document correctly for print in Photoshop
- Use layout grids, colour schemes, and typography effectively
- Create a professional A4 poster or flyer ready for print
Introduction
Creating your first poster or flyer in Photoshop might seem daunting, but it's actually quite straightforward once you know the basics. This chapter walks you through the essential steps of setting up your document, using layout grids to keep everything aligned, choosing colours that work together, and selecting the right fonts. By the end, you'll have a polished A4 poster or flyer that's ready to print.
Lessons
Setting Up Your Document for Print
Getting your document set up correctly from the start saves you headaches later.
Step 1: Open Photoshop and click 'New' from the File menu.
Step 2: Choose the A4 preset from the list, or manually enter 210mm width and 297mm height.
Step 3: Set the resolution to 300 pixels per inch. This ensures your design stays crisp when printed.
Step 4: Make sure the colour mode is set to CMYK for print work.
Step 5: Add a 3mm bleed if your printer requires it. This gives you a safety margin when cutting.
Save these settings as a preset so you don't have to set them up again next time.
Using Layout Grids to Keep Things Tidy
Layout grids help you position elements consistently and create a professional look.
Step 1: Go to View > Show > Grid to turn on the grid overlay.
Step 2: Open Preferences > Guides, Grid & Slices to adjust the grid spacing. Start with 10mm squares for an A4 poster.
Step 3: Use the grid lines to align your text boxes, images, and other elements. Everything lines up neatly when it snaps to the grid.
Step 4: Press Ctrl+' (or Cmd+' on Mac) to toggle the grid visibility on and off as you work.
The grid won't appear in your final design – it's just there to help you position things.
Choosing Colours That Work Together
Your colour choices can make or break your design, so pick them carefully.
Step 1: Decide on a main colour that fits your subject. If it's for a garden centre, green works well. For a nightclub, maybe try deep purple or electric blue.
Step 2: Use the colour picker to select your main colour, then choose 1-2 supporting colours that complement it.
Step 3: Stick to your chosen colours throughout the design. Too many colours make things look messy.
Step 4: Use darker versions of your colours for text to ensure it's readable.
Adobe Color (color.adobe.com) can help you find colour combinations that work well together.
Selecting the Right Typography
Your font choices affect how people read and react to your design.
Step 1: Pick one font for headings and one for body text. Using more than two fonts usually looks cluttered.
Step 2: Make sure your heading font is bold enough to grab attention from a distance.
Step 3: Choose a simple, readable font for smaller text. Arial, Helvetica, or similar sans-serif fonts work well.
Step 4: Keep your text large enough to read easily. Headings should be at least 24pt, body text at least 12pt.
Step 5: Leave plenty of white space around your text. Cramped text is hard to read.
If you have Adobe Creative Cloud, browse Adobe Fonts for high-quality options that integrate directly with Photoshop.
Putting It All Together
Now you'll combine everything into a finished design.
Step 1: Start with your most important element – usually the heading or main image. Place this using your grid.
Step 2: Add your other text elements, keeping them aligned to the grid lines.
Step 3: If you're adding images, make sure they're high resolution (300 DPI) and properly aligned.
Step 4: Step back and check the overall balance. Move elements if one side looks too heavy.
Step 5: Turn off the grid and review your design. Does it look professional? Is everything readable?
Practice
Create a flyer for a fictional coffee shop opening. Include the shop name, opening date, address, and a special offer. Use the techniques from this chapter to create a design that would catch someone's eye on a noticeboard.
Focus on keeping everything aligned, choosing colours that suit a coffee shop, and making the text easy to read.
FAQs
What's the difference between RGB and CMYK colour modes?
RGB is for screens, CMYK is for print. Always use CMYK for posters and flyers that will be printed.
How do I save my design for printing?
Go to File > Export > Export As and choose PDF. Select 'High Quality Print' from the preset dropdown.
What resolution should I use for large posters?
Stick with 300 DPI for posters up to A2 size. For larger formats, you can drop to 150-200 DPI to keep file sizes manageable.
Can I use any font I want?
Make sure you have the licence to use fonts commercially if you're creating business materials. Adobe Fonts included with Creative Cloud are safe to use.
What's a bleed and do I need one?
A bleed is extra space around your design that gets trimmed off after printing. Ask your printer if they need it – usually 3mm is enough.
Jargon Buster
CMYK – The four ink colours used in printing: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (Key)
DPI/PPI – Dots or pixels per inch – higher numbers mean sharper prints
Bleed – Extra design area beyond the final trim size to account for slight cutting variations
Grid – Invisible lines that help you align elements consistently
Sans-serif – Fonts without decorative strokes, like Arial or Helvetica
Wrap-up
You now have the foundation skills to create professional-looking posters and flyers in Photoshop. The key is to start simple and focus on getting the basics right – proper setup, good alignment, sensible colour choices, and readable typography.
Practice with different projects to build your confidence. Try creating flyers for different types of events or businesses to see how your design choices change based on the audience and purpose.
Remember, good design often means knowing when to stop. It's better to have a clean, simple design than one that's overcrowded with effects and colours.