Paintings, posters, wall frames, but also stickers or wallpapers, there are many ways to decorate the walls of your home. At Marcel Travel Posters, Our choice naturally falls on posters and posters for which we have a very special affection.
But today, the selection is so vast that it can sometimes be difficult to decide. So, we've created this buying guide, as comprehensive as possible, to help you make the right choice based on your tastes and needs!
In a few minutes, you will know everything you need to know before buying a poster, whether in a store or online.
What are the different styles of posters?
First of all, It is important to determine the style that will best suit your interior ! There are many styles of posters and prints , so many that it would be difficult to list them all here. However, we can briefly try to group them into large stylistic families; we have identified eight, but it is of course possible to go further.
Posters and prints inspired by vintage art
Vintage art, also called retro art or neo-retro art, is a style inspired by vintage classics such as vintage advertising posters, old travel posters, or sports posters. This is our niche at Marcel Travel Posters! We offer over a thousand vintage posters. including three hundred and twenty-five original travel-themed posters that will easily match any decor.
Posters and prints inspired by botanical art
These can be photographs or drawings of your choice, the main thing being that they are representative of the plants and flowers. Sometimes, it can be a representation of a page from a plant encyclopedia. Since most of them are from old encyclopedias, it almost feels vintage… This type of poster will be perfect for a kitchen or hallway and will fit into almost any interior design.
Posters and prints inspired by animal art
Here again, these can be photographs or drawings of little importance, the most important thing being, of course, the fact that they represent the animal world. Just as with botany, sometimes it can be the representation of a page from an animal encyclopedia. This type of poster will be perfect for a living room or bedroom. Don't hesitate to combine these posters with others inspired by botanical art.
Posters and prints inspired by abstract art
Abstract art is non-figurative. It explores, distorts, and plays with shapes, lines, textures, and colors, resulting in timeless posters with geometric patterns and bold shapes. Here, the viewer can create their own perception of the pattern and experience their own feelings. These posters are suitable for almost any room in the house and almost any decor.
Posters and prints of reproductions of paintings
Many posters are actually reproductions of paintings by famous artists. The trend is to reproduce posters from exhibitions that marked their era. There's a wide variety of different models, each more aesthetic than the last. These posters are suitable for almost any room in the house and almost any decor, but be careful not to overuse them.
Posters and posters inspired by photographs
Many posters are dedicated to artistic photography, either with prints of more or less well-known shots, or with the edition of original series on a particular theme. The choice is wide since almost all the themes of photography can be represented (landscapes, portraits, still lifes, photos of stars, etc.). These posters work very well for forming a wall of posters.
Posters and posters representing maps and city plans
It's been trendy for a few years now to decorate a wall in your home with a map of your favorite city, or even better, a map of your hometown! The most minimalist among you will opt for a black and white version, while others will probably prefer a color map. The good news is that all major cities now have their own more or less detailed map. While it might look great in an entrance hall, for example, it's best not to use them in multiple places.
Posters and posters for children
More simplistic, often with bright colors, these are most often illustrations addressing the themes our toddlers love! Cartoons, comic book characters, or original illustrations, children's posters are available in the thousands. These posters are generally displayed in children's bedrooms.
What are the different sizes of posters?
There are many sizes of posters and posters. In this section, we will see the major standards but also the typical sizes that we encounter less often . Follow us for an overview of the different poster sizes that can be found on the market.
Although the standard sizes A1, A2 and A3 are the most common, they still represent a tiny fraction of the poster offering. Indeed, the most commonly encountered formats are: rectangular formats measuring 30 x 40 cm for the smallest and 50 x 70 cm for the largest . There will also be a large number of square prints in 50 x 50 cm format.
To determine which size will best suit your interior, you will of course need to know the size of the room in which you want to display your poster. For a small room, we recommend choosing a smaller format, and vice versa for a larger room. It's obvious that a 30 x 40 cm poster sitting alone in the middle of a spacious room will seem lost in the decor.
However, there is a good way to calculate the ideal size of your poster:
- Measure the width of the wall on which you want to hang the poster
- Multiply this number by 0.57 to get the ideal wall to board size ratio
- Choose the poster size closest to this number
What are the different types of paper?
There are many different qualities of paper, each more or less suitable for printing posters. Several criteria come into play here, first of all the weight per square meter (g/m²) of the paper, which has a direct impact on its thickness and therefore its weight. But the thickness of a sheet of paper also depends on the composition of the wood fibers used and the manufacturing process. Ultimately, the type of paper will have an impact on the final rendering after printing.
- Below 80g/m² , the paper is thin and fragile. It will tend to be difficult to print on both sides and will be sensitive to inkjet printing, which can cause the sheet to curl. Most often, this is the paper used in publishing (e.g., newsprint).
- Between 80g/m² and 120g/m² , the paper is considered standard. It has a multifunctional use, mainly used by office printers. More opaque than the previous one, it allows double-sided printing without the slightest problem.
- Between 120 g/m² and 230 g/m² , the paper is thick and strong, it is a good quality paper. We then reserve this stiffer paper for advertising leaflets, magazine covers, business cards, flyers or even photo paper.
- Above 230 g/m² , this is a "semi-rigid" paper, it is a very high quality paper ideally used for printing posters and posters. This paper has the advantage of giving a more contrasting rendering and bringing out the colors.
To print Marcel Travel Posters, we have chosen the best possible quality , so all our posters are printed on 350 g/m² paper.
These different papers can be produced in a glossy, satin, matte or semi-matte coated finish depending on the intended use. The gloss allows the colors to stand out by contrast. On the other hand, a matte or semi-matte finish will have a more sober effect and a much more high-end rendering, it is the finish chosen for prints at Marcel Travel Posters
Finally, it should be noted that the whiteness of the paper will also be of crucial importance on the final rendering since the color rendering will not be the same depending on the whiteness index of the paper.
What are the different types of printing?
This is definitely the most important part of getting a good quality poster. The quality and The type of printing chosen will have a major impact on the final rendering. We will now list the different types of printing that exist and then we will see which ones to favor.
Offset printing
Faster and less expensive, offset printing is the most widely used technique in traditional printing. Among other things, it allows for optimal print quality thanks to more contrasting color rendering, even for large print runs. At Marcel Travel Posters, all of our 50 x 70 cm posters are printed this way.
Digital printing
This technique has the advantage of saving time. Digital printing allows for the reproduction of a large quantity of documents based on the client's needs. It's therefore a flexible technique that allows for optimal print quality. At Marcel Travel Posters, all of our 30 x 40 cm posters are printed this way.
Thermal printing
Fast and quiet, thermal printing is, as its name suggests, a heat-based printing technique. The process blackens the substrate using a resistor that heats certain areas of the substrate. Ideal for photo printing.
Inkjet printing
A very popular technique, inkjet printing allows for faithful color reproduction and print quality comparable to a photo taken with a high-end film camera.
Laser printing
Laser printing stands out from other techniques due to its finesse and print quality. This technique allows for high-speed production runs, but at a higher cost than the other techniques mentioned above.
How do I maintain my posters?
Your choice is made, you have finally bought the poster of your dreams, Now it remains to maintain it to keep it as long as possible . We will therefore discuss in this last part, how to preserve but also how to clean a poster or a poster which has suffered the ravages of time.
At Marcel Travel Posters, we recommend first framing your poster with a high-quality frame. This will protect the poster from moisture, which could cause the edges to warp, and also protect it from dust and possible stains or dirt.
But even if they're framed, time will take its toll and your posters will quickly become damaged if you display them on a wall in direct sunlight. We therefore advise you to think about the exposure of your apartment before displaying them inside the house.
For posters that need cleaning, here are the step-by-step instructions:
- Lay the soiled poster flat
- Sprinkle the poster with talcum powder and spread it with a brush
- Let it sit for about half an hour
- Turn the poster over to remove the talc.
- Dust off the remaining talcum powder with a brush
- Finally, you may want to blow dry it on a cold setting.
One last piece of advice: if you're buying your posters online, it's essential to ensure proper packaging. All Marcel Travel Posters are packaged in cardboard tubes and wrapped in protective paper to ensure they arrive in perfect condition.
How do I hang my posters?
Hanging a picture is not very complicated, but before drilling the first hole, check that you have a hook that can support a maximum of 15 kg, a hammer drill, a metal drill bit of about 5 mm and a dowel of the same diameter.
- Hang at the correct height by measuring 145 cm from the floor
- Hang centered in the middle of a wall, dividing the total width of the wall in half
- Hang centered above a piece of furniture, dividing the total width of the piece of furniture by two (e.g. chest of drawers, sofa, fireplace, staircase, etc.)
- Consider lighting before hanging your poster or poster on the wall. For example, there are wall lights that can be placed above your posters to create a unique atmosphere while drawing attention to them.
How do I create a gallery wall with my posters?
Here is some models of wall compositions and elegant and balanced configurations.
3-frame composition:
4-frame composition:
5-frame composition:
6-frame composition:
