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Printing Services

On-Campus Event Poster Transition & Resources

Effective mid-August, Communications will no longer design posters for campus-hosted events. This page outlines what’s changing, how to create your own posters in Canva or Adobe Express, where to print them and who to contact for help.

What’s Changing and What’s Not

Communications will no longer create printed event posters on request. Faculty and staff will produce their own posters using provided templates and guides. This change applies to on-campus event posters only.

  • Digital channels continue as usual, including the campus calendar and Whitman Today.
  • External advertising continues under Communications, including adverstisements with NPR, the Walla Walla Union‑Bulletin and the Confederated Umatilla Journal.
  • Poster printing and posting posters on campus continue through our existing event request form, using the new printing process outlined on the Printing Services page.

Do-It-Yourself Poster Resources

We’ve created a set of easy-to-use tools so faculty and staff can design and print their own posters. Whether you’re experienced in design or brand new to it, you’ll find templates, step-by-step guides, and vendor recommendations to make the process simple from start to finish.

Quick Start

  1. Choose a size: Letter 8.5 × 11 or Tabloid 11 × 17 (portrait).
  2. Open a Whitman template in Canva or Adobe Express.
  3. Replace text with your event title, date, time, and location. Keep it concise.
  4. Add an image if helpful, then apply Whitman colors and fonts.
  5. Download as PDF Print. Prefer no‑bleed with a white margin. See bleed notes below.
  6. Send to print at whitman.edu/eventad.
  7. Post digitally via the campus calendar and Whitman Today.

Templates

Start your design with the campus templates for a quick, on-brand result. Each template includes sample layouts, Whitman color styles, and guidance to help you create a polished poster. Using these templates ensures your poster follows college branding and is ready for printing without extra adjustments. You can also use other templates available in Canva or Adobe Express, but they should be customized to meet Whitman College brand standards.

Canva Templates

    If you need Whitman logos, approved fonts, or brand color codes, see Branding below.

    Guides and Best Practices

    Video Tutorials

    Designing posters using Canva

    Designing posters using Adobe Express

    Design Tips

    • Lead with a short, clear headline.
    • Show the essentials: what, when, where, who.
    • Use high contrast and keep text readable at a distance.
    • Limit fonts and colors for a clean look.
    • Leave whitespace. Avoid clutter.

    Check out our guide for creating effective posters.

    Branding

    Follow Whitman brand guidance for colors, fonts, and logo use. If official fonts are not available in your tool, use recommended substitutes. Request department logo lockups as needed.

    Place logos with clear space and do not recolor or stretch them.

    Explore our guide to Whitman brand basics.

    Printing Options

    Preferred Settings

    • Format: PDF Print
    • Color: Canva uses CMYK‑equivalent color for PDF Print
    • Bleed: Prefer no bleed; create posters with a white margin to avoid trimming.

    If You Must Print to the Edge

    1. Extend background colors or images past the page edge in your design.
    2. When downloading, choose PDF Print and check Crop marks and bleed.
    3. Use a 0.125 inch bleed on all sides for 8.5 × 11 and 11 × 17.
    4. Expect the exported PDF page to be slightly larger than the final trim size.

    Not sure which to pick? Use no‑bleed with a consistent white border. If you plan a full‑bleed design, note that in your print request.

    Design Support Options 

    Student Design Support

    Departments can hire student workers with design skills to assist with poster creation and basic graphics. Contact the Human Resources for guidance on the hiring process.

    Consultation

    The Communications team can offer brief consultations and quick feedback on layout or branding by emailing brand@whitman.edu as capacity allows.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Communications