This wikiHow teaches you how to print a large image across multiple pages on a PC or Mac.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Using Rasterbator to Enlarge Image
Step 1. Go to this address with your web browser
Rasterbator is a popular website for creating poster-sized illustrations to hang on the wall. It works on both Windows and macOS.
Step 2. Click on Create your poster
Step 3. Select the original image
There are three ways to do this:
- If the image is on the internet, type or paste the direct URL into the "Load from URL" field, then click Load.
- If the image is on your computer, click on Browse… to open the file management window of your computer, select the image, click on You open, then on Load.
- Another way to upload an image from your computer is to drag it from a folder to the "Drag image file here" box.
Step 4. Select your paper settings
Under "Paper settings", choose the options you prefer:
- Choose the size and format of the paper you are printing on, such as A5 (210 x 148 mm) o A4 (297 x 210 mm), from the first drop-down menu.
- Select the format Portrait (vertical) or Landscape (horizontal).
- The default margins are 10mm, suitable for almost any home printer. Margins are necessary because many printers do not reach the edge of the paper. If they are too small, part of the image will be cut off; if they are too big, you can always crop them.
- Overlapping the sheets makes it easy to merge the images after cutting the edges, because the image will be repeated slightly on the adjacent pages. Check the "Overlap pages by 5 mm" box for best results.
Step 5. Select the poster size
The "Output size" section determines the size of the poster, based on the number of pages on which the image will be printed. The higher the number, the larger the poster.
- Enter the number of sheets in the first box.
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In the drop-down menu, select wide or high.
- For example, if you type 6 in the "sheets" field and select wide, the image will be the size of 6 sheets of paper in width. Rasterbator will automatically set the number of pages in height based on the image size.
- If you select tall, the example image will be six pages high and Rasterbator will determine the width based on the size of the image.
- The grid on the preview shows how many pages will be used.
Step 6. Click Continue
Step 7. Choose a style
Rasterbator lets you choose from a wide range of styles to add an artistic effect to your poster. Click on a style (a preview will appear on the image), or select No effects to skip this step.
Rasterbation And Black and white rasterbation are widely used choices that allow you to print with a semitone theme, consisting of many points.
Step 8. Click Continue
Step 9. Select your color preferences
If you have chosen a style, you can decide to use additional options to complete the poster.
If you have chosen No effects, none of these settings will affect your poster.
Step 10. Click Continue
Step 11. Select the final style options
These settings vary based on the style you have selected.
- If you haven't chosen a style, you can still browse the drop-down menu at the top of the screen to add effects to the poster before printing it. If you decide not to, select Enlarge from the menu.
- To make it easier to trim the margins, check the box next to "Crop marks". It is optional and not necessary if you have added the 5mm overlap.
Step 12. Click on Complete X page poster
The "X" represents the number of pages that will be printed. The site will start creating the image.
Step 13. Download the PDF
Click on OK or Save (this item varies depending on your computer and browser) to download the print-ready image.
Part 2 of 2: Print the Image
Step 1. Open the PDF
Double-click on the file you downloaded from Rasterbator to open it with your computer's default PDF reader.
Rasterbator recommends using Adobe X Reader, but all readers will be fine
Step 2. Click on the File menu
If you're using Windows, it's in the menu bar at the top of the PDF reader. If you're using a Mac, it's in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
Step 3. Click Print
The computer print window will open.
Step 4. Select your printer
If the device you want to use does not appear next to "Printer", click on the menu to select it.
Step 5. Select the paper size
Click on Dimension or Paper size, then choose the format you set on Rasterbator.
Step 6. Select the "Fit to Page" option
If you are using a Mac, click on Show details to view printer options.
- On macOS, select Fit to page.
- If you are using Adobe Reader for Windows, check the "Fit" box under "Paper size and format".
Step 7. Make sure duplex printing is not enabled
For the poster to print correctly, each part of the image must be printed on a single sheet.
- If you are using Windows, make sure "Print on both sides of paper" is NOT checked.
- If you are using macOS, select Layout from the menu in the center of the print window, then make sure "Two-Sided" is set to No.
Step 8. Click Print
This will start the printer creating the poster.
Step 9. Sort the pages
To do this it is best to use a large flat surface. If you have printed the image on many sheets, it will not be easy to understand how they should be arranged. Fortunately, you'll find a sign in the lower right corner of each page indicating how to link them.
Step 10. Cut out the margins
Use the marks on the outside of the image as a reference. It's best to use a utility knife and ruler to get a perfect cut.
Step 11. Merge the pages to form the complete image
You can use whatever method you prefer: duct tape, glue the pages to a board, or use tacks to pin them to the wall.
