How to print your vision board
Every board you make downloads as a 300 dpi PDF under 10 MB: sharp at its full size, and small enough for print services that cap uploads at 10 MB. Here is where and how to print it.
1. Pick the size
| Size | Good for | Where to print |
|---|---|---|
| A4 · US Letter | A desk, a notebook, the fridge | A home printer or any copy shop |
| A3 · 11 × 17 in | The wall above your desk | Convenience stores in Japan, print shops |
| A2, A1 · 18 × 24, 24 × 36 in | A poster for a bigger wall | Print shops and photo labs |
Change the size with the size button at the top of the editor. Everything on the board moves and scales with it.
2. Japan: a convenience store
Colour A3 costs about ¥100 and takes a few minutes.
- 7-Eleven (netprint): upload the PDF on the netprint website or app and note the reservation number. At the store’s copier, choose ネットプリント, enter the number, then pick A3 and colour.
- Lawson and FamilyMart (network print): upload the PDF with the ネットワークプリント app or website and note the user number. At the copier, choose ネットワークプリント, enter the number, then pick A3 and colour.
The machines leave a thin white edge, so keep words a few millimetres in from the sides of your board.
3. US and elsewhere: a print shop
- Make the board 11 × 17 in (or a poster size) and download the PDF.
- Upload it on the shop’s website for pickup, or bring it on your phone or a USB stick. FedEx Office and Staples both print 11 × 17 in colour; ask for heavier paper (cardstock) so it hangs flat.
- For a large photo poster at a photo lab, download PNG instead; photo labs prefer image files.
4. At home: A4 sheets
In Export, choose “Download A4 sheets”. The board is split across A4 sheets at its full size, with line-up marks and 1 cm of overlap. Print them at 100% (“actual size”, not “fit to page”), trim along the marks and tape the sheets together from the back.
Tips for a good print
- Check for the “Low res for print” label on photos before you print. Make that photo a little smaller, or use a bigger original.
- Prints look a little darker than screens. Matte paper avoids glare on a wall.
- Keep words about 5 mm from the edges.
- Save a backup of the board too (“Save as a file”), so you can print it again next year.
Hang it where you’ll see it
Washi tape on the wall beside your desk, an A3 frame, a clipboard on a hook or pins on a corkboard all work. What matters is that you see it every day.