The short version
- Band poster design has to work at two distances: across a street on a wall and at arm's length on a phone.
- The band name, the date or dates and the venue should be readable from several metres away.
- Common print sizes are A3 at 3508×4961 pixels and 18×24 inches at 5400×7200 pixels, both at 300 dpi.
- A tour date list reads best in one aligned column with a consistent date format and cities set bolder than venues.
- A poster designed in a tall shape adapts well to a 1080×1350 feed post and a 1080×1920 story.
On this page
Good band poster design works at two distances: from across the street, where only the band name and date need to land, and up close on a phone, where people check the venue and grab a ticket link. Start with a tall print size, make the name huge and the dates orderly, then build the social versions from the same artwork. That way the wall and the feed sell the same show.
What a gig poster needs
- The band name, biggest thing on the page and readable as a thumbnail.
- Date or dates, clear enough to read while walking past.
- Venue and city, because people need to know if it is their local.
- Support acts, smaller, in one shared size.
- Tickets: a short web address or the venue's name for the box office, plus a QR code on print.
- Doors and age policy, small, at the bottom.
Anything beyond this is atmosphere. Artwork, texture and colour are what make a poster worth keeping, but they should never sit between the reader and the facts. Poster design covers the general principles; this article is about the specific job of a gig.
Concert poster sizes for print
Ask the venue and the printer what they want before you design. Most noticeboards take A3 or A4, window posters are often larger, and US venues commonly use 18×24 inches. Design at the final size, at 300 dpi, with bleed.
Best for
Best for
Best for
Pixels at 300 dpi
Best for
Best for
A3 poster
3508 × 4961
18×24 in poster
5400 × 7200
Feed post 4:5
1080 × 1350
Story 9:16
1080 × 1920
Tour poster design: setting the dates
On a tour poster the date list is the main event. It needs to be scannable: someone should find their city in a couple of seconds. Set it in one column, choose one date format and stick to it, and use weight to separate cities from venues.
THU 01 OCT LEEDS The Crescent
FRI 02 OCT GLASGOW Union Rooms
SAT 03 OCT MANCHESTER Mill Yard
MON 05 OCT BRISTOL The Harbour
TUE 06 OCT LONDON Hall Two SOLD OUT- 1
Use figures of equal width
Many typefaces have tabular figures. They keep the dates aligned in a neat column.
- 2
Abbreviate consistently
THU 01 OCT on every line, never a mix of Thursday 1st and 2 Oct.
- 3
Group by month or region on long tours
A thin rule or a small heading every ten dates stops the list becoming a wall.
- 4
Update it as shows sell out
Repost with SOLD OUT tags. A filling tour is the strongest reason to buy before it is too late.
Making one poster work on the wall and the phone
On a wall
- Seen from several metres, often in passing
- Competes with other posters around it
- Band name and date must read at a distance
- Texture and paper finish add character
- QR code helps people buy on the spot
On a phone
- Seen at arm's length, but very small
- Competes with an endless feed
- Band name must read as a thumbnail
- Fine detail and small type disappear
- A link sticker or bio link replaces the QR
The practical answer is a tall design with the name in the upper third and the dates in a clear block. For the feed, rebuild it at 1080×1350, dropping the smallest print details. For stories, make a 1080×1920 version that leads with the name and one line: the next date, or "Tour on sale now".
The feed version: name, month and cities. The venue list lives in the caption.
A story from the same artwork, used mid tour to push the remaining dates.
Gig poster looks that print well
Gig posters have a strong print tradition: screen prints, risograph, photocopied punk flyers. Those looks work because they use few colours and bold shapes, which also happen to read well on a phone. Two or three ink like colours with a grainy blend between them can carry an entire tour.
For type, a heavy condensed sans or a chunky retro face does most of the work. Retro fonts has options with real character, and gradient posters shows how to use colour blends on print without banding.
In Gradiently, a claimed Mark gives the tour a background that is yours alone, and the Riso, Cut and Extrude lettering treatments give the band name a printed feel. With Pro, the A3 poster resizes into the feed post and story in one step, and exports as a print PDF with bleed and crop marks ready for the printer.
Questions people ask
What size is a standard gig poster?
A3, 3508×4961 pixels at 300 dpi, is the common size in the UK and Europe. In the US, 18×24 inches, 5400×7200 pixels, is common.
What should be on a band poster?
The band name, the date or dates, the venue and city, support acts, how to get tickets, and doors and age policy in small type.
How do I lay out tour dates on a poster?
Use one aligned column with the same date format on every line, cities bolder than venues, and mark sold out shows clearly.
Can I use the same design for a poster and Instagram?
Yes, if you rebuild it for each shape. Start at print size, then make a 1080×1350 feed version and a 1080×1920 story with fewer small details.
What resolution should a band poster be for print?
300 dpi at the final print size. A3 at 300 dpi is 3508×4961 pixels.
Written by Gradiently
The team behind Gradiently, a design tool built around Marks: living gradients that make everything you design look like yours.
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