How to Print and Paint Your Letter Portrait

Once your design is done, the files are in your account right after payment. The rest is up to you: printing the file and painting it. This guide covers what to ask the print shop for, which paper to choose and which pens work best.

Which file is which?

You'll find three files in your account:

File	What it's for	Print it?
Print file	Empty squares, with the letters, notes and painting marks on top	Yes, give this one to the print shop
Painted preview	How the finished piece will look, with the notes highlighted	No, keep the surprise
Painting guide	The painted portrait, notes unmarked	Optional: print it small and keep it beside you while painting

The files include thin lines between the squares by default, which make the squares easier to tell apart while painting. A version without lines is also available.

What to tell the print shop

Most large-format print shops and online poster printers can print the file. When you order, ask for:

1. Size: the size you chose while designing, for example A1 (23.4 × 33.1 in, 59.4 × 84.1 cm). The file is made for that size.
2. No scaling: printed at 100%, with no "fit to page" or resizing.
3. Paper: thick and matte, ideally 300 gsm textured paper (roughly 110 lb cover).
4. Sharpness: the letters and square lines must come out crisp. If you're unsure, ask for a small test print of one corner first.

Printing in the US? A1 and 70 × 100 cm are not standard US poster sizes. Ask for a custom size that matches the file exactly. Don't let it be stretched or cropped to 24 × 36 in; the proportions are different and the squares will no longer line up.

Don't print it smaller than the file's size. The letters and squares shrink, making both reading and painting harder.

Create your design

Which pens to paint with

The squares are small: about 2 mm (under 1/10 in) on A1. Use deep black felt-tip pens whose tip is no wider than a square, or the ink will spill into neighboring squares. Two pens together work best:

• Fine tip (0.3–0.5 mm): for single squares and edges.
• Slightly broader tip (1–1.5 mm): for long vertical runs, filling a square in one stroke.

Pencils and ballpoint pens aren't recommended: pencil shines under light, and ballpoint ink builds up unevenly.

Which squares to paint

The painting instructions that come with your files explain which squares to paint. They're kept separate on purpose, so the person receiving the gift can discover the portrait as it appears. If it's a gift, keep the instructions until the last moment.

You don't have to paint the notes. Circle them like a word search, highlight them, or simply find and read them.

Tips while painting

• Tape it down. A big sheet slides easily; tape the corners to the table.
• Work from top to bottom so your hand doesn't smudge what you've painted.
• Take breaks. You don't have to finish in one sitting.
• Paint together. Shared with family, a class or friends, painting can be the best part of the gift.

When it's finished

Frame it or hang it straight on the wall. Print the gift page QR code and stick it on the back, and the notes can be read one by one for years to come.

Still deciding who it's for? Browse gift ideas by person and occasion.