How to print your star map
Your star map arrives as print-ready files. Here's exactly which file to use, which size and paper to pick, what to tell the print shop, and how to frame it, so it looks as good on the wall as it does on screen.
Updated October 1, 2026
Which file should I use? #
When you unlock your poster you can download it in four formats. They all show the same artwork; they're just made for different jobs. If in doubt, use the PDF.
| File | What it is | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| PDF Recommended | A print-ready page at the exact paper size you chose, with a high-quality image inside | Sending to any print shop, or printing at home at “Actual size / 100%” |
| PNG | A lossless high-resolution image with its print size (DPI) embedded | Online poster and photo printing services that take PNG, viewing on screens, sharing |
| JPG | The same image as a high-quality JPEG | Photo labs and kiosks that only accept JPG |
| SVG | The vector master with fonts embedded. It scales to any size without losing sharpness | Designers, large-format printers, and editing colors or text in Illustrator, Inkscape or Affinity. Most photo labs can't open SVG, so use the PDF there |
Your files are named after the date, style and paper size, for example skynolie-2024-06-15-midnight-12x16in.pdf (couple's posters start with skynolie-couple-). That makes it easy to check you're sending the right size before you print.
Which size should I print? #
Pick your paper size in the studio before you download. You can change it as often as you like after unlocking, so you can download a small version for home and a big one for the frame.
Desk, shelf, nightstand or a small wall. Ready-made frames are easy to find, and it prints at 300 DPI when you download on a computer (about 290 on a phone).
Above a bed, sofa or fireplace. 50 × 70 cm also works well.
On heavyweight matte photo paper. Perfect for a card, a desk frame, or a last-minute gift.
Every size, and how it fits
The artwork is designed at a 3:4 ratio. “Perfect fit” sizes are exactly 3:4, so the design fills the whole sheet. For other sizes the file still matches your paper exactly: the artwork is centered and the extra space is filled with the poster's own background color. Nothing is ever cropped, and the bands look like part of the design.
| Size | Also | Fit on the sheet | Resolution* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect fit (3:4, no border) | |||
| 12 × 16 in Best | 30.5 × 40.6 cm | Fills the sheet | 300 DPI |
| 30 × 40 cm Best | 11.8 × 15.7 in | Fills the sheet | 300 DPI |
| 9 × 12 in | 22.9 × 30.5 cm | Fills the sheet | 300 DPI |
| 18 × 24 in Wall | 45.7 × 61 cm | Fills the sheet | ~236 DPI |
| 45 × 60 cm Wall | 17.7 × 23.6 in | Fills the sheet | ~240 DPI |
| 60 × 80 cm | 23.6 × 31.5 in | Fills the sheet | ~180 DPI |
| US sizes | |||
| US Letter Home | 8.5 × 11 in · 21.6 × 27.9 cm | Slim bands left & right (about ⅛ in / 3 mm each) | 300 DPI |
| 8 × 10 in | 20.3 × 25.4 cm | Bands left & right (about ¼ in / 6 mm each) | 300 DPI |
| 11 × 14 in | 27.9 × 35.6 cm | Bands left & right (about ¼ in / 6 mm each) | 300 DPI |
| 16 × 20 in | 40.6 × 50.8 cm | Bands left & right (about ½ in / 13 mm each) | ~274 DPI |
| 24 × 36 in | 61 × 91.4 cm | Bands top & bottom (about 2 in / 5 cm each) | ~167 DPI |
| International sizes | |||
| A4 Home | 21 × 29.7 cm · 8.3 × 11.7 in | Bands top & bottom (about 8.5 mm each) | 300 DPI |
| A3 | 29.7 × 42 cm · 11.7 × 16.5 in | Bands top & bottom (about 12 mm each) | 300 DPI |
| A2 | 42 × 59.4 cm · 16.5 × 23.4 in | Bands top & bottom (about 17 mm each) | ~249 DPI |
| 40 × 50 cm | 15.7 × 19.7 in | Bands left & right (about 12.5 mm each) | ~278 DPI |
| 50 × 70 cm Wall | 19.7 × 27.6 in | Bands top & bottom (about 17 mm each) | ~210 DPI |
* Resolution of the PNG, JPG and the image inside the PDF when you download on a computer. Anything from 150 DPI up prints sharp at normal viewing distance for a wall poster, so every size here is safe. Phones cap the image at a smaller size to stay within their memory, so for big prints (16 × 20 in and up) download on a computer. The SVG has no resolution limit at all.
Which paper is best for a star map poster? #
Matte (non-glossy) photo paper or fine-art paper, 200–310 gsm. That's a thick, card-like paper that stays flat in a frame and doesn't bounce light around.
- Midnight, Blush and Aurora (the dark styles) look richest on matte or fine-art paper, with deep, even darks and no glare.
- Ink (the light style) looks best on bright-white or natural-white matte paper.
- Avoid glossy for anything going behind glass. Glossy paper behind glass gives you two reflections, and dark posters show every one of them.
Where to print it #
Three good routes, depending on how soon you need it and how big you want it.
Print shop
- Send
- The PDF, downloaded at the size you want.
- Ask for
- A “matte poster”, or a “giclée / fine-art print” for the premium version.
- Say
- “Please print this PDF at actual size on matte paper, with no color correction.”
Online printer
- Upload
- The PNG or JPG (whichever they accept).
- Choose
- The same print size as your file, and a matte paper.
- Switch off
- Any “auto-enhance” or “auto-correct” option, so they don't brighten your night sky.
- Check
- If their preview shows a crop line cutting into your poster, the size doesn't match your file. Pick the size your file was made for.
At home
- Download
- The PDF at A4 or US Letter.
- Load
- Heavyweight matte photo paper.
- Print at
- “Actual size” and the best quality setting.
- Good to know
- Most home printers can't print right to the edge, so a thin white margin is normal. Trim it off, or let a mat or frame cover it.
Printer settings that matter #
- Actual size / 100%. Your file is already exactly the size of your paper. Avoid “Fit to page”: it shrinks the design and adds white edges. If your paper is a different size, go back to the studio and download that size instead.
- Highest quality. Choose “Best” or “High quality”, and set the paper type to matte photo paper so the printer lays down the right amount of ink.
- Turn off auto-enhance and color correction. These features try to “fix” dark photos and will lighten your sky.
- Expect it slightly darker than your screen. Paper doesn't glow the way a bright screen does, so colors look a little deeper in print. That's normal; just make sure the shop doesn't auto-correct it.
Framing your star map #
Any ready-made frame in your print size works. For a more finished, gallery look, add a mat (the card border between the print and the frame) and buy the frame one size up:
| Your print | Frame with a mat |
|---|---|
| 12 × 16 in | 16 × 20 in frame (40.6 × 50.8 cm) |
| 30 × 40 cm | 40 × 50 cm frame |
| A4 | 30 × 40 cm frame |
| 18 × 24 in | 24 × 32 in frame (61 × 81.3 cm) |
Giving it as a gift #
Print shops can often do it the same day, while online services usually take 3–7 days. If the day is close, here's the last-minute path that always works:
- Design and buy it now. Your files unlock instantly in your browser.
- Send the PDF with a note today. Attach it to a message or email: “This is the sky the night we met. Let's choose a frame together.”
- Print and frame it together later. Choosing the frame becomes part of the gift.
Want something to hand over on the day? Print an A4 or Letter copy at home on heavyweight matte paper and slip it into a card or a simple frame, then order the big one afterward.
Something doesn't look right? #
Why does my print look darker than on my screen?
Screens are lit from behind and paper isn't, so every print looks a little darker and deeper than the screen. To keep it close: use matte paper, print at the highest quality, and turn off auto-enhance or color correction. If a shop printed it, ask them to reprint with no auto-correction.
Why are there white edges around my print?
White edges come from the printer, not the file. Either the page was scaled (“Fit to page”) or the printer can't print right to the edge. Print at “Actual size / 100%”, turn on borderless printing if your printer has it, or trim the white margin off. The bands that fitted sizes add are always the poster's own background color (deep navy for Midnight, warm cream for Ink), never plain paper white.
The SVG opens with the wrong font. What do I do?
The SVG has its fonts embedded, but some apps ignore embedded fonts and swap in their own. Use the PDF instead: it always prints with the right typeface. If you want to edit the SVG, install the free fonts Cormorant Garamond and Outfit first.
My file won't download. What's wrong?
If you opened Skynolie from inside Instagram, TikTok, Facebook or another app, that app's built-in browser often blocks downloads. Open the page in Safari or Chrome instead (look for “Open in browser” in the app's menu), then restore your purchase with your receipt ID.
How do I get my poster on another phone or computer?
Use Restore a purchase on the homepage and enter the receipt ID shown after payment (it starts with SKY-). Your poster comes back as it was when you unlocked it, ready to download. A PayPal order ID or SKY- code also works; with a crypto transaction hash, set up the same date, time and place first.
The sky or the text on my poster is wrong.
You can still change the title, your line, names, the printed place label and the paper size after unlocking. If you entered the wrong date, time or place, or something else is off, email streamofwork@gmail.com with your receipt ID and we'll help. Every purchase also has a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Star map printing FAQ #
What size should I print my star map?
For most people, 12 × 16 in (US) or 30 × 40 cm (Europe and elsewhere): it suits a desk, shelf, nightstand or small wall and prints at 300 DPI when you download on a computer (about 290 on a phone). For a statement wall piece, choose 18 × 24 in or 45 × 60 cm (50 × 70 cm also works). To print at home today, use A4 or US Letter.
Which file should I send to the print shop?
The PDF. It's a print-ready page at the exact paper size you chose, and any print shop can open it. Use the PNG or JPG for online printers and photo kiosks, and keep the SVG for designers and large-format printing.
What is the best paper for a star map poster?
Matte (non-glossy) photo or fine-art paper, 200–310 gsm. Dark styles look richest on matte or fine-art paper with no glare, and the light Ink style looks best on bright-white or natural-white matte. Avoid glossy paper for anything going behind glass.
Can I print my star map at home?
Yes. Download the PDF at A4 or US Letter, load heavyweight matte photo paper, and print at “Actual size” with the best quality setting and auto-enhance turned off.
How long does it take to get a star map printed?
Your files download instantly. Local print shops can often print the same day, and online printing services usually take 3–7 days. For a last-minute gift, send the PDF with a note now, then print and frame it together later.