A0, A1 or A2: which size for a family tree poster?

The three sizes side by side

All A sizes share one shape: cut a sheet in half across its long side and you get the next size down. A design made for A1 scales cleanly to A0 or A2.

A2: a hallway or a gift

A2 is large enough to be a feature, and still easy to frame and hang. It suits a tree of a few generations, or a decorative tree of life centred on one person. Fit too many people on an A2 and the writing becomes small.

A1: the popular middle

A1 gives double the area of A2, so it is the usual choice for a larger tree or a poster that people will stand and read. It suits a living room wall, a family room, or a display at a gathering.

A0: a statement piece

A0 is four times the area of A2, and nearly a metre wide. It is for a big family tree, a reunion, or a wall that deserves a centrepiece. It needs a print shop with a large format printer, and a wall and frame to match.

How many people fit?

It depends on the design and card style, so there is no honest single number. As a rough guide using Gedcom Art’s own sample family of about 107 people in the Heritage tree design, the smallest writing comes out at about 6 points on A1 and about 9 points on A0. Gedcom Art shows this number for your own tree and warns you when it is under about 6.5 points, so you can change size before you print.

Before you commit

• Measure the wall and the door, because a large print has to be carried in.
• Check the print shop’s sizes and price for each.
• Look at the readable-text number for your tree on each size in the app.
• Frame sizes vary, and standard frames for A1 and A0 cost more than for A2.

The full list of supported sizes, including US and European sizes, is in the poster size guide.