Thick hard-magnetic films have been prepared from NdFeB microparticles dispersed in polymethylmethacrylate solutions. The preparation process included the application of different magnetic fields during the drying of the hard particles dispersion, which resulted on different degrees of out-of-plane macroscopic anisotropy. From the analysis of the temperature dependence of the coercivity of the films it was concluded that the induced macroscopic anisotropy was linked to the occurrence of columnar particle aggregates. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.