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Poster

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How to guide



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red sea

Contents

[edit] Hints and Tips for Good Poster Design:

1. Keep it simple

  • Don’t use too many fonts or pictures, don’t complicate the design, simplicity can often be more visually effective.
  • Effective posters have well-balanced areas of 'white space' (white space shouldn't be interpreted literally, but rather indicates space which does not have text or photos, areas which are free of 'content'). White space makes it easier for the audience to follow the ideas presented in the poster - so don't be tempted to fill every square inch with information, patterns or pictures.
  • Ornate fonts are difficult to read - when choosing fonts - the simpler and bolder, the better.

2. Colour

  • Colour is an important part of designing posters, as colour can be used to create mood and atmosphere, can be used to attract attention, or can be symbolic and can be associated with different feelings.
  • When using colours in your posters - think of your audience. Will 12 year-old boys be attracted to colours such as lavendar, pink and baby blue?
  • Try not to use too many colours in one poster. Colour can be used to create order and continuity, and by including a rainbow assortment of colours this ideal will not be achieved.
  • While colours can be used to attract attention, avoid colours which are too bright, especially luminous greens, yellows and pinks. These are not easy to read from a distance.
  • A very striking and powerful element of design is the use of white letters/pictures/graphics on a black background (WOB), this will certainly attract the attention of passers-by.

3. Photographs

  • Always crop your photographs to eliminate any unnecessary information. This will also focus the viewer on any signficant details you would like to emphasise.
  • Take care when enlarging your photographs - be sure not to use photos which are pixilated. Graphics should be clear and sharp, so always try to find a high-quality image.

[edit] Elements and Principles of Design

Elements and principles of design are the basic tenets of layout. It is good to keep these more theoretical idea in mind when producing your poster, as these are tried and tested principles which have proven to be visually effective. The information in this section was sourced from the 'Other guides on the web' section below. This is a brief summary, so for more in-depth information on this topic, follow the links in that section.

1. Elements of Design

  • Line

Line is considered in two ways - the actual linear mark from one point to another, or the creation of an edge when two shapes meet.

  • Colour

Colour is discussed briefly in the 'Hints and Tips' section.

  • Texture

The surface quality of a shape and can be assessed either visually or physically.

  • Shape

A self-contained area. The existence of a shape implies an area of 'content-free space' - this is called 'white space' and is explained above.

  • Direction

Horizontal lines are associated with calmness and stability; vertical lines with balance and formality; and oblique lines suggest movement and activity.

  • Value

The lightness or darkness of a colour.

The elements of design are considered the building blocks used to create visual material. How these elements are arranged and implemented are the principles of design, and the successful use of the principles of design result in a well-structured and effective poster.

2. Principles of Design

There are varied opinions as to what the list of principles should strictly include - the following list of principles are the ones we thought most important when designing a poster:

  • Balance

Balance refers to the weight of the composition, comparing the left to the right-hand side. Picture an imaginary vertical line through the middle of your composition. When the balance is symmetrical, the composition looks more stiff and formal. Asymmetrical balance creates a more spontaneous and informal design. Keep this in mind when creating your composition and the kind of image (formal or informal) you would like to create, depending on your audience’s tastes.

  • Movement

Believe it or not, movement can be created on a piece of paper by cleverly using different elements of design. As mentioned previously, a diagonal line creates vibrance and movement. Remember that a line can also be created by how you align shapes too.

Another way of creating movement is through the gradation, or blending of colour – from dark to light or visa versa. The grading of different colours in this spectrum creates perspective, and causes the eye to move along a shape. Be conservative and subtle with this tool, as the gradation of all the colours of the rainbow in one go, can tend to look tacky.

  • Points of visual interest

Movement is also aided by the effective use of points of visual interest. Points of visual interest are created by the effective use of emphasis – by making some parts of the composition bigger and bolder than others, depending on their importance. Careful placement of the points of visual interest, will lead the eye of the viewer around the poster, creating movement and aiding the reception of the message you would like to impart.

Contrast is the pairing of opposing elements, for example different colours on the colour wheel, different directions or tones and values. The contrasting elements should be placed at the centre of visual interest. The centre of visual interest is found slightly above, to the right of the actual centre of the page. This tends to be the natural placement of visual focus. Once again, don’t use too many contrasting elements in one composition, as this creates a feeling of chaos.

  • Unity

While points of visual interest and contrast make the poster exciting to look at – take care to also consider that your poster should “hold together” in order to create a sense of unity. A disorganized, chaotic poster will not achieve the goal of communicating your chosen message.

Ways to create unity are to associate like concepts with certain colours, to overlap and group the elements that belong together, or to visually carry through your chosen theme through the poster.

Picture idea: perhaps illustrate the principles similar to: http://www.johnlovett.com/test.htm and maybe http://www.goshen.edu/art/ed/Compose.htm - just without the butterflies.

[edit] Practical advice:

  • Always start by setting the guides and margins on the page.
  • Lock the guides, so that when moving pictures around the page you don't accidentally move the guides and margins.
  • Before you complete your poster - check that your photos, headings, texts and other visual elements are aligned. Taking care of these types of details will leave you with a well-rounded and neat poster.
  • Always print out a copy of the poster to check for any unforseen errors. This is especially important to check the quality of the colours you have used - remember that the colour on your computer screen very rarely looks the same on paper.
  • Once you have finished the poster – package all the fonts, pictures and any other content you have used into one folder – this will be easier for the printer to track and install all the fonts, and for your own records.

[edit] Examples of effective posters

[edit] Other guides on the Web

'How to make a great poster' by Dina F. Mandoli

Media: Website
Description: While this resource was created for cut and paste posters, there are some useful tips on font size, use of colour and the quality of photographs.
Licence: All Rights Reserved.
Level: entry
URL: http://www.aspb.org/education/poster.cfm


'Lesson Plan for Lesson Plan, Eight Grade: Poster design for Peace' by Judy Decker

Media: Website
Description: Despite the fact that this lesson plan has been designed for eighth graders, this is a handy introduction to the elements and priniciples of design, with some practical hints and tips.
Licence: All Rights Reserved
Level: entry
URL: http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/Lessons/8Poster.htm

'The Principles of Design' by Joshua David McClurg-Genevese

Media: Website
Description: This article appears on the 'Digital Web Magazine' site, but McClurg-Genevese believes that the basis of any good design, whether print or electronic, can be found in strong principles. This provides an excellent explanation of the Principles of Design, with pictures to illustrate them too. Be sure to scroll done to the end, where the author has provided a host of further links on this topic.
Licence: All Rights Reserved
Level: medium
URL: http://www.digital-web.com/articles/principles_of_design/

Design and Colour by John Lovett

Media: Website
Description: While this is written for artists, Lovett's description of the elements and principles of design are relevant to poster design too.
Licence: All Rights Reserved
Level: entry
URL: http://www.johnlovett.com/test.htm

Composition and Design Elements, Principles, and Visual Effects by Marvin Bartel

Media: Website
Description: Written as a teaching aid for young children, this is still a good resource with much information on the topic.
Licence: All Rights Reserved
Level: entry
URL: http://www.goshen.edu/art/ed/Compose.htm

Jo's Toolkit Design Links

Media: Website
Description: This website provides resources for student and grassroots journalists, with links and tips on various forms of media, including design and layout. Follow the links on this page for more in-depth blogs and websites dealing with design and layout.
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 South Africa
Level: Links provided on this page range from medium to high
URL: http://jostoolkit.ru.ac.za/?cat=35
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