Posters are one of the oldest advertising mediums used. Posters are simple to print and distribute and can be placed in a variety of locations to draw attention to a product release or event. When creating a poster there are several factors to take into account to make a memorable design.
The following guide highlights some of the factors to take into account when designing posters.
Layout of Information on a Poster
The first place to start is with the content of your poster. By arranging the content into an order the rest of the design should flow in sequence.
Start off by jotting down the core information to be included on your poster. Choose your titles and sub headers to and use them to draft bullet points for generating any additional text. Once this is completed you can begin to organise the information under these headings and prioritise the order of information to display.
One of the key factors to creating a good poster layout is simplicity. If there is too much going on it will be difficult for people viewing it to pick out the focal points of the design. Remember to leave blank space on your poster so that it is easy to pick out the text from the rest of the design.
Illustration on Posters
Pictures and photos can add extra impact to your design and help to draw attention to it. For some designs you can emphasise the graphical content more than the text to help get the message across.
If you are using illustrations take time to position them well to prevent the design from becoming too busy. Try to pick as high resolution images as possible and bear in mind that the quality may change considerably when the end product is actually printed off.
When choosing the images and style of the poster make sure that the colours compliment each other well. Clashing or brash colours may make your poster difficult to read. Take particular care when considering the text colour and main colour for the background of the poster. Many designers choose to stick with a classic white backing and black text as not only is it easy to view but it is also cost effective to print.
Lettering Used on Posters
The main factors to take into account are the size of the text and the font style. Capitals can be used but are best used sparingly for titles and sub headers.
When choosing the font the size is of most relevance. The main title should be the largest and should take central focus on the page. To be viewed from a distance the title font should be at least four cm high. If you are going to use sub headers and descriptive text the size should fit in proportion with the main title. Sub headers work best if they are half the size of the main title and descriptive text should be half the size again.
When arranging the text for your posters take care to choose a clear layout. Arrange the text into columns or rows for ease of reading. Remember a minimal design with less text and information may get more response than a jumbled design with too much going on.