1. (Than your supervisor)
Make better posters
(Than your supervisor)
Preparing for PhD day 2017
Karoline Moe

2. What is a poster?
A poster is any piece of printed paper designed to be attached to a wall or vertical surface.
Typically posters include both textual and graphic elements, although a poster may be either wholly graphical or wholly text.
Posters are designed to be both eye-catching and informative.
Wikipedia

3. Poster Information is conveyed to a specific target audience through:
Text
Font
Graphics
Design elements
Colours
References
Personal preferences …

4. Examples
Movie posters

5. Four basic desgin principles
The Non-Designer’s Design Book
by Robin Williams

6. Four basic desgin principles
Contrast
If elements are not the same, make them very different
Repetition
Repeat visual elements throughout
Alignment
Nothing is arbitrary and lines are strong
Proximity
Elements that are related should be placed together

7. Elements
Text
Graphics
Lines
Shapes
Logos
Colours
Sizes

8. Proximity Place text and pictures in groups
Gives the reader small pieces to focus on
The reader reads one group as one piece of information
Make sure that you group things in a way that communicates what you want

9. Proximity Place text and pictures in groups
Gives the reader small pieces to focus on
The reader reads one group as one piece of information
Make sure that you group things in a way that communicates what you want
Separating items has an effect too!

10. Alignment Always use a grid Block your content
All objects should be positioned with respect to another object
Beware of lines and curves
Work mathematically
F.ex. with the golden ratio: 1:1,618
White space
Makes it easier to read text and follow the flow
Evenly distributed

11. Repetition Everything can be repeated Unifies and ties things together
Colours, shapes, fonts, images…
Unifies and ties things together
Gives it a professional look
Add elements just for the purpose of repetition

12. Contrast Adds visual interest
Creates organizational hierarchy and flow
Emphasizes and hides
Moves your eyes from one place to another
Must be strong to work
Everything can be contrasted
Text, fonts, colours, objects, symbols, position, texture, pictures…

13. Contrast Adds visual interest
Creates organizational hierarchy and flow
Emphasizes and hides
Moves your eyes from one place to another
Must be STRONG to work
Everything can be contrasted
Text, fonts, colours, objects, symbols, position, texture, pictures…

14. Use them together!
Alignment
Proximity
Repetition
Contrast

15. From picture to pictogram
How much do you really need?
Picture
Photograph with realistic amount of detail
Texture, colour, light & shade, objects
Remove details one by one
Pictogram
only the details that convey essential information are left
Very important for backgrounds, design elements, logos
An example from Star Wars

16. Everything has a meaning
Design and design elements carry information
Does it communicate:
What you want it to communicate?
To the audience you want to reach?
Use and reuse symbols carefully
Think things through, ask others!
Funny or offensive?
Does it really improve your poster?

17. Flow – an example How do you move your eyes?
All the design principles and elements can be used to make the readers eyes go where you want them to!
This creates dynamics and flow in a poster
Think about why and where you move your eyes in this example