Poster Making
Senior 3 · Fine Arts
Poster Making
Lesson 2 of 4
25 min
The poster below was printed in the late 1930s to persuade people to look after their health. Trace the path your eye takes. It starts at the big words at the top, slides down the strong diagonal of sunlight, glass, fruit and sleeping face, and lands on "OBEY" and the last line at the bottom. That path was planned. In this lesson you will learn the principles designers use to control what is seen first, second and third, and how to arrange a poster so its message reads in seconds.
Definition
Layout (composition): the arrangement of text, images and space on the page.
Visual hierarchy: the order in which the viewer notices things, controlled by size, contrast, colour and position.
Focal point: the element the eye goes to first.
Alignment: lining elements up along shared edges or centre lines. Proximity: placing related items close together so they read as a group.
White space (negative space): empty space around and between elements. It need not be white.
Margin: the empty border between the content and the edge of the poster.
Balance: an even distribution of visual weight. Symmetrical balance mirrors the two halves; asymmetrical balance uses different elements of equal weight.
| Principle | What it means on a poster | Quick check |
|---|---|---|
| Hierarchy | three levels: the headline or main image first, supporting words second, details last | Can you name the first, second and third thing you see? |
| Contrast | make important things clearly different: bigger, bolder, darker or brighter | Does the headline stand out from 3 m away? |
| Alignment | every element lines up with something else | Can you draw straight lines down the edges of the text blocks? |
| Proximity | related information grouped; unrelated information separated | Are date, time and place together in one block? |
| Repetition | repeat colours, shapes or type styles to unify the design | Do no more than two type styles and three main colours appear? |
| White space | generous margins and gaps let elements breathe | Is there clear space round the headline? |
You have met several of these in Senior 1 lettering layouts. On a poster they work together: hierarchy decides the order, contrast makes it visible, alignment and proximity make it tidy, repetition makes it one design, and white space lets the viewer see it all.
Before you design on the computer, draw at least six thumbnails: tiny sketches, about 5 cm tall, in the proportions of your poster. Try different layouts. Choose the best two, and draw them larger as roughs.
The "before" poster in Figure 2 has every item at a similar size, so nothing leads. Items are tilted and scattered, there are no margins, and the date is far from the place. The "after" poster has the same words. It gains one big headline, one strong image, a grouped and aligned block of details, a clear call to action, and even margins.
Worked example 1: setting out an A3 poster
An A3 poster is 297 mm wide and 420 mm high. Find (a) the rule-of-thirds lines and (b) the space left for content with 15 mm margins.
(a) Vertical lines: and from the left edge. Horizontal lines: and from the top.
(b) Width: . Height: .
Mark these as guides before placing anything.
Worked example 2: analysing a layout
Analyse the hierarchy of the tuberculosis poster.
First: "FIGHT TUBERCULOSIS", the largest, darkest words, placed at the top where reading begins.
Second: the diagonal of images, in strong yellow against black, leading the eye down.
Third: "OBEY THE RULES OF HEALTH", the call to action, at the end of the path.
Balance: asymmetrical. The heavy black shape on the left is balanced by the large face and lettering on the right.
White space: the pale ground round the edges keeps the busy centre from feeling crowded.
<em>Visual Hierarchy In Poster Design</em>, from Gareth David Studio. As you watch, note each way the designer makes one element more important than another, and add any new ones to the principles table.
Warning
Filling every gap. Beginners fear empty space and fill it with clip art, borders and extra words. Empty space is a design tool: it makes the important things easier to see.
Text too near the edge. Printing and trimming are not perfectly accurate. Keep all text inside the margins.
Tip
First, second, third. Before you finish, ask a friend what they saw first, second and third. If it is not what you planned, change the sizes and contrast, not the content.
Practice
Define visual hierarchy and give the three levels of a typical poster.
What is the difference between alignment and proximity?
An A4 poster is 210 mm by 297 mm. Where are its rule-of-thirds lines?
With 12 mm margins, how much width is left for content on an A4 poster held upright?
In a Z-pattern layout, where should the call to action go, and why?
Uwamahoro's poster has eight items all in the same size of type, each in a different colour. Evaluate it using two principles and suggest improvements.
Thumbnail task. Draw six thumbnails for the poster from your brief in Lesson 1, using at least three different layouts. Star the best two and explain your choice.
1. The order in which the viewer notices things. First the headline or main image, then supporting words, then details.
2. Alignment lines elements up along shared edges or centres; proximity groups related items close together.
3. Vertical lines at 70 mm and 140 mm from the left; horizontal lines at 99 mm and 198 mm from the top.
4. .
5. At the bottom right, the end of the Z, because that is where the eye finishes, so the last thing seen is what to do.
6. There is no hierarchy, because nothing is bigger, so nothing leads; there is no repetition, because eight colours break the unity. Make the headline much larger, group the details in one small aligned block, and use two or three colours only.
7. Check: six thumbnails in the poster's proportions; at least three layouts; reasons refer to hierarchy, balance or reading path.
Which of the six principles did you find hardest to see in your own thumbnails, and how will you check for it in your final design?
Sources and credits
