If you’re making a poster to hang on the wall, poster board will work amazingly. If you’re making a protest sign, choose a sturdier material like foam core, which is durable enough to last through a rally, but still light enough to allow you to fight injustice all day. For more complex presentations, like a book report, opt for a tri-fold poster board.
For example, if you’re making a poster to let people know about an upcoming food drive, your list might include the date, location, and time of the drive, as well as ideas for graphics like cans of vegetables, a plate of food, or a fork and a spoon.
Don’t crowd the page too much, since a cluttered poster won’t have as much visual impact. Try to space out your letters evenly. In design, this is known as kerning. If you bunch them all together, your poster will be harder to read. If you prefer, you can use a computer-based painting or drawing program to design your poster, even if you plan to eventually draw it by hand.
Make sure your poster is easy to read up close and from a distance. Your headline text should be large and clear, in an easy-to-read font. If you include any graphics in your poster, they should be relatively simple and easy to make out no matter where you’re standing.
Make sure your poster answers the questions what, where, and when, including both the date and time of your event.
Some common calls to action include “Call (this number),” “Visit (your location or event),” or “Stop (pollution, for instance). ” For instance, if you’re making a poster for a concert, your call to action might be, “Visit our website to buy tickets!” Make sure to include the website either in the call to action or just below it.
By using pencil, you’ll be able to erase any mistakes you make. Lightly draw a guide line with your pencil and a ruler if you need help keeping your letters straight. If you make too many mistakes, just flip the board over and start again on the other side.
Red, orange, and yellow are energizing colors, making them great for political signs and event posters. Blues and greens are peaceful, so they’re good for PSAs and informative posters. Plain black and white can make a powerful statement as well.
If you’re creating a poster for a charity event or a school dance, try outlining your letters in glitter glue for a fun pop of sparkle. Symbols can make a powerful impact on a poster without needing to add any additional words. For example, a peace sign is the perfect addition to an anti-war poster. You can also print out a picture and include it on your poster, but make sure to use either a picture you took yourself or a free stock photo. Don’t use someone else’s copyrighted work.
If you decide to go with a website where you can design and order a poster, be sure to read through customer reviews to find one that’s reliable and reputable. If you’re planning to print the poster yourself, you may need to go to a specialty printing store. Some popular poster-design websites include Canva, Adobe Spark Post, Venngage, and Piktochart.
Opt for smaller posters that are about 11 by 17 inches (28 cm × 43 cm) if you want to print them in bulk and hand them out, like flyers. Medium-sized posters, or about 18 by 24 inches (46 cm × 61 cm), are great for putting up in the halls at school. Large posters are often used for movies or advertisements, and they are usually about 27 by 40 inches (69 cm × 102 cm).
If you want the public to purchase tickets, be sure to include the ticket price as well.
A bold, easy-to-read font like Futura, Impact, or Clarendon is a good choice for a political poster. A soft, scrolled font like Bickham Script Pro or Corsiva is ideal for an upscale fundraiser or other formal events. If you’re designing a poster for a children’s party, consider a playful font like Comic Sans MS, School bell, or TomKid.
If you’re having a pool party, blue, green, and yellow are perfect. Black and white with a splash of red will make a strong impact on a protest sign.
If you don’t have a lot of money or you can’t get to a print shop, print out your design on multiple sheets of paper and tape or glue them to a larger piece of posterboard.
