From Paper to Poster
Robin E. Hoffman, Faculty of Landscape Architecture
Patrick Lawler, Faculty of Environmental Studies
Ross Jacobs, Instructional Technology Service
Posters
Design and Composition
Today’s schedule

4:05 – 4:30
Design and layout

4:30 – 5:00
Text composition

5:00 – 8:00
Working session
Posters
Design and Composition
ESF Poster & Ppt Web Sites

http://www.esf.edu/its/html/training_consult.htm

Poster Design, Development and Production
Resources
Large Format Printing Information



Tips for Better PowerPoint Presentations
Digital Presentation Dos and Don'ts
Posters
Design and Composition
Advantages




Fixed format
Requires time and
“construction” knowhow
May be difficult to
transport
Requires tack-up
space
Posters
Design and Composition
Disadvantages




Fixed format
Requires time and
“construction” know-how
May be difficult to
transport
Requires tack-up space
Posters
Design and Composition
Essential pieces

Composition and layout



Text
Graphs and charts
Photographs

Type/font style

Color
Posters
Design and Composition
Composition and layout
Abstract
36”
Left
Top
to
Right
Bottom
48”
Posters
Design and Composition
Conclusion
3 Column layout
1
2
3
Title Big Idea
Subtitle specifics provided
Abstract
Introduction
Methods
48”
Results
90
80
70
60
50
East
West
North
40
30
20
10
0
1st Qtr
2nd Qtr
3rd Qtr
4th Qtr
90
80
70
60
50
East
West
North
40
Conclusion
30
20
10
0
1st Qtr
2nd Qtr
3rd Qtr
4th Qtr
36”
Posters
Design and Composition
5 column layout
1
2
3
4
5
Showing A Cyclical Process
Abstract
36”
Conclusion
48”
Posters
Design and Composition
Asymmetrical layout
Title
Big
Idea
Subtitle
specifics
provided
Introduction
Abstract
48”
Methods
Results
90
90
80
80
70
70
60
60
50
50
East
West
North
40
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
1st Qtr
2nd Qtr
3rd Qtr
4th Qtr
East
West
North
40
30
1st Qtr
2nd Qtr
3rd Qtr
Conclusion
4th Qtr
36”
Posters
Design and Composition
Type

Your choice of type, and the way you use it, plays a major
role in the success of your presentation.

Your choice of type, and the way you use it, plays a major role in the success
of your presentation.

Your choice of type, and the way you use it, plays a major role in the success
of your presentation.
Posters
Design and Composition
Type

Avoid clichés: typeface establishes tone of poster
 Weight contrast: light, medium, bold
 Capitalization:
MAY BE DIFFICULT TO READ

Contrast:
Maximize
background
foreground t o contrast
Posters
Design and Composition
Develop a Type Hierarchy
Title to be
largest/boldest
90
80
70
60
50
East
West
North
40
Text to be simple,
easy to read
Labels for table, charts and photos
to be smallest
Posters
Design and Composition
30
20
10
0
1st Qtr
2nd Qtr
3rd Qtr
4th Qtr
Chart 4: Comparison of Seasonal
Growth Patterns in Rubus
Color

Hue: another name for
color

Chroma: the brightness
or dullness of a color

Value: the lightness or
darkness of a color
Posters
Design and Composition
Primary colors
Red
Yellow
Posters
Design and Composition
Blue
Secondary Colors

Two primary colors mixed together
Orange
Green
Violet
Posters
Design and Composition
Color



Tint: color + white
Tone: color + gray
Shade: color + black
Posters
Design and Composition
Warm Colors

Exciting, advancing
Posters
Design and Composition
Cool Colors

Calming, receding
Posters
Design and Composition
Complementary Colors


Opposite on the color wheel
Highest, striking contrast
Posters
Design and Composition
Color

Tint, tone, or shade “it down”

Reduce harshness
 Reduce eye strain
Posters
Design and Composition
Color

Mono-chromatic colors: using any shade,
tint or tone of one color
Posters
Design and Composition
Color schemes
Showing A Cyclical Process
Abstract
Conclusion
Posters
Design and Composition
Color schemes
Showing A Cyclical Process
Abstract
Conclusion
Posters
Design and Composition
Color Website addresses:

Interactive color wheel:
www.sherwin-williams.com/DIY/interior/colorselect/confidence/dwc4.asp

How the eye works to perceive color
and the 3 properties of color:
www.thetech.org/exhibits_events/online/color/eye

General color information:
http://www.busybrushes.com/Classroom/harmonyintro.html
Posters
Design and Composition
Lost in space?
Posters
Design and Composition
Portable and flexible
Posters
Design and Composition
No question
Posters
Design and Composition
Primary colors
Posters
Design and Composition
Patrick’s
turn
Posters
Design and Composition
Discover the story

A graphic novel

Incorporating the
visual and the verbal
Illustration by Garth Williams,
from E. B. White’s novel, Charlotte’s Web
Posters
Design and Composition
Consider narrative techniques





Theme
Plot
Point of View
Setting
Suspense &
Foreshadowing
(purpose, meaning, essence)
(beginning, middle, and end)
(perspective)
(place)
(your question)
Posters
Design and Composition
SHOW.
DON’T TELL.
Illustration by Garth Williams,
from E. B. White’s novel, Charlotte’s Web
Posters
Design and Composition
When working with the text for your
poster, keep the following in mind:

Discover the story
 Use parallel structure
 Keep text to a minimum
 Create coherence
 Decide contextual matters
 Consider transitions
 Tell a story
Posters
Design and Composition
THE END.
Posters
Design and Composition
Illustration by Garth Williams,
from E. B. White’s novel, Charlotte’s Web