poster training workshop peter devine 23 – 27 march 2015
TRANSCRIPT
Poster Training Workshop
Peter Devine
23 – 27 March 2015
Research Career DevelopmentInstitute of Educational Technology (IET)The Open UniversityWalton HallMilton KeynesMK7 6AA
www.open.ac.uk
Poster Design and Layout
Prepared by Peter Devine
What will the viewer be looking for?
• does the poster explain your research in a clear, concise manner that a non-subject specialist can understand?
• does it convey the reasons why you are spending three years researching in that particular field?
• does it present your work without the use of complex graphs and diagrams?
• is it easy to understand the order in which the text on the poster should be read?
What will the viewer be looking for?
• is the text size appropriate (can it be read in five minutes from five feet away)?
• is there too much/too little text and information?• can you answer questions about your poster and your
work when asked to by the judges/other students?
What makes a good poster?
• Carefully chosen purpose and key points• Familiarity with audience
- Level of understanding
- Language
- Aesthetic appeal• Clear structure
- Information hierarchy
- Definite conclusion
• Clear navigation
- Effective layout
- Headings
- Colour coordination
• Limited but effective design palette
- Colour scheme
- Fonts
- Typographic hierarchy
• Professionally produced
- Good colour reproduction
- High resolution images
- Quality paper
What makes a good poster?
Poster layout
• Content well structured • Consistent, simple and
legible design
Poster layout grid
• Grid forms the basis of the page foundation
• Defines areas of content• Directs attention• Boundaries remain
consistent
Using typography
• Use only Arial or Times (OU typefaces)
• Use the different weights to emphasise headings
• Use columns to break up large areas of text
Basic usage
• Always align type to the left to ensure even spacing and legibility
• Standard sentence case should always be used
Leading (line spacing)
• Should be carefully considered to achieve a clean and readable look
Basic formatting
• Consistent use of space between headers, body copy and bullets
• Information is grouped to ensure readability
Using a colour palette
• Use the OU Colour Palette to bring contrast and emphasis to your applications
• Ten expressive colours arranged chromatically as a ‘wheel’ to help with colour selection
• White is also an essential design element valued both as a colour and spacial component
Using complementary colours
• Use a maximum of three expressive colours
• Neighbouring colours on the ‘wheel’ are good harmonious combinations
• Any of the neutral grey shades and black can be used alongside the expressive colours
Using colour with photography
• Choose colours that complement photographs as well as themselves
Using images at the correct resolution
• It is important to use images that are of a high resolution when printing
• 300dpi (dots per inch) is the recommended resolution for print
Some examples of posters
24
25
26
27
Final thoughts
• Posters should be
- Informative and not overwhelming
- Eye catching, clear and concise
- Easily interpretable as a stand-alone piece• Include contact details
- Name, address, email/phone number
- A4 handouts of poster• Display and presentation
- Check mounting arrangements and materials
- Have a brief talk planned for interested visitors
Software
• Use whatever application you feel most comfortable with to get the job done
• Recommended software for layout
- PowerPoint
- Adobe InDesign• Recommended software for illustration and image
management
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
Practical information
• A1 paper size: 594 x 841 mm
Useful links
• Help choosing colour palettes: kuler.adobe.com• Tag clouds: www.tagxedo.com, www.wordle.net• Textures: www.cgtextures.com• Silhouettes: all-silhouettes.com
31
Printing your poster
• Central Print Services• MCT Faculty
2 options available on campus
32
Central Print Services
• http://intranet6.open.ac.uk/it/main/printing-services• F Block, Room 36• 01908 (6) 53014• [email protected]
Cost:
Matt paper – 90 gsm | Departmental – £4.00, Private – £10.32
Glossy paper – 190 gsm | Departmental – £10, Private – £20.40
34
Final Date
Final date for sending poster to central print services is Wednesday 3rd June
Give yourself plenty of time. Don’t leave it to the last minute.
Central Print Services sell cardboard tubes – perfect for storing your poster until you need to display it. Check cost!
35
Final file
Supply PDF files only!
PDF ensures special symbols such as greek and mathematics are formatted correctly
36
Further support
For competition information, contact –
For software support, contact your IT support person
37
Good luck!