You have seen them erected on tall billboards, hung high in the corners of the streets or stuck on the walls of public buildings. Posters are one of the most potential tools of mass communication. A poster is a unique amalgam of visuals and few one-line snippets put together to express an idea. Hence, the first thing before one decides on other components of a poster, the idea or the intent of the poster must be clearly laid out.
A poster can communicate in various fashions. It can simply state the idea in one phrase or can coax the onlooker to think beyond what is depicted. The idea can be limited to one entity or it can cleverly and subtly play down the competitor. All this and much more can be effectively conveyed through a well-designed poster.
The design of a poster decides the tone and impact of the message delivered through it. Hence, design stands out as one of the most crucial aspects of a poster. A good poster design must be:
• Loud and clear
• Concise
• Well-organized
• Must convey the message
• without any ambiguity
A good poster design must be simple and uncluttered. In place of having one poster with a lot of information, it is best to have a series of posters wherein one message may lead to another. Once you have decided the format and are sure about the idea to be conveyed, the next step is to look at the components. A poster usually comprises of visuals, text and some amount of graphics. In some cases the need for written language is omitted altogether. Now let us look at the various dynamics of each of the component individually.
Visuals and the text
Any poster printing rides high mainly on account of the visual component. Whether it is a small image tucked in one corner of the spread or a huge imagery mapping the entire poster, the visual is the first contact of the onlooker with the poster. The visuals must be appropriate enough to convey the idea behind the poster. They must complement the text. Even if the idea of a poster is to highlight a grave issue, the images must be chosen with great care to avoid any conflicting situation.
The background
The background of the poster can be kept simple. If the design calls for a colored background, choose a rather soothing back ground which is not jarring and does not dilute the impact of the visual or the written text. Get your contrasts and color combinations right. Certain colors have some specific connotations, so be careful while choosing the colour as it could change the entire meaning of the message.
The texture of the poster
What also contributes a great deal is the texture of the poster. A glossy base, for instance, lifts the entire look and feel of the poster as compared to the normal printing paper. The location of the poster also must be kept in mind while deciding on the texture or base material of the poster.
Michael Reid is an avid writer and follower of the developments in Graphic Design & Full Color Printing
