Characteristics of a Good Poster

A poster is a sheet of paper that is either monochrome or multicolored and usually
has text and images on it. In order to convey a message; a poster is hung in the
appropriate location in the public space. The purpose of a poster is to inform,
persuade, and excite the viewer. A poster can influence a viewer's decisions
through text and images if the viewer feels addressed.
A well-designed poster piques the interest and intellect of the viewer as well as
their unconscious emotional side. The viewer’s interests, preferences, and
especially his social situation all play a role in how he or she reacts to the poster.
As a result, each viewer depending on his or her background, origin, and social and
political realities may interpret a poster differently.

Mission of a Poster

A poster needs to be eye-catching (optical eye-catching through shape and color),
memorable (original motifs and texts), have an interesting design (original
combination of font, image, and color), and have a message or statement that is
clearly organized for it to be effective.

When creating posters, the following important design principles must be
adhered to:

Define the audience first: the poster’s message should be sent to a specific group of
people. A poster should always be created with the intended audience in mind.
Additionally, identify the fonts: The chosen font should have a long-distance
effect, making it possible to read the text from more than 100 inches away.

Criteria for poster evaluation
Before beginning a poster design, it is necessary to establish the specific
requirements for the design. The most important aspects are:
Content and information to be conveyed. Font, text, and text placement.
Relationship between image and text Color selection Format, layout, and
originality/design concept. Artistic overall impression.
A quick breakdown of the main components of a well-designed, visually impactful
poster is provided below.

The AIDA concept

The following stages of the recipient’s perception of an advertisement or product
poster are summarized in the AIDA formula:
Attention: Attention is drawn to a poster.
Interest: The recipient’s desire to learn more about the poster
Interest: desire on the part of the recipient to learn more about the poster
Action: The viewer acts, which ought to be purchasing the service or product.

Composition

As with traditional art, a strong sense of composition and visual hierarchy are
essential if you want the viewer to focus on the heading, any images, and the
smaller text. A good visual balance prevents the image from being overcrowded,
which prevents the viewer from taking in all of the information.

Therefore, you must guide them through this procedure and ensure that the text and
images do not conflict. Importantly, though, you only need one focal point. You cannot have the poster’s
corners competing for attention; instead, choose one central point—an image or
text. Otherwise, it will be a mess and nobody will remember the information or look at
it in the right order. Utilizing a grid during the design process will assist you in maintaining alignment
if necessary.

Text and Typography

Limit the amount of text—consider how much a person can remember—and
provide a link for people who want to learn more.
There is nothing worse than rambling text on a poster with multiple messages if
you are not good with words. If you need help making it more concise, ask
someone. You can mix fonts, which, if done well, can make it very interesting to look at (but
do not do it too much!).However, they must have the same tone and complement
one another. Please do not use Curlz MT for the main body text; keeping fonts legible and bold
will help the poster be read from a distance of at least 5 feet.

Color

If it is going to be printed, especially with a poor printer, use vivid colors because
everything will wash out. However, I would definitely recommend printing anything correctly and on high-
quality paper.

If your poster is on a wall surrounded by other posters, you want it to stand out,
and color is a great way to do so. However, you do not have to use every color;
typically, you should stick to a theme of four colors at most at first.
They can be contrasting, like orange and blue together, or complementary, like all
shades of blue. Before you start, it is best to create a limited color palette to ensure
that everything matches.

Images

Photos are effective on posters and can make a big impression.
However, they must perfectly convey the intended message. For a project of this
magnitude, standard stock photos typically are not sufficient.
For this reason, it is best to have a photo shoot and get pictures.
When designing a poster, you have a lot more freedom to experiment with imagery
than you would with, say, a brochure.

White Space

White space is simply negative space, which does not contain any text or images.
A key component of good design is white space. You do not have to fill out the
entire sheet of paper just because you have it.
Not only does it make it look better, but it can also make it easier to read and
understand.
Even small areas of white space, such as between sentences, can make a big
difference in legibility. This applies to more than just adding space around the text
or images.
Sometimes, people who are not designers want to use every bit of space on a
poster, but doing so will only distract from the message!

Some other Characteristics

The job of a poster is to convey the information quickly and effectively. Many
people just starting out in business believe that their posters must contain as much
information as possible. Unfortunately, your poster will appear difficult and
cluttered if you try to include too much information or images. A cluttered poster
cannot "talk" to its viewers quickly, so it cannot do what it was designed to do. A
good poster is easy to make but still effective. It immediately informs anyone who
sees it what he or she are expected to know.

Clearly, a good poster has enough visual appeal to attract your intended audience.
The poster must contain elements that will definitely entice target customers to
examine it and obtain the information you want from them. To get people’s
attention, it is usually a good idea to include offers in your posters. Alternately,
you can include some interesting information about your topic. You could include
a mental image or image that piques the reader’s interest.

Because you have already stated that, you do not like the poster to contain too
much information. However, you must provide your readers with sufficient
evidence to support your claims. Use succinct but persuasive remarks to support
the claims. Be careful not to push yourself too far. Do not make assertions or
exaggerations that you cannot back up. In fact, refraining from making any claims
at all is frequently sound advice. Use only what is necessary to convey your
message.

Posters in monochrome are not nearly as effective as posters in color. A poster
with a color scheme will almost certainly get more people to watch it. Brochures
printed in full color are a lot more effective and will definitely have a greater
impact on your clients. However, make sure to use color strategically. If you use
the wrong colors, it can hurt you.

Some of West Rand’s most successful posters tend to be unexpectedly
straightforward. Some posters will not even have any text on them at all—just a
few well-placed images and colors chosen strategically. I am not saying you should
not use words in your poster—you should!—but you should always try to keep it
as simple as possible while still getting your point across. You must include a
single strong message on each poster you design; do not just assume that you can
do too much with it.

The long-distance effect of dark writing against a light background is superior to
its negative counterpart.
Portrait posters with shorter text lines are easier to read and can frequently be
placed more effectively (for example, in business displays, on doors, etc.).
The poster’s main message may be lost if there are too many different color areas
without any reference to the content.
Avoiding too many different fonts and font sizes is a fundamental rule of good
typography.
Clearness and legibility are supported by an organized layout.
The advertising message’s content and style should be consistent with a dynamic
layout and typography. Contrarily, an antithesis can also be effective in delivering
the message.
To conclude, Less is more. Freestanding motifs or slogans draw more attention
than densely packed designs, especially on a poster wall that is already
overcrowded, according to a well-known principle.