Posters that TALK to you
Tips on making effective posters
Az-Zahra Madressah
Minnesota
Title
• easy-to-read title
• (the title should be large enough to see
across the room)
JIHAD
Title
• Carries your main message that attracts the viewer to
your poster
• Make it intriguing, maybe ending in a question mark? If
your poster is on the subject of Jihad, you can say . . .
Why not
ONLY BLOOD?
Layout
• The eye
naturally
follows
TOP to
BOTTOM
or LEFT
to RIGHT
HALAAL HARAAM FOODS
Acting under
another of its
erroneous
assumptions, the
shah's regime
requested the
BAATHIST
GOVERNMENT OF
IRAQ, in September
1978, to expel Imam
Khomeini from its
territory, in the hope
of depriving him of
his base of
operations and
robbing the
revolution of its
leadership. Imam
informed the
Bathists that he
would be happy to
leave Iraq for a
country that was
not subject to the
shah's dictates
WHERE
DO I
by START?
me
Acting under another of its erroneous assumptions, the
shah's regime requested the BAATHIST GOVERNMENT
OF IRAQ, in September 1978, to expel Imam Khomeini
from its territory, in the hope of depriving him of his base
of operations and robbing the revolution of its
leadership. Imam informed the Bathists that he would be
happy to leave Iraq for a country that was not subject to
the shah's dictates
Acting under
another of its
erroneous
assumptions, the
shah's regime
requested the
BAATHIST
GOVERNMENT OF
IRAQ, in September
1978, to expel Imam
Khomeini from its
territory, in the hope
of depriving him of
his base of
operations and
robbing the
revolution of its
Acting under another of its erroneous
assumptions, the shah's regime
requested the BAATHIST
GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ, in September
1978, to expel Imam Khomeini from its
territory, in the hope of depriving him
of his base of operations and robbing
the revolution of its leadership. Imam
informed the Bathists that he would be
happy to leave Iraq for a country that
was not subject to the shah's dictates
Acting under another of its erroneous
assumptions, the shah's regime
requested the BAATHIST
GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ, in September
1978, to expel Imam Khomeini from its
territory, in the hope of depriving him
of his base of operations and robbing
the revolution of its leadership. Imam
informed the Bathists that he would be
happy to leave Iraq for a country that
was not subject to the shah's dictates
grade x
Acting under another of its erroneous assumptions, the
shah's regime requested the BAATHIST GOVERNMENT
OF IRAQ, in September 1978, to expel Imam Khomeini
from its territory, in the hope of depriving him of his base
of operations and robbing the revolution of its
leadership. Imam informed the Bathists that he would be
happy to leave Iraq for a country that was not subject to
the shah's dictates
Acting under another of its erroneous
assumptions, the shah's regime
requested the BAATHIST
GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ, in September
1978, to expel Imam Khomeini from its
territory, in the hope of depriving him
of his base of operations and robbing
the revolution of its leadership. Imam
informed the Bathists that he would be
happy to leave Iraq for a country that
was not subject to the shah's dictates
Acting under another of its erroneous assumptions, the
shah's regime requested the BAATHIST GOVERNMENT OF
IRAQ, in September 1978, to expel Imam Khomeini from its
territory, in the hope of depriving him of his base of
operations and robbing the revolution of its leadership.
Imam informed the Bathists that he would be happy to leave
Iraq for a country that was not subject to the shah's dictates
Acting under another of its erroneous
assumptions, the shah's regime
requested the BAATHIST
GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ, in September
1978, to expel Imam Khomeini from its
territory, in the hope of depriving him
of his base of operations and robbing
the revolution of its leadership. Imam
informed the Bathists that he would be
happy to leave Iraq for a country that
was not subject to the shah's dictates
Tools
• Use NUMBERS or ARROWS for the eye to
connect the different components
TITLE
1
3
TITLE
4
2
6
5
Layout
Leave
O
P
E
N
space in the design.
TIGHTLY
packed space tires the eye and the mind.
Layout
• Use elements of different sizes and proportions.
Same-size and same-proportioned components
result in a boring design.
• For particular emphasis, try using different
shapes:
TITLE
Tools
• A large and/or bright center of interest can
draw the eye to the most important aspect
of the poster
JIHAD - why not only BLOOD?
Tools
• Enlarge all photos
enough for details to
be clearly seen.
• Crop photos
A picture is worth a thousand words
Tools
• Make all illustrations
SIMPLE and BOLD.
Leave out any
unnecessary detail
Tools
• Use diagrams,
graphs, charts.
• Convert data to
graphs without
showing too many
keys, details
Through
PEN
Through
TONGUE
Through the
SWORD
Forms of struggle
Graphics
FATWA against Salman Rushdie
• Use COLOR,
BOLD LINES,
to emphasize
or link words
and images.
“
I inform the proud
Muslim people of the
world that the author of
the Satanic Verses
book which is against
Islam, the Prophet and
the Koran, and all
involved in its
publication who were
aware of its content
, are sentenced to
death.
"The book that is worth killing people and burning
flags for is not the book that I wrote," Salmon
Rushdie, 41-year-old author of The Satanic
Verses, told Time Magazine. shortly after its
publication in 1988.
Rushdie's book caused deep rumblings among
faithful Muslims offended by its content,
prompting protests and book burnings and even
riots in which several people were killed.
The furor reached new heights when Iran's
Ayatollah Khomeini joined in, proclaiming the
The
The
Satanic
Satanic
Verses
(1988)
Verses
(1988)
He no longer considers himself a
Muslim, which makes the book all
the more insulting to the members of
the faith. He has been reviled by
them as an "apostate," one who
knows the truth and turns away from
it. The traditional Muslim punishment
for this is death.
”
color and bold outline to link the different elements together
Tools
• Group elements to form a single unit.
• Group heading, picture, text together
Struggle
through PEN
1964-78 Imam Khomeini
is exiled to Iraq for
criticizing the Shah and
sparking riots; evicted by
Saddam Hussein, he
moves to a Paris suburb
1979 Returns to Tehran, is acclaimed as
leader of Iran¹s revolution
1979-81 His followers hold 52 Americans
captive in the U.S. embassy in Tehran
1989 In February, he demands the death of
Salman Rushdie; in June, Imam Khomeini
dies in Tehran
Imam Khomeini's strategy was to reject
Western ways, keeping Iran close to its
Islamic roots.
This 7th century hadith narrated by Ima
Struggle through
TONGUE
1964-78 Imam
Khomeini is exiled to I
raq for criticizing the S
hah and sparking riots;
evicted by Saddam
Hussein, he moves to
a Paris suburb
__________________________________
1979 Returns to Tehran, is acclaimed as
leader of Iran¹s revolution
1979-81 His followers hold 52 Americans
captive in the U.S. embassy in Tehran
1989 In February, he demands the death
of Salman Rushdie; in June, Imam
Struggle through
SWORD
1964-78 Imam Khomeini is exiled to
Iraq for criticizing the Shah and
sparking riots; evicted by Saddam
Hussein, he moves to a Paris suburb
1979 Returns to Tehran, is
acclaimed as leader of Iran¹s
revolution
1979-81 His followers hold 52
Americans captive in the U.S.
embassy in Tehran
1989 In February, he demands the
death of Salman Rushdie; in June,
Imam Khomeini dies in Tehran
Imam Khomeini's strategy was to
reject Western ways, keeping Iran
close to its Islamic roots.
This 7th century hadith narrated by
Ima
Tools
• Line panels up
• (jagged edges distracts people from the message)
Imam Ruhullah Al-Musavi Al-Khomeini (RA)
Imam Ruhullah Al-Musavi Al-Khomeini (RA)
Imam Musa ibne Jaffar said:
A man from my progeny will come out of Qum and lead a revolt.
His name will be that of Isa. There will rally to him people resembling
pieces of iron, not to be shaken by violent winds, unsparing and
relying upon God. [Bihar ul-Anwar]
1964-78 Imam Khomeini is
exiled to Iraq for criticizing
the Shah and sparking
riots; evicted by Saddam
Hussein, he moves to a
Paris suburb
The early years of Imam Khomeini's activity
in Qum coincided with the establishment of
the Pahlavi state by Riza Khan. Riza Khan
transformed the Iranian monarchy into a
dictatorship of the modern, and made its
chief internal aim the elimination of Islam
as a political, social, and cultural force.
197981 His
follower
s hold
52
Americ
ans
captive
in the
U.S.
embass
y in
Tehran
1979
Returns to
Tehran, is
acclaimed
as leader of
Iran¹s
revolution
Imam Musa ibne Jaffar said:
A man from my progeny will come out of Qum and
lead a revolt. His name will be that of Isa. There will
rally to him people resembling pieces of iron, not to
be shaken by violent winds, unsparing and
relying upon God. [Bihar ul-Anwar]
Imam
Khomeini's
strategy was to
reject Western
ways, keeping
Iran close to its
Islamic roots.
1989 In February, he
demands the death of
Salman Rushdie; in
June, Imam
Khomeini dies in
Tehran
Imam Khomeini's
strategy was to
reject Western
ways, keeping Iran
close to its Islamic
roots.
1964-78 Imam
Khomeini is exiled
to Iraq for
criticizing the Shah
and sparking riots;
evicted by Saddam
Hussein, he moves
to a Paris suburb
1979
Returns to
Tehran, is
acclaimed
as leader of
Iran¹s
revolution
1979-81 His
followers hold
52 Americans
captive in the
U.S. embassy
in Tehran
1989
In
February,
he
demands
the death
of Salman
Rushdie; in
June, Imam
Khomeini
dies in
Tehran
See the difference?
The early years of Imam
Khomeini's activity in Qum
coincided with the
establishment of the Pahlavi
state by Riza Khan. Riza Khan
transformed the Iranian
monarchy into a dictatorship of
the modern, and made its chief
internal aim the elimination of
Islam as a political, social,
and cultural force.
Tools
• Photographs should look inwards (this picture is
placed on the right side of the poster because
subject is looking inwards into the poster)
Title
Hey! Don’t ride
me off the
poster!
At the camp:
I learned to work
with a team, both
directly and
indirectly.
Sometimes we were
all working closely
together planning a
project, but other
times we were all
working in our own
way toward the
same goal. Both
types of interaction .
Example of an over enthusiastic poster-maker
IMAM
KHOMEINI
A man from my progeny will come out of Qum and
lead a revolt. His name will be that of Isa. There will
rally to him people resembling pieces of iron, not to
be shaken by violent winds, unsparing and relying
upon God. [Bihar ul-Anwar]
1964-78 Imam Khomeini is
exiled to Iraq for
criticizing the Shah and
sparking riots; evicted by
Saddam
1964-78 Imam Khomeini is exiled to Iraq for
criticizing the Shah and sparking riots;
evicted by Saddam Hussein, he moves to a
Paris
Imam Khomeini's
strategy was to reject
Western ways, keeping
Iran close to its Islamic
roots.
• Much too much . . .
1979 Returns to
Tehran, is
acclaimed as
leader of Iran¹s
revolution
1989 In
February, he
demands the
death of
Salman
Rushdie; in
June, Imam
Khomeini dies
in Tehran
Tools
• Use light back
grounds
The HOLY BOOK
The HOLY BOOK
Lettering
• All lettering should be
legible from 3 feet
away; older viewers
should not have to put
on reading glasses. . .
•
This is 18 point type, the smallest
size you should use.
• This is 24 point type.
Better?
Lettering
• It is fun to use different fonts
(one
or two different fonts otherwise it gets too confusing)
• It is fun to use lots of colors
(one
or two different colors otherwise it gets too confusing)
• Use simple fonts
Lettering
Sorry to make
you read all
this!
• MOST PRINT IN NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES, AND
BOOKS IS IN LOWER-CASE LETTERS (EXCEPT FOR
THE CAPITALIZATION OF PROPER NAMES AND THE
INITIAL WORD IN A SENTENCE). LOWER-CASE
LETTERS GENERALLY ARE REGARDED AS MUCH
EASIER TO RECOGNIZE THAN WORDS PRINTED
ONLY IN CAPITALIZED LETTERS.
• Most print in newspapers, magazines, and books is in
lower-case letters (except for the capitalization of proper
names and the initial word in a sentence). Lower-case
letters generally are regarded as much easier to
recognize than words printed only in capitalized letters.
Editing (deleting off extra text)
• Edit ruthlessly
• Discard details
• Make the
shortest
statement
possible
• Simple
messages are
more
memorable
A
poster
should
have
20%
TEXT,
40%
GRAPH
-ICS
and
40%
EMPTY
SPACE
40% GRAPH-ICS
40% EMPTY SPACE
Editing
Now, how would you edit this?
This 7th century hadith narrated by Imam Musa alKadhim (A), prophesizes the appearance of the
leader of the Islamic Revolution and one of the
greatest scholars of the Shi'i school of thought in
the 20th century, Imam Khomeini (R).
Edited version :
Hadith by Imam Musa al-Kadhim (A),
prophesizes appearance of
Imam Khomeini (R).
4
different
details
deleted
Editing
Another example:
A self made man, refined in manners the Imam had always
stressed the performance of religious duties and
observance of the Islamic tenets.
Edited version:
• self made man
• refined in manners
• stressed Islamic principles
Use
bullets,
shorter
sentence, &
simpler words
Remember:
Uncluttered colorful design +
Legibility + Simple text +
Straightforward layout
=
a good poster
The end