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Creating an Academic Poster: Tips and Tricks

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Colour and Contrast

Making use of colour can add a visual punch to your poster. Aim for good contrast between text and background colours to ensure readability. Also beware that some contrasting colour combinations are easier to read than others(!).

 

Type contrast example image

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Example: Too many colours and low contrast

Too many of colours and a lack of contrast between text and background work against readability in the first poster below. Arranging the text into columns would also help greatly to organize the content.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://colinpurrington.com/2012/02/example-of-bad-scientific-poster/

 

Example: Better use of colour with good contrast

This example uses a single colour (red) as an element to define the columns. The text has good contrast with the background and is readable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://dysartjones.com/2014/01/ola-poster-core-journals-in-canadian-aboriginal-studies-academic-library-perspective/