Source: Small Joys
Surely, all of us at some point in our lives, have had one or more posters that have covered many of the walls of our rooms.
In this post we not only want you to get hooked on them again, but we also want you to know the main bases that a poster contains. This will not be possible without a small historical context to know its evolution, and of course, we will offer you first-hand, the best tips or advice to start designing all you want.
If we have not convinced you yet, we invite you to continue and stay with us for a little longer.
We start
The poster
Source: Spreadshirt
Among the many definitions that exist, we can say that a poster is nothing more than a kind of cartel, which is known to be placed inside or outside of an environment. The poster is usually represented with the aim of being done as a decoration, or with the intention of highlighting what is most important.
The poster is an element that stands out from the adolescent public. Another fanaticism that is usually expressed through posters is the one that some individuals have for some leading brands in their segment: drinks, cigarettes, cars, motorcycles, among others and therefore, their logos are usually transferred to posters that these fans acquire en masse.
The posters are made from materials such as cardboard or paper and the most common and simple way to fix them on the walls is through adhesive tape on their ends, or it is also possible to hang them from small nails. Regarding the content, they can only have a photograph, an illustration or also incorporate other communicating elements such as graphics and texts.
Important elements
The poster always usually contains several elements that together, are unified and form a single message or several messages. But the most important are:
The attention
There is a small formula that meets the needs of the public, the four-step formula: attention, interest, desire and action. These points have been used as the basis for thousands of advertising campaigns that use the poster. This method requires inviting to look and approach to investigate. This doesn't have to be done with provocative images or flashy graphics, but it does have to offer personality.
Iconography
The most effective posters are often iconic, as they present the central theme without having to go full blast and say what it's about. Images, either a close-up of a character or important diagram element, or a simple graphic, can be used to establish the plot of the film. Combined with an attention-grabbing design, this can be an incredibly effective way to both create impact and interest.
Interest
Many of the best modern and current posters use images that place the viewer in the middle of a movie scene, creating tension and a great incentive. The incentive is that in order to resolve the situation, the person looking at the poster has to see the movie and find out what happens.
The appeal
Great posters, especially those for cinema, particularly those for adaptations, use the double appeal to enhance their publicity, whether it be the combination of a good cast with the renown of a director, or that of an already known comic with famous actors , this to generate a bond with the fans.
The style
Whether you're marketing an art movie or a blockbuster, there are always issues of style. Some of the most memorable posters have used bold, unique artistic styles to their advantage.
What separates these posters from their ineffective rivals is consistency of style, both in the film's promotional materials and throughout the film itself.
Types of posters
Depending on their theme, they can be classified in many ways:
Advertisers
Advertising posters are everywhere and are used to advertise an event or new product, according to the Free Library website. They are usually in color and are placed in high traffic areas, where they can be easily seen.
Newsletters
These types of posters do what their name suggests, inform or educate people about something. They can be used to create a social awareness campaign or to help save endangered species.
Thematic
Theme posters are about anything. They are usually sold at concerts or artistic functions. A portrait of a musician or an art exhibition are often the subject of these posters, hence their name.
Affirmation
Affirmation posters feature inspirational or motivational quotes. They may have beautiful Bible verses or pictures, plus some kind of catchphrase to keep people motivated, encouraged, or comforted.
Propaganda
The Poster: Historical Context
Source: Frames
To know how to design a poster, it is necessary that we travel back years and get to know its history first-hand.
- 1440: with the invention of the printing press, the necessary conditions arose to start producing posters and posters in a way more similar to what we know today, on paper. The first poster of the era Gutenberg It originated in 1477 and was signed by William Caxton. It is an advertising poster that lists the benefits of hot springs. In 1482 the first illustrated poster appeared in France, by the hand of Jean du Pré.
- Industrial Revolution: With the arrival of the Industrial Revolution and the development of cities, new communication needs appeared and the poster took on a renewed importance. The lithography From this moment on, it allowed them to be created in full color and in a large format, perfect for the new way of communicating. French artist Jules Cheret He became very famous for being able to create a very wide range of colors using only three lithographic stones.
- Twentieth Century: Poster activity continued to focus on Paris, but women ceased to be the center of attention and other figures more related to the products advertised on the posters began to appear by the hand of the Italian illustrator Leonetto cappiello who imitated the style of his predecessors, and ended up modernizing the language, in addition to using illustration and flat backgrounds as a symbol of his work.
- World War I: In 1914, the poster was put at the service of political and social needs, which at that time passed through the war propaganda: posters that announced the recruitment and that justified participation in the war, that sought to raise resources or as a motivational proclamation.
- Vanguards: After the war, the artistic revival and a renewal movement in graphic design began. In Germany, the Bauhaus school experimented with posters in which typography is the protagonist and legibility was sought first and foremost.The Art Deco It stood out for the use of geometric and elegant shapes, which were combined with sans-serif typefaces. One of its greatest exponents was Cassandre, who knew how to represent in the world of artistic trends of the time such as the cubism, futurism or surrealism.At the same time, in the Soviet Union, constructivism gained prominence with the use of photographs combined with graphic elements of geometric cut and strong diagonals. Aleksandr Rodchenko's is probably one of the best known examples of this style.
- World War II: In this historical moment, they stood out, We Can Do It! by J. Howard Miller and the Keep Calm and Carry On created by the British government in 1939 with the aim of raising the morale of the citizens of the country under threat of an imminent invasion. It is at this time, too, when lithography began to take a back seat and printing began to take on much greater importance. offset.
- The 70s and today: The poster design of the 70s, carried surrealism and pop art as a banner. Organic forms returned and the style was reminiscent of what was seen in the time of Art nouveau. Some designers who have developed their work linked to this style are, today, some of the most admired figures in the world of graphic design and their posters are authentic works of art: Milton Glaser, Saul Bass or Paul Rand. At present Miguel Frago stand out.
Apps for creating posters
In the last point of this post, we will show you some applications or computer programs where you can create any type of poster. These programs can be free or at a monthly cost.
Photoshop
Source: Computer Hoy
It is the most famous tool in relation to the creation of any graphic material. Therefore, it is very important to take it into account. Thanks to Photoshop, we can create posters and posters of any kind, whether they are basic or very elaborate, since the tools that the program offers us are very varied, extensive and versatile.
It is paid and you will need some experience with the program to become familiar with it and use it fluently. We can obtain a trial version that will end in about 30 days from the day of its first use, but then we must purchase the paid version. We also have other options that are part of the same family, such as Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign.
Microsoft Word
Source: Tecnovery
Microsoft Word is capable of creating posters and posters but with certain limitations in photo editing. With Word we can create posters according to their size, add background images, graphics, text and image effects. In addition, you will find poster templates available for download. Not only can we create posters with Word, we can also do it with Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Publisher. Microsoft Office is available for Windows with a one-month trial version.
ArcSoft Print Creations
It is one of the poster creation programs most used by users thanks to its ease of use of the software. With ArcSoft we will have a large number of templates already created to make our poster from scratch or with a base that adapts to our objective.
The program offers a wide variety of adjustments and customization of the poster, as well as the editing of any aspect of the photos that we include in the poster. Thanks to this program we will be able to create posters of all kinds, either on a personal level as a greeting card or on a professional level as an advertising poster or flyer.
The program is available for download on Windows and Mac in its free version, but there is also a paid version that expands its editing features.
Gimp
Source: ComputerHoy
GIMP is a great bitmap editing program widely used by users who do not opt for the Photoshop option, since unlike the previous one, this one is free. It is a great alternative to the Adobe program as it includes very similar editing options, saving the distances.
GIMP is a very good option if we want to create a poster without using the complex tools of Photoshop and we don't want to pay for it. This software is committed to a simple interface in order to facilitate functionality among users. The program is available for download on Windows, Mac and Linux and is completely free.
Poster Genius
PosterGenius is powerful and efficient poster creation software that can help users create professional-quality posters in ten minutes or less. Poster Genius works by separating the content on the poster, allowing the user to focus only on the research results, while the software will handle the rest of the post automatically. Plus, an in-software wizard guides you through setting up your poster.
While the software manages the appearance, placement of the poster text, images, tables, fonts, and captions, the wizard guides you through defining dimensions, order of sections, and more. with Poster Genius as it aligns your captions, images, content, and text boxes on its own.
postwemywall
In PostweMyWall we will find a great selection of tools to create our poster for free. We will be able to make collage of photos, either our own or from the archive, add texts and clipart and everything you can think of.
It is a very versatile and very easy to use program, and with little effort we will obtain great results. The main downside of the program is that, being free, it will incorporate a watermark when we finish our poster. In addition, it requires you to register on the page.
Affinity Designer
It is a very powerful and versatile professional graphic design software, aimed mainly at professional use. Its tools are very broad and it works in a very efficient and fast way and covers the main disciplines such as desktop publishing, vector drawing and photography.
It will be a very useful tool in the creation of our posters if we want them to be as personalized as possible. It is free to download on Windows, Mac and iOS.
Ronya Soft Poster
RonyaSoft Poster Designer is a very easy to use software program with which you can design and print your own personal posters, signs and banners. Users can start making their signs right away as the software already has a large variety of ready-to-use signs and banners already set up.
One of the most unique features of RonyaSoft Poster Designer is that even the smallest details of the posters can be customized as you see fit. Some of the minor details that you can customize include images, text (such as text box, font size and shape, location), color, size, and style.
your poster
Posterini is the best for creating professional posters and digital brochures for your business events, products, news, etc. There are more than 30 templates provided for different purposes such as a new opening, conference, festival, concert, and party.
Once you've selected a template, you'll be directed to the customization page, where you can add text and images, change the size, insert shapes, and more.
Conclusion
If you have come this far, you will have verified that to start designing you need to be inspired. The elements that are included are also important, as they are the basis that supports a good poster, and they make both the artistic trend and the set of elements unify correctly.
You will also have been able to see that designing a poster or a poster is within the reach of all of us. It is necessary for the message to reach all the users to whom we are addressing, and above all to play with the secondary graphic elements (colors, fonts, abstract shapes, simple and regular geometric shapes, etc.)
The time has come for you to start designing, which will be your first poster.
Have you already started?