Poster design: how hierarchy makes people read the right thing first

A poster has to work from several steps away. That makes hierarchy, the order in which things are noticed, the main design skill.

Three levels are enough

1. Level one: the headline or the single image. This is what people see from far away.
2. Level two: the key details: date, place, price or offer.
3. Level three: the small print: address, contact and terms.

How to create hierarchy

• Size: the most important thing is the biggest.
• Contrast: use your strongest colour for the most important element only.
• Space: an element with room around it gets attention.
• Weight: bold for headings, regular for details.

Think about viewing distance

A poster read from two metres needs a headline several centimetres tall. If people will pass it in a corridor, they will read only the top level.

Use one image

One clear picture beats a collage. If you need several, make one clearly dominant.

Common mistakes

• Everything is the same size, so nothing stands out.
• Too many fonts and colours.
• Light text on a light image.
• Contact details too small to read.

Print size

A3 suits shops and notice boards. Larger formats such as flex and vinyl suit outdoor display. Use high-resolution artwork, and vector for text and logos.

See our Poster Design service, or ask about large-format printing.