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 Poster Size Setup
You will be making just one slide (or page) in PowerPoint. One really big slide! From the File menu select "Page Setup". Under "Slides Sized for:" choose "Custom" and then set the page size to the same size that you want your poster to be. For example, if you want your poster to be 36" x 48", then set the page size in PowerPoint to 36" x 48".
 Set your page size before you begin creating the poster! Failure to do so may result in a poster that is not printable at the size you need. Also, be sure to verify the poster size requirements for the meeting where your poster will be displayed. Most meetings have some kind of guidelines or size limitations.
If your data is already in a multi-slide PowerPoint presentation, you will need at least one square foot of poster space for each slide. If you have many tables and graphs you may need more square feet.
If your data is already in a word processor format with standard 12 point font, you will need approximately 4 square feet of poster space for each page of the word processor file. If you have many tables and graphs you may need more square feet.
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We can print any size up to 60" wide by any length. However, PowerPoint has a maximum page size of 56". Therefore, if you need a poster that is larger than 56", set the page size in PowerPoint to exactly half of the finished poster size and we'll enlarge it 200% when printing. For example: |
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Finished
Poster Size |
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Page Size
in PPT |
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Enlargement
when printed |
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36" x 48" |
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36" x 48" |
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100 % |
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36" x 56" |
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36" x 56" |
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100 % |
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48" x 56" |
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48" x 56" |
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100 % |
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36" x 60" |
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18" x 30" |
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200 % |
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36" x 72" |
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18" x 36" |
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200 % |
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48" x 60" |
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24" x 30" |
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200 % |
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48" x 72" |
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24" x 36" |
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200 % |
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48" x 84" |
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24" x 42" |
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200 % |
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48" x 96" |
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24" x 48" |
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200 % |
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60" x 96" |
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30" x 48" |
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200 % |
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If you change the page size after creating the poster, be sure to look over the entire poster very carefully as your layout may have changed. Do not allow text or pictures to hang over the edge of the poster or they will be cropped off.
Note that any inserted image will now be scaled unproportionally due to the change in page size. (This is why you should set the page size before you begin.) Be sure to fix each image by right-mouse clicking once on the image and then select "Format Picture". Click on the "Size" tab and make sure the scale percentage is the same for both height and width. (ie: 100% height and 100% width).
We can only enlarge a poster proportionally so be sure the aspect ratio of your page size in PowerPoint matches that of the final poster size. Failure to so may result in a poster that is not printable at the size you need.
Get a jump start on your poster by using one of our PowerPoint poster templates. Go to Send & Receive Files > Download Files > PowerPoint Poster Templates.
 Poster Layout
The title should be stretched across the top of the poster approximately 75% of the width. To make the letters in the title 1 inch tall, use a 100 point font size. If you are designing your poster at half size, (ie: 18" x 30" for a 36" x 60" poster) then use a 50 point font size.
The main text of your poster should be arranged into multiple columns. Use three columns for a 4 or 5 foot wide poster. Use four columns for a 6 or 7 foot wide poster. Use four or five columns for an 8 foot wide poster. Allow at least 1 inch of space in between each column. For a really large poster (4 x 8 feet), allow 2 inches of space in between each column. If designing at half size (ie: 18" x 30" for a 36" x 60" poster) allow at least .5 inch of space in between each column, 1 inch for a large poster.
You should also use section headings (Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusions, etc.) within the columns at the start of each section.
Please leave at least a 1 inch margin around all sides of the poster to prevent cropping and to increase readability. To display the ruler, go to the View menu and select "Ruler". If designing at half size (ie: 18" x 30" for a 36" x 60" poster) leave at least a .5 inch margin around all sides of the poster.
 Font Types and Sizes
You will have to adjust the font size depending on the amount of text in your poster and the style of font you choose. Below are suggestions for types of fonts and sizes. These are only suggestions. Many more fonts are available that may work equally as well.
 For the title, make the font size between 72-120 points and consider using a large, bold san-serif type font, such as:
Be sure to bold the title text when using Tahoma, Trebuchet or Verdana, but DO NOT bold the title text when using Arial Black or Franklin Gothic Heavy as these fonts are already bolded, thus the "Black" and "Heavy" in their names. If you bold them more the letters will be so close together they'll almost touch each other making them harder to read.
Many venues require that the text for your title be 1 inch tall. To do that, use the Arial font bolded at 100 point size and the text will print at 1 inch tall. If you are designing your title in PowerPoint at half size (50% of the final output size) you'll need to set the font size to 50 points. The font size will be doubled when we print out the title at 200%.
For the subtitle (author's names and institution name), make the font size smaller than the title, between 48-80 points. You can use the same font as your title or choose a different font. If the subtitle is the same font as the title, consider making the title and subtitle different colors. Your goal should be to make the title standout.
For the section headers, (Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusions, etc.), make the font size approximately 50% larger than the body text, between 36-72 points. Use the same font as your title or subtitle.
 For body text, make the font size between 24-48 points. Choose a serif type font that's very readable, such as:
Be sure to keep the body text font size the same throughout the entire poster. The only exception might be an abstract section at the beginning of the poster or references at the end which could be smaller.
If you are designing your poster at half size, (ie: 18" x 30" for a 36" x 60" poster) cut all these point size suggestions in half. Please use these font types and sizes as a guide to aid your poster layout.
If you have some additional space available, before you increase the font size consider adding additional line and paragraph spacing. This can make your text more readable and is a good way to fit the column length to the poster layout.
 Inserting Text
You can type anything you want into a text box or cut and paste text from a word processor file into your PPT poster file. If cutting and pasting, it may be necessary to use the Paste Special command so that the text will take on the PPT text box's attributes. Copy the text from your word processor as you normally would and then switch to PowerPoint. Click where you want the text to start and then go to the Edit menu and select "Paste Special" choosing the "Formatted Text (RTF)" option.
Look over the pasted text carefully to make sure the font size is consistent with previously entered text. It may also be necessary to change the line and paragraph spacing of the text to keep it consistent with previously entered text. Watch out also for special symbols and for subscripts and superscripts that may no longer be formatted correctly.
 Format Painter
 An easy way to make all your text look the same is to use the Format Painter tool. This tool is located on the toolbar right next to cut, copy and paste, and looks like a paint brush.
If you've got some text in your poster that you've already formatted exactly they way you want it look (font, size, color, etc.) and you've just inserted some new text that looks different, try using the Format Painter to make the new text look just like your formatted text. Here's how:
- Select a source object that has the formatting the way you want it. (The source can be text but it also could be an inserted photo or a drawn object.)
- Now click on the Format Painter button and your cursor will change to to a paint brush.
- Now whatever object you click on next will take on the same attributes as your source object.
If your source text was 32 point Arial in yellow with bold applied, now your new text will be too. If your source was a yellow square with a red line around, your destination object will be filled yellow with a red line around it, even if it's not a square!
 Inserting Pictures
To insert a picture, go to the Insert menu and select "Picture > From File" and then navigate to wherever you have your pictures stored. For the best quality image, insert the pictures into PPT and then DO NOT enlarge them!
Do not allow imported pictures to hang over the edge of the poster or they will be cropped off. Use the picture cropping tool or scale the image down proportionally. For more information about inserting pictures into PowerPoint, see our Tip Sheet entitled, "Inserting Pictures into PowerPoint and Word".
Should you need to adjust the size of an inserted picture or logo, hold down the shift key on your keyboard and then click and drag with your mouse on one of the corners of the image in order to scale it proportionally in height and width.
Pictures from web sites are low resolution, 72 dpi images. If used on a poster they will be fuzzy looking. Pictures for use on a poster should be scanned at 150 dpi at 100% of the final size they will be used at on the poster. If designing at half size (ie: 18" x 30" for a 36" x 60" poster) then scan at 300 dpi. Save the image as a high quality JPEG file.
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high resolution |
Do not enlarge pictures once they are inserted into PowerPoint. If the image will be used larger in the poster, it should be enlarged when scanned. Scan the original at a higher magnification or at a higher resolution to make up for the size difference.
If you're not sure how an image will look like when printed full size on your poster, click on it and then zoom in 200% to get a good look at it. If it is fuzzy looking on your monitor then it will be fuzzy looking on your poster.
 Using Guides for Column Layout
 Guides are non-printing, horizontal or vertical lines that your text, photos, and other objects will snap to when laying out your poster. In each of our on-line PowerPoint poster templates, we've placed a guide on the left and right side of each column of text. The text box can then be quickly sized to fill the column. This speeds up the placement of text and graphics within a column and keeps the columns straight.
To see the guides, just turn them on by going to View > Grid and Guides. At the bottom of the dialog box, check "Display drawing guides on screen". Click OK and the guides will appear. To move a guide, simply click and drag it. As you do so, the cursor will display inches from the ruler so you always know exactly where the guide is. To create more guides, hold down the Control key and then click and drag on a guide. Note that PowerPoint is limited to 8 horizontal and 8 vertical guides.
 Design Tips
You'll want to maintain good contrast between the background color and the text color. Consider using a light colored background with dark text. Keep the background simple and subtle. Avoid busy, distracting backgrounds that can make the text more difficult to read.
 The colors that you see on your monitor will not reproduce exactly the same on the printed poster and will differ from your small proof print. In particular, many of the blues will print purple.
If you want to see how any of the default PowerPoint colors look when printed, a sample color chart is available in Creative Communications. Please use it to choose the colors you want or to verify that the colors you have already chosen will print as expected. |