American Historical Figure Tri-Fold School Poster Project (Plus 7 Ways To Make Your Poster Pop)

Sometimes it can be so hard to come up with ideas to help your child make their school poster projects. I have wished more parents shared these kinds of projects to help other mom’s get the ball rolling faster. That’s why I’m sharing my son’s Famous American Historical Figure poster project. In case it can help any of you moms and kids out there. 

I used two black thick poster boards to create this tri-fold. I just cut one of them in half and taped them to the sides to add the flaps. 

The Movie posters From Houdini’s Life open up to show real-life photos from important events of his life. This helps the display be more interactive instead of something just to look at. 

We wanted to create a simple yet eye-catching title artwork for the middle of the poster and was inspired by some of the artwork and typography from Harry Houdini’s era. We wanted something that wasn’t just glued to the poster and incorporated the ropes for a real-life 3D effect,  the ropes also tie into some of the equipment Harry was famous for using like being tied up. 

We used felt for the curtains because they are easy to cut and glue and the fabric does not fray. So no sewing required. Then we added a touch of gold glitter to add a little bit more detail. 

We really wanted to incorporate some wooden stage flooring and we accomplished this by printing out some old wood planks on several pieces of paper and then cutting them out side by side to span the width of the poster board. 

I am a graphic designer and design posters for businesses, events, and project all the time, I try to take some of the things and rules I have learned and help my kids incorporate them into their projects. It’s also a great way to pass on some of my skill to them. So here are some essential tips to creating a great poster that people will notice and remember. 

7 Ways To Help Your Poster Project Pop:

1. Mix up your material: Don’t just use paper, try to think of other materials you can add to mix it up and add some character. 

2. Get Interactive: Try to at least add an element that is interactive. Your poster will leave a lasting impression if your audience isn’t just looking at it, but actually, have something to touch or hear. Even something as simple as opening flaps can add a whole other level to your poster project.

3. Design with a color scheme in mind: Don’t just put any colors you can find on your poster. The color scheme is more powerful than you think. They can envoke an entire feeling and look to your poster. Choose between only three to four colors you utilize in your poster. It will look better organized as well. 

4. Typography: Using fonts can be a strong design addition if you use it right. So many fonts come with their own personalities and style. Try not to use more than three fonts or you will font overload your project and lose some of the functionality and power of the font. 

5. Add a splash: I like to have one flashy main element to any of the posters we make. It could be a super large cutout picture, battery operated lights, or a realistic physical item that is relevant. Whatever it is, make it stand out and the main focus of your poster. Then the rest of your elements should be side supporters of your main images or feature. 

6. Think outside the box/poster: Try adjusting your project frame by making your poster not just rectangle and all your elements inside. Try Adding to the top with a banner or cutting special shapes out of the side of your poster to break away from the square look. On our poster above we added a simple star. Even though it is simple it adds a lot to the project and breaks away at the confinement of the square poster. 

7. Don’t use a lot of words: People try to fill up their poster with a lot of information but when it comes to posters people don’t read them. This is a common rule in design. They will read the title and the sub-titles throughout your poster, and other large words up to one or two sentences. But no one will read your huge body of text. Posters are made to be scanned. Lean on your photos and all things Visual and keep the verbiage to the basics.

Hope this helps you with your next poster display. Please share the Pinterest friendly image below with your friends and family or save it for an upcoming project.