Static Images The

Elements of a
Poster

Static Images
aim to CAPTURE
ATTENTION
This is achieved by using a variety of
VISUAL and VERBAL features and
combining them to
DELIVER A MESSAGE or KEY IDEA

Look at this
image
Closely

What captured your

Write down
the first 3 things
attention?
you can remember about
the image
What Colours? What
Images? What Words? What
Ideas?

Visual Features of a Static

Image
COLOUR

Exaggerated, bright colours lead

you to think this movie could be a
fantasy/magical film

The colour pink reinforces that

this film is targeting females.
Pink is a colour that represents

What do you notice about repeated colour in

this image?
Yellow in
the font
matches
the yellow
in the
warriors
singlet.
White and
blue
lettering
matches
the colours
of the

Colour can also be a

symbol
Why has the designer
selected red for this
poster? What does it
symbolise?
There is also an
ALLUSION in this
image can anyone
recognise it?
(Note: an allusion is
where the creator uses
the knowledge that
people already have to
make links and imply

The fingerprint replacing

the letter O is an
allusion.
It plays on the idea that
the audience will
associate fingerprints
with crime.
It therefore gives us a
hint about the movie and
its genre

Layout & Balance

Dont be afraid to have
deliberate blank space it can
help balance your poster and
make it visually pleasing.

The Rule of
Thirds..
The focus image should not
be central, but in one of the
third spaces. This makes
the static image more
aesthetically pleasing. In this
image, it draws our attention
upwards.

What do you notice about the balance and

layout of this image?

Large figure on the left is balanced by the block of writing on

the right
Dominant image is off-centre, rule of thirds

Lines

The use of lines in a static image can direct the

viewers eye across the image towards central
images or words

Cropping
Dont be afraid to
crop your images
and align them to
the edges of the
page

Symbolism

What might the lightbulb symbolise?

What does the skull symbolise?

What about the crutches?

VERBAL FEATURES OF A
STATIC IMAGE
Your VERBAL features must link to
the VISUAL features that you
choose. They must complement
each other.

Verbal features can be used to

ATTRACT ATTENTION, DELIVER A
MESSAGE or to CONVEY AN IDEA

Alliteration
The repetition
of consonant
sounds, usually
at the
beginning of
words.

Metaphors or Similes
Metaphor - A direct comparison between two
things where one thing is said to be another.
Simile - A comparison using "Like" or "as"

Repetition
Repeating certain words,
phrases or images
This helps to CAPTURE
ATTENTION and make
the poster MEMORABLE

Second-Person Pronouns
Using the pronoun you.
Makes the viewer fell they are being addressed
personally.

Pun
A play on words where a word or
phrase has two meanings.

Rhetorical Question
Is a question that is
asked in order to make
a point and without the
expectation of a reply.
It makes the reader
ACTIVE and makes
them THINK about
what the image is
saying

Emotive Language
Language which is charged with emotion
Language deliberately designed to arouse the
emotions.

Quotes
Using a quote from a
book or film can be used
to convey a key idea or
message
Just because I like
ballet doesn't mean
I'm a poof, you know
I don't want a
childhood. I want to
be a ballet dancer
All right for your
Nana, for girls. No,
not for lads, Billy.
Lads do football... or
boxing... or wrestling.