Programs for creating educational posters. Advantages of a free constructor. Free Online Editor: Pros and Cons

22.11.2019

The process of creating a poster may seem enough challenging task, especially if you would like to see it in modern styles. Special online services allow you to do it in just a few minutes, but you should understand that in some places you may need to register, and in some places there is a set of paid functions and rights.

You can create posters online for amateur printing and / or distribution on social networks, on various sites. Some services can help you get the job done to a high standard, but you'll have to use pre-built templates, so there isn't much room for creativity. Plus, working in such editors implies only an amateur level, that is, you do not need to try to work professionally in them. To do this, it is better to download and install specialized software, for example,.

Method 1: Canva

An excellent service with wide functionality both for photo processing and for creating high-level design products. The site works very fast even with slow internet. Users will appreciate the extensive functionality and a large number of pre-made templates. However, to work in the service, you need to register, and also take into account that certain functions and templates are available only to owners of a paid subscription.

Step-by-step instructions for working with poster templates in this case look something like this:

Click on the button on the site "Get Started".
Next, the service will prompt you to go through the registration procedure. Choose a method - "Register with Facebook", "Register with Google+" or "Login with email address". Authorization via social networks It will take a little time and will be done in just a couple of clicks.

After registration, a questionnaire may appear with a small survey and / or fields for entering personal data (name, password for the Canva service). On the last questions, it is recommended to always choose "For myself" or "For Learning", since in other cases the service may begin to impose paid functionality.
After that, the primary editor will open, where the site will offer to be trained in the basics of working in the reactor. Here you can skip the tutorial by clicking on any part of the screen, and go through it by clicking on "Learn how to do it".

In the editor that opens by default, the A4 sheet layout is initially open. If you are not satisfied with the current template, then do this and the next two steps. Exit the editor by clicking on the service logo in the upper left corner.

Now click on the green button "Create Design". All available size templates will appear in the central part, select one of them.
If none of the proposed options suits you, then click on "Use custom sizes".

Set the width and height for the future poster. Click "Create".

Now you can start creating the poster itself. Your tab is open by default. "Layouts". You can choose a ready-made layout and change pictures, text, colors, fonts on it. Layouts are fully editable.

To make changes to the text, double-click on it. In the upper part, the font is selected, the alignment is indicated, the font size is set, the text can be made bold and / or italic.

If there is a photo on the layout, then you can delete it and install some of your own. To do this, click on an existing photo and click Delete to remove it.

Now go to "My", which is in the left toolbar. Upload pictures from your computer by clicking on "Add your own images".

A file selection window will open on your computer. Select it.
Drag the uploaded picture to the photo space on the poster.

To change the color of any element, just click on it a couple of times and find a colored square in the upper left corner. Click on it to open the color palette and choose the color you like.

At the end of the work, you need to save everything. To do this, click on "Download".

A window will open where you need to select the file type and confirm the download.

The service also allows you to create your own, non-template poster. This is what the instruction would look like in this case:

Creating a poster in this service is a creative business, so study the interface of the service, perhaps you will find some other interesting features or decide to use paid features.

Method 2: PrintDesign

This is a simple layout editor. printed matter. You do not need to register here, but you will have to pay about 150 rubles for downloading the finished result to your computer. It is possible to download the created layout for free, but it will display the water logo of the service.

On such a site, it is unlikely that it will be possible to create a very beautiful and modern poster, since the number of functions and layouts in the editor is very limited. Plus, for some reason, there is no built-in layout for A4 size.

When working in this editor, we will consider only the option of creating from scratch. The thing is that on this site there is only one sample from templates for posters. The step by step guide looks like this:

Scroll through home page just below to see the full list of options for creating printed products with this service. In this case, you need to select "Poster". Press "Make a poster!".

Now select the dimensions. You can use both templates and set your own. In the latter case, you will not be able to use a template that is already included in the editor. In this instruction, we will consider the creation of a poster for A3 dimensions (instead of AZ, there can be any other size). Click on the button "Make from scratch".

The editor will then start loading. To get started, you can insert any picture. Press "Image", which is located in the top toolbar.

Will open "Conductor" where you need to select an image to insert.
The uploaded image will appear in the tab "My Images". To use it in your poster, just drag it to the workspace.

The picture can be resized using special nodes located at the corners, and it can also be freely moved throughout the workspace.

If necessary, set the background image using the parameter "Background color" in the top toolbar.

Now you can add text for the poster. Click on the tool of the same name, after which the tool will appear in a random place on the workspace.

To customize the text (font, size, color, highlight, alignment), pay attention to the central part of the top toolbar.

For variety, you can add a few additional elements, such as shapes or stickers. The latter can be seen by clicking on "Other".
To see the set of available icons/stickers, etc., just click on the item you are interested in. After clicking, a window with a complete list of elements will open.

To save the finished layout to your computer, click the button "Download", which is at the top of the editor.

You will be redirected to a page where the finished version of the poster will be shown and a check for the amount of 150 rubles will be provided. Under the check, you can choose from the following options − "Pay and download", "Order a print with delivery"(the second option will be quite expensive) and "Download a watermarked PDF to see the layout".

If you chose last option, a window will open showing the full size layout. To download it to your computer, click on the button "Save", which will be in the address bar of the browser. In some browsers, this step is skipped and the download starts automatically.

Method 3: Fotojet

This is also a specialized design service for creating posters and posters, similar in interface and functionality to Canva. The only inconvenience for many users from the CIS is the lack of the Russian language. To somehow remove this drawback, it is recommended to use a browser with an auto-translation function (although it is not always correct).

One of the positive differences from Canva is the lack of mandatory registration. Additionally, you can use paid elements without purchasing an extended account, but such elements of the poster will display the logo of the service.

A step-by-step instruction for creating a poster according to a prepared layout looks something like this:

Click the button on the site "Get Started" to get started. Here you can additionally get acquainted with the main functionality and features of the service, however, in English.

By default, a tab is open in the left pane. template, that is layouts. Choose one of them that suits you best. Layouts marked with an orange crown icon in the upper right corner are only available to paid account holders. You can also use them on your poster, but a significant part of the space will be occupied by the logo, which cannot be removed.

You can change the text by double-clicking on it with the left mouse button. Additionally, a special window will appear with a choice of fonts and adjustment of alignment, font size, color and highlighting in bold / italic / underline.

You can also customize various geometric objects. Just click on the object with the left mouse button, after which the settings window will open. Go to tab "Effect". Here you can set the transparency Opacity), borders (item Border Width) and fill.

The fill setting can be considered in more detail, since you can turn it off completely by selecting the item "No Fill". This option is suitable if you need to highlight some object with a stroke.

You can make the fill standard, that is, one color that covers the entire shape. To do this, select from the drop-down menu "Solid Fill", and in color set a color.

You can also set a gradient fill. To do this, select from the drop-down menu Gradient Fill. Under the drop-down menu, select two colors. Plus, you can specify the type of gradient - radial (coming from the center) or linear (going from top to bottom).

Unfortunately, you cannot change the background in layouts. You can only set any additional effects to it. To do this, go to "Effect". There you can choose a ready-made effect from a special menu or make manual settings. For independent settings, click on the inscription at the bottom "Advanced Options". Here you can move the sliders and achieve interesting effects.

To save your work, use the floppy disk icon in the top bar. A small window will open where you need to specify a name for the file, its format, and also select a size. For users who use the service for free, only two size options are available - "Small" and Medium. It is noteworthy that here the size is measured by the pixel density. The higher it is, the better the print quality will be. For commercial printing, a minimum of 150 DPI is recommended. After completing the settings, click on Save.

Creating a poster from scratch will be more difficult. In this manual, other main features of the service will be considered:

Canva has over 8,000 templates to quickly create posters. The service allows you to customize the background and add text, pictures you upload, as well as illustrations and other decorations from the Canva library to posters. Some of the templates and decorative elements are available for free, the rest can be purchased separately or received as part of a paid subscription.

Canva is available as a web editor and iOS app. There is no Android version yet.

This editor is as powerful as Canva. With Desygner, you too can create posters and other graphics by combining images, text, stickers, and other decorations onto one canvas. offers hundreds free templates, illustrations and photographs as sources. To get access to the full collection of materials, as well as a convenient search for them, you need to subscribe to a paid subscription.

Desygner can be used in browser and mobile apps on Android and iOS.

3. Fotor

Fotor is a multifunctional service for working with graphics. It allows you to do about the same as the poster editors listed above: upload images, overlay text, stickers and other elements on them.

What's more, Fotor has a plethora of image editing and collage tools. However, the service does not have as many source materials as Canva and Desygner. With a paid subscription, you will get more sources and functions for editing graphics.

Fotor is available in the browser as well as programs for major desktop and mobile platforms.

The Bambinic project deserves special attention. This is not a universal poster editor, but a highly specialized service designed to create children's metrics. For this purpose, Bambinic has several templates with cartoon illustrations and commemorative captions. To create bright poster for your child, you just need to select a template and fill it out, indicating information about the child (for example, the number of teeth, height, weight, first words).

Bambinic exists only as a website, the service does not have applications.

Print large format posters, banners and signs with the dedicated RonyaSoft Poster Printer software! This program will save you on large format printing orders, allowing you to print on a conventional printer. It does not require special large-scale printers and plotters. Instead, the program will automatically split a large image into a number of smaller pages and print them using your home or office printer. Create large size prints with poster making software!

Create Big Posters With Just A Few Simple Clicks

You do not need to study Corel or Photoshop programs for a long time and tediously. All you need to create a large size poster is to select a picture, specify the dimensions, and send it to print. The poster printing program will take care of all the technical issues, automatically process the image, cut the fragments, and print on the required number of pages of the format supported by your printer. After printing, simply glue the pages together. Your own poster is ready. And it didn't take any special technical devices! A standard printer, tape or glue and scissors are all you need to create a unique poster.

Unleash Your Creative Potential

Create your own attractive poster! It doesn't matter if it's your favorite family photo Whether it's a digital photo, your artwork or a painting, poster maker software delivers great results. Express yourself and create your own living room poster for everyone to see. Just use your imagination. Get more space for your greatest creative moments - with the new RonyaSoft Poster Printer it's very easy to do! Your friends will certainly be pleasantly surprised by your own posters and photo wallpapers.

Save Money Creating a Huge Spectacular Poster

Usage software to create posters gives you the ability to print large-scale posters on standard size paper. Use A4 sheets, glue them together and create the perfect banners or posters without overpaying for specialized large format printing!

Characteristics

Printing large-scale graphics on standard paper
Automatic splitting of large images into several pages of standard size
Large format poster printing up to 10 x 10m
Several optimized image enhancement methods (Bilinear, Bicubic, Hermite, Lanczos)
Support for bitmap and vector images (bmp, gif, jpg, png, tiff, wmf, emf)
Support for TWAIN sources (scanners and digital cameras)
Partial printing
Built-in size templates
Metric measurement system (mm, cm, inches)
User interface in multiple languages
beautiful skins

Requirements

In order to print your poster or banner, you need a standard printer (US; DIN A5, A4 or A3) or a large format plotter (DIN A2, A1 or A0). The Poster Creator program supports printers from various manufacturers: HP, Canon, Epson, Lexmark, Brother, etc. And, of course, a Windows PC with a Pentium IIII 1500 processor and 512 Mbit RAM. The poster maker software is compatible with Windows XP (32 and 64), Windows Vista (32 and 64), Windows 7 (32 and 64), Windows 8 (32 and 64), Windows 10 (32 and 64).

All software that is used to create posters is characterized by two important aspects. Firstly, these are the requirements for the literacy and qualifications of the user. And the second is the availability of software, whether it is necessary to pay money for its use.

In general, the software used to prepare posters is divided into office applications, graphics and publishing packages, markup languages and specialized programs.

Let's start simple. The most commonly used, fast and user-friendly poster creation program that almost everyone has is MS PowerPoint. Each of us at least once in our lives created presentations - creating a poster in MS PowerPoint is not significantly different. Naturally, the layout tools are quite rough - for example, I once suffered with the alignment of the same type of elements. Also, don't be surprised if when you print the colors are not the same as on your monitor, the pictures are fuzzy (however, this can be easily fixed by using high-resolution images), etc. Open MS PowerPoint analogues, such as OpenOffice / LibreOffice Impress, are similar in principle, but have even less tooling flexibility. For Mac users, the equivalent is Keynote.

If you are going to make a poster in PowerPoint or similar programs, you may find this guide helpful: bit.ly/1ltZPoN. Particularly useful in it is closer to the middle: step-by-step instruction(with links to detailed description"where to click" in PowerPoint) and a sign with minimum dimensions fonts for different parts of the poster.

It's also helpful to browse the topics on the Academia StackExchange: http://goo.gl/MsQExi . In any case, it's important to remember that with some skill and attention to detail, PowerPoint-like programs can make a good poster. However, in terms of capabilities, they are equally inferior to full-fledged graphics and publishing packages.

The simplest and most accessible of them is the cross-platform and free Inkscape, which, however, requires a short practice before the user begins to feel confident. We can recommend two tutorials for beginners: http://goo.gl/OYR3JO and http://mesa.ac.nz/?page_id=797 , as well as a rich collection of Youtube videos.

Serious platforms include Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign or Corel Draw, however, all proprietary and very demanding in terms of experience. If you have never worked with them before, and there are two days left before the conference, this is clearly not your choice. But in general, the ability to work with them is a useful skill that can come in handy later, for scientific and non-scientific purposes.

For those who are more accustomed to working with code and numbers, there is the TeX markup language. All of its major implementations (LaTeX, MikTeX, etc.) are free. However, it is still a programming language, so it is more demanding on the experience and skills of users. There is an opinion that for the majority the use of TeX for the preparation of scientific posters is redundant, but this, as always, is a matter of taste, preferences and initial skills.

Finally, there are narrowly focused special programs for creating posters. For example, the proprietary PosterGenius that I dealt with a couple of years ago. PosterGenius has templates for the main modules — author (name, contact email, affiliation), hypotheses, methods, results, discussions, and so on. Each of these sections has its own settings and options. You can see more about how PosterGenius looks and works on their website: http://goo.gl/oMeKD2 Such special programs save the author from many problems at once - from thinking through the structure of the poster, choosing the color of the elements and their compatibility, as well as the need finely calibrate the location of the modules and so on. Including template and predetermined design protects against some mistakes in creating posters. Among the minuses are the relatively high cost, some limited color schemes, and there is not much freedom for creative imagination.

In general, if you don't know where to start and don't have much time for a poster, use PowerPoint. If you don't mind spending some time figuring out how to do it, use full-fledged layout and graphic design packages (Inkscape, Illustrator, CorelDraw, InDesign...). If you have any code, and all these designers do not understand anything, use LaTeX. Ultimately, not so much depends on the choice of software as on the literacy of the poster author.