Visual Display Boards for the Fashion Industry

Visual display boards for the fashion industry

What is a display board used for?

A display board is used for exhibiting a design topic or a range of garments. They are particularly helpful to quickly communicate a design concept to an audience during a presentation.

What size should the board be?

There are many sizes a display board can be, however it should be large enough for the audience to see clearly and small enough to transport. Most display boards are either A3 or A2 however the A3 size is most popular as it is easier to carry and store in a folder.

What cardboard should be used?

There are many different types of cardboard that can be used which range from a 120gsm card to a very stiff mount board, often used in picture framing. When deciding what card to use the overall purpose should be considered. If the display is expected to last a long time then a mount board may be the best choice however if the display is to be presented in a folder then a 120 to 150gsm cardboard is the better choice.

What colour cardboard should be used?

Any colour cardboard can be used to present your concept on however the background colour should not dominate the presentation. This is why black is often used as it provides such a clear and distinct platform to display onto without obscuring the presentation.

What colour considerations should be made?

Colour is a very important consideration as it is one of the first things the audience will see. When choosing images and any other coloured objects to present make sure the colour combination works well together on the board. If the board is to also follow a design theme then the colour palette of the theme should also be utilised throughout the display.

What pictures should be used?

Before mounting anything, collect as many images as possible that are relevant to the topic. These could be a range of natural, architectural, interior design, art &/or fashion images that will help communicate the design concept, attitude or topic being displayed. When you have all objects to be mounted choose only the most interesting and visually stimulating images that work in well with the rest of the board. To make the presentation a success all images, pictures and graphics exhibited should be of a high quality. These can be sourced from second hand glossy magazines such as - fashion publications, National Geographic magazine or glossy magazine ‘lift outs’ from various newspapers. If you have access to a good colour printer then many great images can be sourced from the web as well. Colour photocopying can also provide excellent colour reproduction and is generally printed on high quality semi gloss paper, which is a help if you source a picture from a library book etc.

What makes a good display board?

A good display board is a clearly visual one, which communicates the concept immediately to its audience and is visually stimulating to the eye and easy to follow.

Developing headings and labels for display boards

The importance of using text

There is a need on a display board for some clear labelling as it directs and informs the audience of the finer details of the presentation. The most important thing to remember however is that it MUST be easy and clear to READ! Text is a great way to pass on more information to the audience however it is taking up valuable space on the board if it is too small, or the font style is hard to read. As display boards are also meant to very visual it is important to keep the text to essential information only, therefore avoid mounting long paragraphs of writing on your board as it generally will not get read.

Using a variety of text sizes

Using a gradation of text sizes is a great way to help the audience distinguish main headings from sub headings and general body text. This can also be a way of directing the order you want the information to be read. To decide on what size each text label should be first select the body text font style & size. The size of body text should generally be approximately 12pts however it will depend on the font style chosen. Then decide on what sub headings or labels are needed and make them a few sizes larger. Then if you have any headings make those a little larger again. Finally make your main title the largest text size as it needs to be noticed before the rest of the text. However don’t make it so large that it dominates the display.

Using bold, italics and underlining

Only use bold for headings or sub headings as this can help to differentiate between the heading and the body of text immediately below it. Don’t use bold in the body text because the thickness makes it harder to read. Italics can be used to slant a font style as long as the font chosen is still clear to read. Underlining is better avoided for display boards. Underlining doesn’t improve the appearance of the font; it is just used to emphasis or highlights a word or phrase in a document.

Using Coloured Text

Using colour for text information has to be done very carefully and should only be used for headings and not body text. Coloured text for most people is hard to read and can be distracting against the presentation. Black text used on a white background or white text used or a black background is suggested. If you must use a coloured text for a heading, make sure you choose a mid to dark toned colour and not light toned colours like yellow as theses are very difficult to read. Remember you don’t want the audience to notice the text over the design work and images presented.

Using the same font style throughout

A consistent font used throughout the board always makes the body of work appear unified. However headings and text details will be easier to follow if there is a gradation of sizes between the texts to help the audience distinguish main headings from sub headings and general body text.

Using a variety of font styles

A variety of font styles can be used successfully if a particular style of font is applied to certain types of information. Eg Topic heading in one font style, topic description in another style & topic details in another. This works well as the reader quickly learns to recognise what each piece of information is about which makes the format easier to follow. However choose the font styles carefully and make sure their differences work well together and they are ALWAYS easy to read.

Using Typography or Text Styles appropriately

Using fancy font styles

Fancy fonts are great for visual displays as they can help to communicate the theme or set a ‘mood’ for the board. However fancy fonts should only be used for main headings and not body text as they are often difficult to read when they are reduced in size or used in a block.

Using plainer font styles

Plain font styles are easy read and follow and should be used in the body text of a display. Remember it is the pictures and designs that you want the reader to be attracted to and that the text is there to just offer more information without dominating the presentation.

Using CAPITALISATION

CAPITALS are another good highlighting technique for titles, main headings or sub headings, however they should NOT be used for body text as it is difficult to read and follow. As we are so used to reading text information in its lower case form it is hard to adjust to reading capitals if they are also used in a block.

TAFE Ultimo, Fashion Technology, Certificate IV, module 8477Y1