SDGs 24×36 Poster – Instructions

Overview

(SDGs) United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

For this project, you will design one 24″ x 36″ poster explaining and illustrating how Western Technical College currently adapts and implements sustainability on our campuses.

Infographics

Simply put, an infographic delivers the information with a visual that is primarily art and graphics—with few words. It speaks visually to your audience, showing them what you are trying to communicate.

Did you know that approximately 70% of all our body’s sensory receptors reside in the eyes? Furthermore, did you know that as much as 90% of all the information currently stored in our brains probably came to us through our eyes? This is what makes art and infographics so valuable when communicating with others. We communicate and learn visually.

Challenge yourself to make your poster infographics heavy. Try to use as little type as possible. This makes for a more interesting and informative poster.

Remember what makes a great infographic poster

  • Small chunks of information
  • Mostly graphics with a headline and a few words
  • One header that unifies all your facts
  • Branded with a consistent, contemporary, illustration style
  • Consistent background design
  • Consistent branding

Grading checklist

  • Design one infographic poster
  • Choose one topic (out of 10)
  • Design your poster to include the following:
    • Headline
    • Subhead
    • Facts
    • Emoji for your SDG goal
  • Use the 24″ x 36″ poster template (download below)
  • Software: Use Illustrator, draw in vector, CMYK, 300 ppi
  • Colors: Choose the best color pallet that fits your design and topic. Feel free to use the Western brand colors and Global Goals colors as inspiration
  • Be sure to build your design around the bottom branded wave and the empty QR code box at the bottom of the poster template
  • Participate in class critiques

Poster Template – Adobe Illustrator

sdg-poster-template-24×36.ai.zipDownload

Use Western brand guidelines to influence your poster design

You can use other typefaces and colors if they fit your design style and theme better. This is just an idea starter.

First: Learn about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

UN Global Goals http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals.html

UN Brand guidelines: https://www.globalgoals.org/resources

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

These 17 Goals build on the successes of the Millennium Development Goals while including new areas such as climate change, economic inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption, peace, and justice, among other priorities. The goals are interconnected – often the key to success on one will involve tackling issues more commonly associated with another.

Incorporate your topic’s Sustainable Development Goal emoji into your poster

It shouldn’t be too large or too emphasized, but the viewer should be able to see it. Maybe next to your headline or Subhead?

The Goodlife Goals (and their emojis) are a set of personal actions that people around the world can take to help support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They are lifestyle asks for individuals that are carefully aligned with the SDGs 169 targets and indicators.

You can also download (or read it on this page) the Goodlife Goals manual and read through it.

good-life-goals-manual.pdfDownload

Download the Illustrator file of all the emojis here. The emojis are in order following the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

good-life-goals-emojis.ai.zipDownload

Second: Chose a poster topic

Multiple students can design the same poster topic, but I need to have posters designed for all topics. So I may ask students to design a poster for a topic if it isn’t chosen.

POSTER TOPICS

Third: Design your poster

Design and illustrate a poster for your assigned topic (see the Blackboard assignment). Use a contemporary illustration style to show your skills to potential employers.

Each poster will have the following:

  • Headline
  • Subhead
  • Facts
  • Emoji

Here are a few ideas showing how you might lay out the information on a poster. These are just ideas to inspire you.

These are just ideas. Make your poster your own. Look at the examples on the instructions web page and draw inspiration from them. Remember your basics: Type, colors, art, layout.

Student Examples

Student SDG Poster Examples on Behance
https://www.behance.net/gallery/138416337/Sustainable-posters-and-social-media-graphics

Older student examples

The following posters used an older template and bottom branded bar, but the designs are still great examples of Global Goals posters.

Some of the poster examples below were from a different class project. These posters allowed students to choose any topic that fit the Sustainable Development Goals.

Your poster topic has been assigned to you. Your new posters will be featured in the hallways of the entire Western campus. The other posters were only featured in the graphic design area.

Industry Examples

More industry examples

Infographic poster examples (Behance)