100 Days of Posters / Day 003 of 100
Day 3: The Grid
Build a poster on an invisible structure.
- Chapter
- 01 Foundations
- Level
- Beginner
- Time
- 45–60 minutes
- Canvas
- 1080 × 1350 px
The principle
A grid is a set of decisions made in advance: columns, margins and gutters that every element agrees to respect. It is not a cage. It removes small arbitrary choices so you can focus on the big ones, and it gives unrelated pieces of information a shared rhythm. Viewers rarely see the grid, but they feel the order it creates.
Objective. Use a simple column grid to place every element with intention.
The brief
Design a poster for a lecture series using a four-column grid with consistent margins.
Announce a fictional evening lecture series with three speakers.
Required information
- THINKING IN SYSTEMS
- A LECTURE SERIES
- THREE SPEAKERS — THREE THURSDAYS
- Your own names, dates and venue
Constraints
- Draw a four-column grid before placing anything
- Every element must align to a column edge
- Equal margins on all four sides
- Black, white and one grey
You're done when
- Every element sits on the grid
- Margins feel deliberate and consistent
- The poster feels ordered, not rigid
Stretch goal
Rebuild the poster on a five-column grid and notice how the proportions change the mood.