100 Days of Posters / Day 007 of 100
Day 7: The Focal Point
One shape that the eye cannot ignore.
- Chapter
- 01 Foundations
- Level
- Beginner
- Time
- 30–45 minutes
- Canvas
- 1080 × 1350 px
The principle
A focal point is where the eye lands first and returns to. You create it by making one thing different from everything around it — in size, colour, shape, direction or isolation. A poster without a focal point asks the viewer to do the work. A poster with too many has none at all.
Objective. Build a composition around a single, deliberate point of attention.
The brief
Design a poster for a science museum’s night event, built around one dominant geometric shape.
Constraints
- Exactly one dominant shape
- All other elements must support it, not compete with it
- Simple geometric forms only
- Maximum three colours
You're done when
- One clear focal point
- Supporting elements arranged in relation to it
- Information is still readable
Stretch goal
Create emphasis through isolation alone: make the focal shape the same size as the others.