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Millennium Hall outside of atrium



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Instructional Graphic Guidelines

Visual Design Resources

Legibility Standards for Instructional Media

  • Choose a landscape or horizontal format for all slides, transparencies, electronic presentations and most poster session materials
  • Select a readable lettering style
- Gothic or Roman of medium weight
- Avoid script or Old English type
  • Use no more that three typefaces (two are preferred)
- Can be various sizes and weights
- Try "families" of type
  • Use capital letters only for titles
- Less than six words
- Lower case letters are more easily read
  • Use key words and phrases
- No more than 15 to twenty words
- Use no more than seven lines of type
- Leave "white space"
  • Allow for contrast between background and lettering
- Light letters on a dark background best for slides
- Dark letters on a light background good for transparencies
- Never use light letters on a light background
  • Make lettering large enough to be read at a distance
- Projected Materials (minimum size)
Slides: 24 Point
Transparencies: 24 Point
Electronic Presentations: 24 Point

- Non-Projected Materials (minimum size)
8 feet away: 24 point
16 feet away: 36 point
32 feet away: 72 point
64 feet away: 144 point (2inches)

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Guidelines for Media Layouts

  • Select a readable lettering style
- Gothic (Sans Serif) or Roman (Serif)
- Avoid Script or Old English type, never use as all capital letters
  • Use no more than three typefaces (two are preferred)
- Can be various sizes
- Weight or thickness of lettering can be varied for emphases
- Try "families" of type
  • Use capital letters only for titles
- Less than six words
- Lower case letters are more easily read
  • Organize the layout
- Allow white space in the layout
- Use graphic elements or photos to add interest
- Arrange items in logical order
  • Standard Paper Sizes
- Letter - 8 1/2 "x 11"
- Legal - 8 1/2" x 14"
- Tabloid - 11" x 17" (Largest size handled by most copy machines and presses in small print shops)
  • Allow for contrast between background and lettering
- Dark lettering on a light background is most readable
- Light letters on a dark background - usually not as readable, more costly to print
  • Color Considerations
- Colored ink (one color) adds to the cost of the menu, but not significantly
- Colored photos add significant cost to the production of the menu
  • Finish
- Laminate
- Clear coating (either during the printing process or using clear spray)

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