The Beauty of Bulletin Boards

So you walk into an office, church or school and see a bulletin board. Is it full of loose papers hanging every which way? Or is it neat with an inspiring message? Do you want to look away with boredom or do you walk towards it to inquire more?

Bulletin boards are supposed to be simple and serve a purpose. Any group or organization can create an effective bulletin board with a minimum amount of effort. It's best to designate one person to be in charge of what goes onto the board to maintain conformity and organization.

Here are a few guidelines for designing bulletin boards.

Determine what purpose you want to use the bulletin board for. It can deliver updated materials, publications, and information to clients, staff or students. It may be used to remind people of upcoming events and schedules. When done right, these boards can decorate a lobby, waiting area, hallway or classroom. Some people even use bulletin boards in their homes instead of purchasing artwork!

Placement of a bulletin board is important. Rectangular-shaped displays are more pleasing to the eye than square-shapes. Place a board on a wall in the same fashion as a piece of framed art - eye level. The board should be in a room in a position that can be viewed from different vantage points. Pick a complimentary color from the room for the background. This will make it seem like a part of the room rather than something obtrusive.

I prefer to use fabric for background. It doesn't fade, hides pin and staple holes, and looks very classy. Wallpaper is great too! Check with local wallpaper stores, many give away their old samples and leftover pieces. Border designs are available in themes that may compliment and enhance the display but be careful to not make the board too busy.

Colors and choice of lettering is important. I prefer to use darker/cool colors for the background such as blue, green and grey. Use warm colors such as red, yellow and orange for lettering. I like to work with brights and darks as well as black and white, depending on the theme. The display should be easy to read and understand. Chose a simple style of lettering font. Precut letters are great, but if you're on a tight budget, purchase a couple good sets and use them as stencils and cut your own letters. For children's boards I like to use Andy, a font that is somewhat childish and it's easy to cut out. Decorative fonts can be somewhat distracting, but when used alone with very few visual aids, can look sophisticated.

Create a central theme with no more than four points of interest on a single board. Keep the title short, simple and related to the display. Try to use catchy, familiar phrases. Use the same style of lettering on the board, but make the title or heading the largest. I use four inch letters for the heading and three inch letters for subheadings. On large bulletin boards sometimes I keep the heading in a straight horizontal line and then arch the subheadings.

Keep ideas concise and stimulating. Think of your viewers: their ages, education, cultural or religious background. Use a minimum amount of words or printed information. Most viewers look at a bulletin board for twenty seconds. You need to capture their attention and give them the basic information so they want to ask for more. Use visual aids to attract interest. I like to use photographs of the people involved. Everybody enjoys seeing themselves on the bulletin board and it encourages others to participate in the next activity.

A final thought, try to update or tidy the bulletin board once a week and do a complete change once a month. Make use of seasonal events and holidays. Check at stores that sell educational supplies and dollar stores for items you can use on a board. Don't be afraid to be creative! A beautiful and effective bulletin board will arouse interest, stimulate thought and encourage action.