latex-posters

# LaTeX Research Posters

## Overview

Research posters are a critical medium for scientific communication at conferences, symposia, and academic events. This skill provides comprehensive guidance for creating professional, visually appealing research posters using LaTeX packages. Generate publication-quality posters with proper layout, typography, color schemes, and visual hierarchy.

## When to Use This Skill

This skill should be used when:
- Creating research posters for conferences, symposia, or poster sessions
- Designing academic posters for university events or thesis defenses
- Preparing visual summaries of research for public engagement
- Converting scientific papers into poster format
- Creating template posters for research groups or departments
- Designing posters that comply with specific conference size requirements (A0, A1, 36×48", etc.)
- Building posters with complex multi-column layouts
- Integrating figures, tables, equations, and citations in poster format

## AI-Powered Visual Element Generation

**STANDARD WORKFLOW: Generate ALL major visual elements using AI before creating the LaTeX poster.**

This is the recommended approach for creating visually compelling posters:
1. Plan all visual elements needed (title, intro, methods, results, conclusions)
2. Generate each element using scientific-schematics or Nano Banana Pro
3. Assemble generated images in the LaTeX template
4. Add text content around the visuals

**Target: 60-70% of poster area should be AI-generated visuals, 30-40% text.**

---

### Hard limits (do not exceed)

These are limits, not guidelines. Violating them is the single most common cause of a
failed poster. Full reasoning, per-graphic-type tables, and worked examples are in
[references/ai_graphics_for_posters.md](references/ai_graphics_for_posters.md).

| Constraint | Limit |
| --- | --- |
| Elements per AI-generated graphic | **3-4 maximum** (3 ideal) |
| Words per graphic | **10 maximum** |
| White space per graphic | **50% minimum** (60% better) |
| Key numbers / metrics | **120pt+** |
| Labels | **80pt+** |
| Body text on the poster | **24pt+** |
| Content sections (A0) | **5-6 maximum** |
| Total words on the poster | **300-800** |
| Figure width | `0.85\linewidth`, never `1.0` |

Every graphic prompt must include: `POSTER FORMAT for A0`, an explicit element or word
count (`ONLY 3 icons`, `3 words total`), a font size (`GIANT (120pt+)`), `60% white space`,
and a viewing distance (`readable from 10-12 feet`).

**Two mandatory review gates.** Skipping either is how unreadable posters happen:

- **Before generating** — for each planned graphic, confirm it is 3-4 items, one message,
  under 10 words, and not a 5+ stage workflow. If not, split it into several graphics.
- **After generating, before assembly** — open each figure at 25% zoom. All text readable,
  4 or fewer elements, 50%+ white space, understandable in 2 seconds. Any failure means
  regenerate or split. Do not assemble a poster from figures that failed.

Patterns that always fail: `7-stage workflow`, `timeline with annual milestones`,
`3 case studies in one graphic`, `comparison of 5+ methods`, `architecture with all layers`.
Collapse each to 3 high-level items, or make several separate graphics.

**Overflow is an error, not a warning.** After compiling, run `grep -i overfull poster.log`
and inspect all four edges at 100% zoom. See
[references/compilation_and_quality_control.md](references/compilation_and_quality_control.md).

## Scientific Schematics Integration

For detailed guidance on creating schematics, refer to the **scientific-schematics** skill documentation.

**Key capabilities:**
- Nano Banana Pro automatically generates, reviews, and refines diagrams
- Creates publication-quality images with proper formatting
- Ensures accessibility (colorblind-friendly, high contrast)
- Supports iterative refinement for complex diagrams

---

## Core Capabilities

Three poster packages are supported — **beamerposter** (Beamer syntax, institutional
themes), **tikzposter** (modern, colorful, flexible), and **baposter** (structured
multi-column). Package comparison, layout and grid systems, design principles, standard
sizes, per-package templates, figure and image integration, color schemes, typography,
and QR codes are all documented in
[references/latex_poster_reference.md](references/latex_poster_reference.md).

Reusable per-section content patterns, accessibility requirements, and presentation-day
guidance are in
[references/poster_patterns_and_presentation.md](references/poster_patterns_and_presentation.md).

## Workflow for Poster Creation

### Stage 1: Planning and Content Development

1. **Determine poster requirements**:
   - Conference size specifications (A0, 36×48", etc.)
   - Orientation (portrait vs. landscape)
   - Submission deadlines and format requirements

2. **Develop content outline**:
   - Identify 1-3 core messages
   - Select key figures (typically 3-6 main visuals)
   - Draft concise text for each section (bullet points preferred)
   - Aim for 300-800 words total

3. **Choose LaTeX package**:
   - beamerposter: If familiar with Beamer, need institutional themes
   - tikzposter: For modern, colorful designs with flexibility
   - baposter: For structured, professional multi-column layouts

### Stage 2: Generate Visual Elements (AI-Powered)

**CRITICAL: Generate SIMPLE figures with MINIMAL content. Each graphic = ONE message.**

**Content limits:**
- Maximum 4-5 elements per graphic
- Maximum 15 words total per graphic
- 50% white space minimum
- GIANT fonts (80pt+ for labels, 120pt+ for key numbers)

1. **Create figures directory**:
   ```bash
   mkdir -p figures
   ```

2. **Generate SIMPLE visual elements**:
   ```bash
   # Introduction - ONLY 3 icons/elements
   python scripts/generate_schematic.py "POSTER FORMAT for A0. SIMPLE visual with ONLY 3 elements: [icon1] [icon2] [icon3]. ONE word labels (80pt+). 50% white space. Readable from 8 feet." -o figures/intro.png