Use when creating or revising LaTeX research posters with beamerposter, tikzposter, or baposter, including poster layout, typography, color, print sizing, figure placement, QR codes, compilation, and print-ready PDF checks.
Install with Codex or Claude Copy this prompt, paste it into Codex, Claude, or another assistant, and let it review the skill page and install it for you.
A direct command skips the review prompt. Inspect the source before running it.
Use when creating or revising LaTeX research posters with beamerposter, tikzposter, or baposter, including poster layout, typography, color, print sizing, figure placement, QR codes, compilation, and print-ready PDF checks.
allowed-tools
["Read","Write","Edit","Bash"]
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
Boundary
This skill owns poster layout and LaTeX poster production. It can place existing figures and specify visual space allocation, but it does not generate diagrams, plots, data figures, or presentation decks, and it must not require a separate visual specialist as part of normal poster work.
Core Capabilities
1. LaTeX Poster Packages
Support for three major LaTeX poster packages, each with distinct advantages. For detailed comparison and package-specific guidance, refer to .
references/latex_poster_packages.md
beamerposter:
Extension of the Beamer presentation class
Familiar syntax for Beamer users
Excellent theme support and customization
Best for: Traditional academic posters, institutional branding
tikzposter:
Modern, flexible design with TikZ integration
Built-in color themes and layout templates
Extensive customization through TikZ commands
Best for: Colorful, modern designs, custom graphics
baposter:
Box-based layout system
Automatic spacing and positioning
Professional-looking default styles
Best for: Multi-column layouts, consistent spacing
2. Poster Layout and Structure
Create effective poster layouts following visual communication principles. For comprehensive layout guidance, refer to references/poster_layout_design.md.
Common Poster Sections:
Header/Title: Title, authors, affiliations, logos
Introduction/Background: Research context and motivation
Methods/Approach: Methodology and experimental design
Results: Key findings with figures and data visualizations
% Sans-serif fonts recommended for posters
\usepackage{helvet} % Helvetica
\usepackage{avant} % Avant Garde
\usepackage{sfmath} % Sans-serif math fonts
% Set default to sans-serif
\renewcommand{\familydefault}{\sfdefault}
Text Sizing:
% Adjust text sizes for visibility
\setbeamerfont{title}{size=\VeryHuge}
\setbeamerfont{author}{size=\Large}
\setbeamerfont{institute}{size=\normalsize}
Emphasis and Highlighting:
Use bold for key terms: \textbf{important}
Color highlights sparingly: \textcolor{blue}{highlight}
Boxes for critical information
Avoid italics (harder to read from distance)
9. QR Codes and Interactive Elements
Enhance poster interactivity for modern conferences:
QR Code Integration:
\usepackage{qrcode}
% Link to paper, code repository, or supplementary materials
\qrcode[height=2cm]{https://github.com/username/project}
% QR code with caption
\begin{center}
\qrcode[height=3cm]{https://doi.org/10.1234/paper}\\
\small Scan for full paper
\end{center}
Digital Enhancements:
Link to GitHub repositories for code
Link to video presentations or demos
Link to interactive web visualizations
Link to supplementary data or appendices
10. Compilation and Output
Generate high-quality PDF output for printing or digital display:
Compilation Commands:
# Basic compilation
pdflatex poster.tex
# With bibliography
pdflatex poster.tex
bibtex poster
pdflatex poster.tex
pdflatex poster.tex
# For beamer-based posters
lualatex poster.tex # Better font support
xelatex poster.tex # Unicode and modern fonts
Ensuring Full Page Coverage:
Posters should use the entire page without excessive margins. Configure packages correctly:
beamerposter - Full Page Setup:
\documentclass[final,t]{beamer}
\usepackage[size=a0,scale=1.4,orientation=portrait]{beamerposter}
% Remove default beamer margins
\setbeamersize{text margin left=0mm, text margin right=0mm}
% Use geometry for precise control
\usepackage[margin=10mm]{geometry} % 10mm margins all around
% Remove navigation symbols
\setbeamertemplate{navigation symbols}{}
% Remove footline and headline if not needed
\setbeamertemplate{footline}{}
\setbeamertemplate{headline}{}
tikzposter - Full Page Setup:
\documentclass[
25pt, % Font scaling
a0paper, % Paper size
portrait, % Orientation
margin=10mm, % Outer margins (minimal)
innermargin=15mm, % Space inside blocks
blockverticalspace=15mm, % Space between blocks
colspace=15mm, % Space between columns
subcolspace=8mm % Space between subcolumns
]{tikzposter}
% This ensures content fills the page
baposter - Full Page Setup:
\documentclass[a0paper,portrait,fontscale=0.285]{baposter}
\begin{poster}{
grid=false,
columns=3,
colspacing=1.5em, % Space between columns
eyecatcher=true,
background=plain,
bgColorOne=white,
borderColor=blue!50,
headerheight=0.12\textheight, % 12% for header
textborder=roundedleft,
headerborder=closed,
boxheaderheight=2em % Consistent box header heights
}
% Content here
\end{poster}
Common Issues and Fixes:
Problem: Large white margins around poster
% Fix for beamerposter
\setbeamersize{text margin left=5mm, text margin right=5mm}
% Fix for tikzposter
\documentclass[..., margin=5mm, innermargin=10mm]{tikzposter}
% Fix for baposter - adjust in document class
\documentclass[a0paper, margin=5mm]{baposter}
Problem: Content doesn't fill vertical space
% Use \vfill between sections to distribute space
\block{Introduction}{...}
\vfill
\block{Methods}{...}
\vfill
\block{Results}{...}
% Or manually adjust block spacing
\vspace{1cm} % Add space between specific blocks
Problem: Poster extends beyond page boundaries
% Check total width calculation
% For 3 columns with spacing:
% Total = 3×columnwidth + 2×colspace + 2×margins
% Ensure this equals \paperwidth
% Debug by adding visible page boundary
\usepackage{eso-pic}
\AddToShipoutPictureBG{
\AtPageLowerLeft{
\put(0,0){\framebox(\LenToUnit{\paperwidth},\LenToUnit{\paperheight}){}}
}
}
Print Preparation:
Generate PDF/X-1a for professional printing
Embed all fonts
Convert colors to CMYK if required
Check resolution of all images (minimum 300 DPI)
Add bleed area if required by printer (usually 3-5mm)
Verify page size matches requirements exactly
Digital Display:
RGB color space for screen display
Optimize file size for email/web
Test readability on different screens
11. PDF Review and Quality Control
CRITICAL: Always review the generated PDF before printing or presenting. Use this systematic checklist:
Step 1: Page Size Verification
# Check PDF dimensions (should match poster size exactly)
pdfinfo poster.pdf | grep "Page size"# Expected outputs:# A0: 2384 x 3370 points (841 x 1189 mm)# 36x48": 2592 x 3456 points# A1: 1684 x 2384 points (594 x 841 mm)
Step 2: Visual Inspection Checklist
Open PDF at 100% zoom and check:
Layout and Spacing:
Content fills entire page (no large white margins)
Consistent spacing between columns
Consistent spacing between blocks/sections
All elements aligned properly (use ruler tool)
No overlapping text or figures
White space evenly distributed
Typography:
Title clearly visible and large (72pt+)
Section headers readable (48-72pt)
Body text readable at 100% zoom (24-36pt minimum)
No text cutoff or running off edges
Consistent font usage throughout
All special characters render correctly (symbols, Greek letters)
Visual Elements:
All figures display correctly
No pixelated or blurry images
Figure captions present and readable
Colors render as expected (not washed out or too dark)
Logos display clearly
QR codes visible and scannable
Content Completeness:
Title and authors complete
All sections present (Intro, Methods, Results, Conclusions)
References included
Contact information visible
Acknowledgments (if applicable)
No placeholder text remaining (Lorem ipsum, TODO, etc.)
Technical Quality:
No LaTeX compilation warnings in important areas
All citations resolved (no [?] marks)
All cross-references working
Page boundaries correct (no content cut off)
Step 3: Reduced-Scale Print Test
Essential Pre-Printing Test:
# Create reduced-size test print (25% of final size)# This simulates viewing full poster from ~8-10 feet# For A0 poster, print on A4 paper (24.7% scale)# For 36x48" poster, print on letter paper (~25% scale)
Print Test Checklist:
Title readable from 6 feet away
Section headers readable from 4 feet away
Body text readable from 2 feet away
Figures clear and understandable
Colors printed accurately
No obvious design flaws
Step 4: Digital Quality Checks
Font Embedding Verification:
# Check that all fonts are embedded (required for printing)
pdffonts poster.pdf
# All fonts should show "yes" in "emb" column# If any show "no", recompile with:
pdflatex -dEmbedAllFonts=true poster.tex
Image Resolution Check:
# Extract image information
pdfimages -list poster.pdf
# Check that all images are at least 300 DPI# Formula: DPI = pixels / (inches in poster)# For A0 width (33.1"): 300 DPI = 9930 pixels minimum
File Size Optimization:
# For email/web, compress if needed (>50MB)
gs -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dCompatibilityLevel=1.4 \
-dPDFSETTINGS=/printer -dNOPAUSE -dQUIET -dBATCH \
-sOutputFile=poster_compressed.pdf poster.pdf
# For printing, keep original (no compression)
Step 5: Accessibility Check
Color Contrast Verification:
Text-background contrast ratio ≥ 4.5:1 (WCAG AA)
Important elements contrast ratio ≥ 7:1 (WCAG AAA)
Allocate space for title (10-15%), content (70-80%), footer (5-10%)
Set typography:
Configure font sizes for different hierarchy levels
Ensure minimum 24pt body text
Test readability from 4-6 feet distance
Stage 3: Content Integration
Create poster header:
Title (concise, descriptive, 10-15 words)
Authors and affiliations
Institution logos (high-resolution)
Conference logo if required
Populate content sections:
Keep text minimal and scannable
Use bullet points, not paragraphs
Write in active voice
Integrate figures with clear captions
Add visual elements:
High-resolution figures (300 DPI minimum)
Consistent styling across all figures
Color-coded elements for emphasis
QR codes for supplementary materials
Include references:
Cite key papers only (5-10 references typical)
Use abbreviated citation style
Consider QR code to full bibliography
Stage 4: Refinement and Testing
Review and iterate:
Check for typos and errors
Verify all figures are high resolution
Ensure consistent formatting
Confirm color scheme works well together
Test readability:
Print at 25% scale and read from 2-3 feet (simulates poster from 8-12 feet)
Check color on different monitors
Verify QR codes function correctly
Ask colleague to review
Optimize for printing:
Embed all fonts in PDF
Verify image resolution
Check PDF size requirements
Include bleed area if required
Stage 5: Compilation and Delivery
Compile final PDF:
pdflatex poster.tex
# Or for better font support:
lualatex poster.tex
Verify output quality:
Check all elements are visible and correctly positioned
Zoom to 100% and inspect figure quality
Verify colors match expectations
Confirm PDF opens correctly on different viewers
Prepare for printing:
Export as PDF/X-1a if required
Save backup copies
Get test print on regular paper first
Order professional printing 2-3 days before deadline
Create supplementary materials:
Save PNG/JPG version for social media
Create handout version (8.5×11" summary)
Prepare digital version for email sharing
Scope Boundary
Keep this skill focused on the poster artifact: layout, source files, compile path, print checks, and final PDF. Treat upstream research text, data analysis, literature context, and figure generation as already-provided inputs unless the router selected another owner before this skill is used.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Design Mistakes:
❌ Too much text (over 1000 words)
❌ Font sizes too small (under 24pt body text)
❌ Low-contrast color combinations
❌ Cluttered layout with no white space
❌ Inconsistent styling across sections
❌ Poor quality or pixelated images
Content Mistakes:
❌ No clear narrative or message
❌ Too many research questions or objectives
❌ Overuse of jargon without definitions
❌ Results without context or interpretation
❌ Missing author contact information
Technical Mistakes:
❌ Wrong poster dimensions for conference requirements
❌ RGB colors sent to CMYK printer (color shift)
❌ Fonts not embedded in PDF
❌ File size too large for submission portal
❌ QR codes too small or not tested
Best Practices:
✅ Follow conference size specifications exactly
✅ Test print at reduced scale before final printing
✅ Use high-contrast, accessible color schemes
✅ Keep text minimal and highly scannable
✅ Include clear contact information and QR codes
✅ Balance text and visuals (40-50% visual content)
✅ Proofread carefully (errors are magnified on posters!)
Package Installation
Ensure required LaTeX packages are installed:
# For TeX Live (Linux/Mac)
tlmgr install beamerposter tikzposter baposter
# For MiKTeX (Windows)# Packages typically auto-install on first use# Additional recommended packages
tlmgr install qrcode graphics xcolor tcolorbox subcaption
Scripts and Automation
Helper scripts available in scripts/ directory:
compile_poster.sh: Automated compilation with error handling
