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

Visual Enhancement with Scientific Schematics

⚠️ MANDATORY: Every research poster MUST include at least 2-3 AI-generated figures using the scientific-schematics skill.

This is not optional. Posters are primarily visual media - text-heavy posters fail to communicate effectively. Before finalizing any poster:

1. Generate at minimum TWO schematics or diagrams
2. Target 3-4 figures for comprehensive posters (methodology flowchart, key results visualization, conceptual framework)
3. Figures should occupy 40-50% of poster area

How to generate figures:

• Use the scientific-schematics skill to generate AI-powered publication-quality diagrams
• Simply describe your desired diagram in natural language
• Nano Banana Pro will automatically generate, review, and refine the schematic

How to generate schematics:

python scripts/generate_schematic.py "your diagram description" -o figures/output.png

The AI will automatically:

• Create publication-quality images with proper formatting
• Review and refine through multiple iterations
• Ensure accessibility (colorblind-friendly, high contrast)
• Save outputs in the figures/ directory

When to add schematics:

• Research methodology flowcharts for poster content
• Conceptual framework diagrams
• Experimental design visualizations
• Data analysis pipeline diagrams
• System architecture diagrams
• Biological pathway illustrations
• Any complex concept that benefits from visualization

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

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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
• Conclusions: Main takeaways and implications
• References: Key citations (typically abbreviated)
• Acknowledgments: Funding, collaborators, institutions

Layout Strategies:

• Column-based layouts: 2-column, 3-column, or 4-column grids
• Block-based layouts: Flexible arrangement of content blocks
• Z-pattern flow: Guide readers through content logically
• Visual hierarchy: Use size, color, and spacing to emphasize key points

3. Design Principles for Research Posters

Apply evidence-based design principles for maximum impact. For detailed design guidance, refer to references/poster_design_principles.md.

Typography:

• Title: 72-120pt for visibility from distance
• Section headers: 48-72pt
• Body text: 24-36pt minimum for readability from 4-6 feet
• Use sans-serif fonts (Arial, Helvetica, Calibri) for clarity
• Limit to 2-3 font families maximum

Color and Contrast:

• Use high-contrast color schemes for readability
• Institutional color palettes for branding
• Color-blind friendly palettes (avoid red-green combinations)
• White space is active space—don't overcrowd

Visual Elements:

• High-resolution figures (300 DPI minimum for print)
• Large, clear labels on all figures
• Consistent figure styling throughout
• Strategic use of icons and graphics
• Balance text with visual content (40-50% visual recommended)

Content Guidelines:

• Less is more: 300-800 words total recommended
• Bullet points over paragraphs for scannability
• Clear, concise messaging
• Self-explanatory figures with minimal text explanation
• QR codes for supplementary materials or online resources

4. Standard Poster Sizes

Support for international and conference-specific poster dimensions:

International Standards:

• A0 (841 × 1189 mm / 33.1 × 46.8 inches) - Most common European standard
• A1 (594 × 841 mm / 23.4 × 33.1 inches) - Smaller format
• A2 (420 × 594 mm / 16.5 × 23.4 inches) - Compact posters

North American Standards:

• 36 × 48 inches (914 × 1219 mm) - Common US conference size
• 42 × 56 inches (1067 × 1422 mm) - Large format
• 48 × 72 inches (1219 × 1829 mm) - Extra large

Orientation:

• Portrait (vertical) - Most common, traditional
• Landscape (horizontal) - Better for wide content, timelines

5. Package-Specific Templates

Provide ready-to-use templates for each major package. Templates available in assets/ directory.

beamerposter Templates:

• beamerposter_classic.tex - Traditional academic style
• beamerposter_modern.tex - Clean, minimal design
• beamerposter_colorful.tex - Vibrant theme with blocks

tikzposter Templates:

• tikzposter_default.tex - Standard tikzposter layout
• tikzposter_rays.tex - Modern design with ray theme
• tikzposter_wave.tex - Professional wave-style theme

baposter Templates:

• baposter_portrait.tex - Classic portrait layout
• baposter_landscape.tex - Landscape multi-column
• baposter_minimal.tex - Minimalist design

6. Figure and Image Integration

Optimize visual content for poster presentations:

Best Practices:

• Use vector graphics (PDF, SVG) when possible for scalability
• Raster images: minimum 300 DPI at final print size
• Consistent image styling (borders, captions, sizes)
• Group related figures together
• Use subfigures for comparisons

LaTeX Figure Commands:

% Include graphics package
\usepackage{graphicx}

% Simple figure
\includegraphics[width=0.8\linewidth]{figure.pdf}

% Figure with caption in tikzposter
\block{Results}{
  \begin{tikzfigure}
    \includegraphics[width=0.9\linewidth]{results.png}
  \end{tikzfigure}
}

% Multiple subfigures
\usepackage{subcaption}
\begin{figure}
  \begin{subfigure}{0.48\linewidth}
    \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{fig1.pdf}
    \caption{Condition A}
  \end{subfigure}
  \begin{subfigure}{0.48\linewidth}
    \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{fig2.pdf}
    \caption{Condition B}
  \end{subfigure}
\end{figure}

7. Color Schemes and Themes

Provide professional color palettes for various contexts:

Academic Institution Colors:

• Match university or department branding
• Use official color codes (RGB, CMYK, or LaTeX color definitions)

Scientific Color Palettes (color-blind friendly):

• Viridis: Professional gradient from purple to yellow
• ColorBrewer: Research-tested palettes for data visualization
• IBM Color Blind Safe: Accessible corporate palette

Package-Specific Theme Selection:

beamerposter:

\usetheme{Berlin}
\usecolortheme{beaver}

tikzposter:

\usetheme{Rays}
\usecolorstyle{Denmark}

baposter:

\begin{poster}{
  background=plain,
  bgColorOne=white,
  headerColorOne=blue!70,
  textborder=rounded
}

8. Typography and Text Formatting

Ensure readability and visual appeal:

Font Selection:

% 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]{
how to use latex-posters
CursorClaude CodeClineCodexWindsurfGooseGitHub CopilotVS CodeGemini CLIKiloOpencodeKimi CLIRoo ClineAiderContinueZedBolt.newLovablev0Replit AgentSweepSmol DeveloperDevinCavemanAmpAntigravity
How to use latex-posters on Cursor
AI-first code editor with Composer
1
Prerequisites
Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:
›Cursor installed and configured on your development machine
›Node.js version 16.0+ with npm package manager (verify with node --version)
›Active project directory or workspace where you want to add latex-posters
2
Execute installation command
Execute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:
$npx skills add https://github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates --skill latex-posterscopy
The skills CLI fetches latex-posters from GitHub repository davila7/claude-code-templates and configures it for Cursor.
3
Select Cursor when prompted
The CLI will show a list of available agents. Use arrow keys to navigate and space to select Cursor:
◆ Which agents do you want to install to?
│
│ ── Universal (.agents/skills) ── always included ────
│   • Amp
│   • Antigravity
│   • Cline
│   • Codex
│ ●Cursor(selected)
│   • Cursor
│   • Windsurf
4
Verify installation
Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:
.cursor/skills/latex-posters
Reload or restart Cursor to activate latex-posters. Access the skill through slash commands (e.g., /latex-posters) or your agent's skill management interface.
⚠
Security & Verification Notice
We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.
Skills execute code in your development environment. Always verify the publisher's identity, review recent commits, and test in isolated environments before production deployment.
Additional Resources
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