About Color
Properly employed, color is functional as well as aesthetically pleasing. You may find the following suggestions helpful in deciding which colors to employ in your exhibit, and where.
In a space as small as your science fair exhibit, one or two basic colors, plus black and white, should suffice. Use your color in a few large blocks, not in many small patches. Different basic colors can be used to define different main areas of emphasis; then different shades of the basic colors can be used to define subareas.
Life-science project exhibits can rely most safely on pastel shades running heavily to greens and yellows, while physical-science projects are portrayed frequently against more intense colors. In either case, avoid violent contrasts and “paintpot” variety. Your exhibit should convey an air of handsome restraint, not flippant prettiness or carnival gaudiness. Your colors should attract and enhance, not shock or confuse!
Figure 8
Far too frequently science fair judges are asked to evaluate very poor exhibits of what may have been very worthwhile science projects. Some of the more common mistakes they encounter have been included by our artist in the sketch above. Now that you have read our advice on designing science fair exhibits, how many shortcomings can you identify? (Answers below.)
Answers: Structure extends too high and too low for easy viewing, and width exceeds dimensions usually allowed. The main title is too long. Two words are misspelled. The best display space is wasted on ordinary objects which contribute little new understanding to topic exhibited. There are too many photographs which are too small and poorly positioned for viewing. Specimen boxes positioned on the floor as an afterthought where few viewers will attempt to inspect them. Endless text provides details of little or no interest to the average viewer. More text on introductory topic (“Catching Bugs”) than on the exhibit topic. No logical progression from the original problem and hypothesis through experimentation and observation to conclusions. There is no project notebook, report, or handout brochure. No thought has been given to lighting. No points of emphasis in either text or illustrations. White space has not been exploited.
A STEP-BY-STEP ACOUNT OF HOW I MOUNT MY BUGS CATCHING BUGS MOUNTING BUGS SCIZZORS TWEEZERS PIN COTTON NET CHLOROFORM SOME OF MY BUGS
Where desired, visibility and impact of illustrations and specimens can be increased by mounting them against contrasting background colors. Avoid the amateurish impulse to always tape or paint a border around illustrations, specimens, and blocks of type. Placed properly against a contrasting background, these provide their own best border.
The final test of color is how it looks in actual use, so experiment with your color schemes before making a final choice. And if you have any doubts, invite the reactions of your family and friends and also the advice of your art teacher.