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Making Displays

Making Displays A display is a poster-sized or larger illustration mounted on a board. You can set up a display at the table where you are distributing fliers, use it in conjunction with a planned talk, or perhaps get permission to leave it at a library. Table displays are an eye-catching, nonthreatening way to educate the public about animal rights issues.


Planning a Display

Pick a general topic for your display, such as vivisection, factory farming, product testing, circuses, or hunting, then look for photographs to illustrate your display. Make sure that the phrases and text that you use are catchy and to the point.

Maintain a file of animal rights newsletters and pamphlets, which are good sources of photos and text. You can use these materials to form a collage. PETA can also either send you a display or e-mail the artwork to a print shop.


Getting Materials

You can get the following materials, which you’ll need for your display, at an art-supply or hardware store:

  • Brightly colored, 32"x 40" mat board
  • Plywood, 1/4" or 1/2" width, 33"x 41"
  • Clear acetate (adhesive-backed or regular) or Plexiglas, the same size as your plywood
  • Adhesive vinyl lettering, 3 or 4 inches tall
  • Black plastic channel molding (size depends on thickness of display)
  • Clear silicone sealant
  • Black paint and a paintbrush
  • A utility knife or paper cutter
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • A ruler or yardstick


Designing a Display

Once you have some photographs and text for your display, you’ll need to find an attractive way to present them.

banner hangStart by placing a title, such as "Cosmetics Testing: Not a Pretty Picture," in large letters at the top of your display. You can then add a strong quotation or other text in the center of the display, or balance several pieces of text throughout the display. Any text or photographs that you use should be large enough to be seen easily from a distance.

A good display on animal experimentation could include several pictures of experiments with a few sentences of explanation below each one. Answer some common questions about vivisection, outline the inadequacies of the federal Animal Welfare Act, or vividly describe some animal experiments. Most importantly, always tell people what they can do to help.

If you don't want to make your own display, contact PETA. We can send you some pre-made displays that you can simply mount onto a stable background.


Assembling a Display

Assembling your display is easy. The following steps will explain how to create a display that will last for years:

  1. Paint the edges (and the back if it will be seen) of the plywood with black paint. Set it aside to dry.
  2. Apply the title to the mat board using adhesive lettering.
  3. Apply the pictures and text with glue. Keep the layout simple and easy to follow, and don’t crowd display items together.
  4. Glue the mat board to the plywood. You’ll need to weigh it down overnight so that it will dry without buckling.
  5. Cover the display with a sheet of clear acetate or Plexiglas to protect it from damage.
  6. Encase the display in plastic channel molding, and seal the edges with silicone sealant to keep out moisture and dust.


Making an Easel

You'll need an easel to set up and mount your display. Easels are somewhat expensive to buy, but you can make your own without too much trouble:

  1. Get three 5-foot lengths and one 3-foot length of 1"x 2" wood (sometimes called furring strips).
  2. Lay the 5-foot lengths on top of each other, lengthwise. Drill a hole about two inches from the top of each piece.
  3. Place a bolt through the hole in the three pieces to join them, and secure the bolt with a nut on the other side.
  4. Swing the middle piece back. Join the outer two pieces by nailing the three-foot piece across them. This provides a shelf for your display.
  5. Add a piece of wood molding across the front of the shelf to hold the poster more securely.


Making a Poster Display

An animal rights poster, which you can request from PETA, will last a lot longer if you take the time to mount it as a display. Glue the poster to a 1/4-inch or 3/8-inch sheet of plywood. Cover it with a sheet of clear acetate or Plexiglas, and encase it with plastic channel molding (just as you treated the table display). If the acetate or Plexiglas reflects too much light, use artists’ fixative spray instead to protect the poster’s surface. You can view a list of available posters at PETALiterature.com.


Library Displays

Library displays are an effective way to reach the public. Many libraries have display cases that nonprofit community groups can reserve on a weekly or monthly basis. Keep in mind that you might have to wait several months for a space.

Call the library office and speak to the person in charge of the display cases. You’ll have a better chance of getting a spot if you represent a group. Be prepared to make changes to your display if the librarian objects to graphic material, and find out how large the display case is ahead of time.

A cruelty-free products display with a collage, poster, collection of cruelty-free products, and some leaflets or newsletters is sure to get attention. You can also call or e-mail PETA, and we will send you pre-made displays. You might also focus on hunting, the fur industry, animal experimentation, factory farming, vegetarianism, or general animal rights.

Whatever the topic, be sure that your group's name, address, e-mail address, and telephone number are visible on the display. Include any appropriate books on animal rights that are available from the library. If the pickings are slim on the animal rights shelves of your library, donate a few books—Animal Liberation, Diet for a New America, and Making Kind Choices are great options.

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