User:Rhododendrites/protest sign

A protest sign is a flat surface with text or images held or displayed by activists in a demonstration or protest. They are typically intended to convey a message related to the subject of the event, often on a political, religious, or social theme. Most often held by a single person, some large signs or banners require multiple people to carry.

Protest signs can display similar messaging to a poster, but are intended to be carried by people rather than affixed to a surface, and are more likely to be hand-made.

Materials
Demonstrators use a variety of materials. Cardboard, poster board, and foam core are common, with the latter more expensive but rigid and durable.

For ease of handling, especially with more flexible materials like poster board, various kinds of poles or extensions are used. Other times, string or straps are used to hang the sign around the protester's neck like a sandwich board.

Messaging
Protest signs can include written or printed words; drawn, printed, or stenciled images; and other objects adhered to the surface.

Protest signs are often intended to be humorous or artistic.

Evaluations
A Vice article on creating protest signs includes evaluations by several creative professionals and activists. They found the more effective signs to use a limited color palette, neat writing, high contrast, and concision. Popular Science recommended large surfaces with large, easily readable letters, ideally using stencils or bubble letters.