Tikzposter image alignment

Question

I a trying to write a poster, I have almost finished it but I am not able to finish the last part where I have to align images. I am using \tikzpicture alongwith \minipage for multiple images but it's not giving desired result. My minimum working example:

\documentclass[25pt, a0paper, portrait]{tikzposter}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}

\title{Tikz Poster Example}
\author{Duck}
\date{\today}
\institute{Duck Institute}

\usepackage{blindtext}
\usepackage{comment}

\usetheme{Board}

\begin{document}

\maketitle

\block{Abstract}
{
    Hello this is my poster for Duck Institute of technology. 
}

\begin{columns}
    \column{0.5}
    \block{Intro}{Didn't do anything special}

    \column{0.5}
    \block{Observation}
    {Hardly there were any observations}

\end{columns}

\begin{columns}
    \column{0.5}
    \block{Results 1}
    {
        Still on long waiting queue
    }
    \column{0.5}
    \block{Results 2}{God bless me}
\end{columns}

    \block{Summary}
 {


    \begin{center}
    \begin{minipage}{0.45\linewidth}
      \centering
     \begin{tikzfigure}[Caption of figure1]
      \includegraphics[height = 10cm]{example-image-a}
      \end{tikzfigure}%
    \end{minipage}\hfill
    \begin{minipage}{0.45\linewidth}
      \centering
      \begin{tikzfigure}[Caption of figure2]
      \includegraphics[height = 10cm]{example-image-b}
      \end{tikzfigure}%
    \end{minipage}
    \begin{minipage}{0.45\linewidth}
      \centering
      \begin{tikzfigure}[Caption of figure2]
      \includegraphics[height = 10cm]{example-image-c}
      \end{tikzfigure}%
    \end{minipage}
    \begin{minipage}{0.45\linewidth}
      \centering
      \begin{tikzfigure}[Caption of figure2]
      \includegraphics[height = 10cm]{example-image-a}
      \end{tikzfigure}%
    \end{minipage}
    \begin{minipage}{0.45\linewidth}
      \centering
      \begin{tikzfigure}[Caption of figure2]
      \includegraphics[height = 10cm]{example-image-b}
      \end{tikzfigure}%
    \end{minipage}
    \begin{minipage}{0.45\linewidth}
      \centering
      \begin{tikzfigure}[Caption of figure2]
      \includegraphics[height = 10cm]{example-image-a}
      \end{tikzfigure}%
    \end{minipage}
    \begin{minipage}{0.45\linewidth}
      \centering
      \begin{tikzfigure}[Caption of figure2]
      \includegraphics[height = 10cm]{example-image-b}
      \end{tikzfigure}%
    \end{minipage}
    \begin{minipage}{0.45\linewidth}
      \centering
      \begin{tikzfigure}[Caption of figure2]
      \includegraphics[height = 10cm]{example-image-a}
      \end{tikzfigure}%
    \end{minipage}
    \begin{minipage}{0.45\linewidth}
      \centering
      \begin{tikzfigure}[Caption of figure2]
      \includegraphics[height = 10cm]{example-image-b}
      \end{tikzfigure}%
    \end{minipage}
    \end{center}
 }




\end{document}

I am not getting the desired result for Summary section. This is what I am supposed to get alogwith the directing arrows to different pictures. But I have no idea how to achieve it. Also I have to have References section..

Answer 1

My rather naïve attempt:

\documentclass[25pt,a0paper,portrait]{tikzposter}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage{blindtext}
\usepackage{microtype}

\newsavebox{\ReferencesBox}

\title{Ti\emph{k}Z Poster Example}
\author{Duck}
\date{\today}
\institute{Duck Institute}

\makeatletter
\newenvironment{mytikzfigure}[1][]{
  \def \rememberparameter{#1}
  \vspace{10pt}
  \refstepcounter{figurecounter}
  \begin{minipage}{.4\linewidth}
  }{
    \centering
    \ifx\rememberparameter\@empty
    \else %nothing
    \\[10pt]
    {\small Fig.~\thefigurecounter: \rememberparameter}
    \fi
  \end{minipage}
}
\makeatother

\usetheme{Board}

\begin{document}
\maketitle
\block{Summary}{%
    \begin{minipage}{0.33\linewidth}
        \hfill
        \begin{mytikzfigure}[Caption of Figure~A1]
          \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{example-image-a}
        \end{mytikzfigure}%
        \enskip
        \begin{mytikzfigure}[Caption of Figure~B1]
          \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{example-image-b}
        \end{mytikzfigure}%
        \hfill\strut
    \end{minipage}%
    \hfill
    \begin{minipage}{0.33\linewidth}
        \hfill
        \begin{mytikzfigure}[Caption of Figure~A2]
          \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{example-image-a}
        \end{mytikzfigure}%
        \enskip
        \begin{mytikzfigure}[Caption of Figure~B2]
          \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{example-image-b}
        \end{mytikzfigure}%
        \hfill\strut
    \end{minipage}

    \begin{minipage}{\linewidth}
        \hspace*{.295\linewidth}%
        \begin{tikzpicture}
          \draw[fill=red!20]
            (0,6) -- (0,10)
              arc[radius=10, start angle=90, delta angle=90] --
            (-10,0) -- (-6,0)
              arc[radius=6, start angle=180, delta angle=-90] -- cycle;
          \draw[fill=green!20]
            (6,0) -- (10,0)
              arc[radius=10, start angle=0, delta angle=90] --
            (0,10) -- (0,6)
              arc[radius=6, start angle=90, delta angle=-90] -- cycle;
          \draw[fill=blue!20]
            (-6,0) -- (-10,0)
              arc[radius=10, start angle=180, delta angle=90] --
            (0,-10) -- (0,-6)
              arc[radius=6, start angle=270, delta angle=-90] -- cycle;
          \draw[fill=yellow!20]
            (0,-6) -- (0,-10)
              arc[radius=10, start angle=270, delta angle=90] --
            (10,0) -- (6,0)
              arc[radius=6, start angle=0, delta angle=-90] -- cycle;
          \draw[fill=gray!20]
            (-{10*cos(atan(1.5/10))},1.5) -- ({10*cos(atan(1.5/10))},1.5)
              arc[radius=10, start angle={atan(1.5/10)}, delta angle={-atan(1.5/10)}] --
            ({10*cos(atan(1.5/10))},-1.5) -- (-{10*cos(atan(1.5/10))},-1.5)
              arc[radius=10, start angle={180+atan(1.5/10)}, delta angle={-atan(1.5/10)}] -- cycle;
          \draw[->, line width=4pt]
            ({9*cos(120)},{9*sin(120)}) to[bend right=10] (-12,12);
          \draw[->, line width=4pt]
            ({9*cos(60)},{9*sin(60)}) to[bend left=10] (12,12);
          \draw[->, line width=4pt]
            ({9*cos(220)},{9*sin(220)}) to[bend right=10] (-16,-12);
          \draw[->, line width=4pt]
            (0,-0.6) to[bend left] (0,-14);
        \end{tikzpicture}
    \end{minipage}

    \vspace*{2em}

    \begin{minipage}[b]{0.33\linewidth}
        \hfill
        \begin{mytikzfigure}[Caption of Figure~A3]
          \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{example-image-a}
        \end{mytikzfigure}%
        \enskip
        \begin{mytikzfigure}[Caption of Figure~B3]
          \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{example-image-b}
        \end{mytikzfigure}%
        \hfill\strut
    \end{minipage}%
    \begin{minipage}[b]{0.33\linewidth}
        \hfill
        \begin{mytikzfigure}[Caption of Figure~A4]
          \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{example-image-a}
        \end{mytikzfigure}%
        \enskip
        \begin{mytikzfigure}[Caption of Figure~B4]
          \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{example-image-b}
        \end{mytikzfigure}%
        \hfill\strut
    \end{minipage}%
    \setbox\ReferencesBox=\hbox{%
      \begin{minipage}[b]{0.33\linewidth}
          \innerblock{References}{%
            \blindtext[2]
          }
      \end{minipage}%
    }%
    \ht\ReferencesBox=0pt%
    \usebox\ReferencesBox
}

\end{document}

This is no Mona Lisa and perhaps some explanations are needed:

1. The microtype package is loaded to improve typesetting in narrow columns.
2. The tikzfigure environment uses \begin{center}...\end{center} to place its contents. I modified the code to create the mytikzfigure environment which uses \begin{minipage}{.4\linewidth}...\end{minipage} instead.
3. The annulus in the middle is drawn from scratch, using only \draw’s.
4. The inner block for references is created, well, using \innerblock. Adding a references block is tricky:
   • First, a box is created: \newsavebox{\ReferencesBox}.
   • Next, I align the figures and the references in the last line at the bottom: \begin{minipage}[b]....
   • Then, the contents of the references are stored into \ReferencesBox without being typed out.
   • I set the height of \ReferencesBox to 0pt so the references do not increase the line height.
   • Finally, references are typed: \usebox\ReferencesBox.