Cover photo: Red Oaks – David Hassan
Not every sign advertises a business, announces a sale or tells folks where to park. Some are nameplates for a residence, be it… Read More
signcraft
Design & Price: 4-by-8-ft. sign on aluminum composite panel
In every issue, SignCraft gave a few sign makers an imaginary project. We asked them to do a sketch of the sign they… Read More
7 cool layout tricks to try this summer
If you’re like most creative sign people, you’re always on the lookout for layout ideas, cool letter styles and interesting color combinations. Web… Read More
Cover photo: Coffee Shop Closed – Lane Walker
Lane Walker [Solo Signs, Reno, Nevada] lettered this showcard decades ago, but it’s a classic example of the beauty of simplicity—a one-color sign… Read More
Cover photo: Ireland Orchards – Mike Barber & Gary Wheeler
One way to create a unified design is to let the elements bump or overlap each other. Sometimes it is simply the tail… Read More
Cover photo: Sairee Cottage Diving – Rob Cooper
Transparencies can be an easy way to sneak a logo or graphic into a sign without adding too much clutter—fish or coral for… Read More
Putting it together: Ruiz Trucking
There are loads of great ideas in the photos of outstanding signs on SignCraft.com. But what about the back story: How did the… Read More
Cover photo: Villages of Mill Bayou – Joe Paffoon
One way to increase the mass and overall visual impression of a sign is to mount it on columns instead of posts. A… Read More
A systems approach to your sign business pays off
Many, if not most, sign people find their way into the industry from an interest in the creative side of sign making. While… Read More
Cover photo: Prairie Memorials – RT Signs
The code words for this are “negative space.” It refers to the space around each letter, each word, each message group and the… Read More
Design & Price: Wrap for an 18-ft. ski boat
In every issue, SignCraft gave a few sign makers an imaginary project. We asked them to do a sketch of the sign they… Read More
Cover photo: Alpine Coachworks – Rob Cooper
When Rob Cooper left Miami for his native New Zealand (and ultimately to Thailand) around 2000, he had to travel light. One of… Read More
Cover photo: Navajo Cement – Bob Behounek
One of the tools Bob Behounek uses in his great-looking sign designs is the color wheel. It’s essential to a good understanding of… Read More
Cover photo: Robert Frost Footwear – Bruce Janssen
3D letters can add a lot to a sign, but a carved graphic or better yet, an actual sculpture, can really make a… Read More
Cover photo: Back Porch Seafood House – Joe Paffoon
PVC board is a great material for sign making—for letters, sign panels, cabinets and even monument structures. It’s durable, easy to work with… Read More
Putting it together: The “Sprague Welcomes You” sign
There are loads of great ideas in the photos of outstanding signs on SignCraft.com. But what about the back story: How did the… Read More
Make these easy freestanding event signs
For David Showalter [David Design, Bryan, Ohio] the first sign of spring is when customers start calling about getting a “show sign” for… Read More
Cover photo: Norfolk Electric – Randy Howe
Many customers choose a generic name for their businesses, but by the time they arrive at your shop, it’s too late to suggest… Read More
Q&A: How to price a sign installation that has “what-ifs”?
A reader wants to know: “How do you price an installation when there are ‘what-ifs’ involved? Sometimes you can’t tell what you’ll run… Read More
Bob Whelan: Gold leaf fire trucks at 90 years old
Sometime in the early 1950s, Bob Whelan was a young man working in the county courthouse—doing “an old man’s job” as he calls… Read More
