signcraft

Design & Price: Trailer graphics

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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: Performance Diesel – Lane Walker

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For many sign designers, the quick rough sketch is the fastest route to a closed sale. Doing a rough drawing in front of… Read More

Wraps, partial wraps and look-like-a-wraps

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Vehicle wraps are a hot item—and a powerful tool in the hands of a good designer. With a wrap, you can create a… Read More

This jig makes sign and letter installation easier

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They say necessity is the mother of invention, and necessity is what pushed Dayna Reed to put this jig together to speed the… Read More

Cover photo: Monk Heating and AC – Braun Bleamer

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A well-designed full wrap can have a lot of impact, but it isn’t the only option—or always the best solution. Braun Bleamer does… Read More

Case study – Negative space at work

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Whomever said “a picture is worth a thousand words” may well have been talking about the concept of negative space. The concept of… Read More

Cover photo: SRS Trucking – Brian Schofield

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Few people really want to buy vehicle lettering. For most it’s just a necessity to have something on their truck. Until, that is,… Read More

Making a faux stone monument base

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An effective custom sign relies on its unique look to catch the viewer’s eye long enough for two critical tasks: To deliver its… Read More

Cover photo: Candlelight Bed and Breakfast – David Showalter

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“Design is everything,” says David Showalter, David Design, Bryan, Ohio. “It’s what makes a sign work.” To make sure his layouts do their… Read More

Shop Trucks revisited: 2003 to 2005

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This is the third in our series of articles recapping some of the shop vehicles we featured in SignCraft starting in 1981. If… Read More

Cover photo: MJ Shisslak – Braun Bleamer

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Customers often want a list of services that they offer on their sign, or worse yet, on their truck—which will be on busy… Read More

Design & Price: Storefront window graphics

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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

Putting it together: MGVG Apartments monument sign

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There’s a lot to learn from a behind-the-scenes look at how a sign project came together. How the sign was built, what materials… Read More

Cover photo: Tiny Town – John Deaton

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In a recent article on sign layout, Joe Jarreau, Jarreau Signs, Chino Hills, California, said, “If you want to improve your layouts, you… Read More

Does it pass the squint test?

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You don’t need to analyze Rob Cooper’s signs for very long to realize that he is a master at the use of contrast…. Read More

Cover photo – Newcomer Farms– David Showalter

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Fifty years ago, David Showalter got his start in sign painting. In the years that followed, David painted signs in and around his… Read More

Try this easy approach to pricing your signs

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Ever wish there was an easy formula you could use to check your pricing? Here’s one we learned about from Jim Jackson of… Read More

Ross Trimmer’s Virginia Conclave

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More than one sign maker has told SignCraft that getting together with a group of like-minded sign people—like the Letterhead meets—has been a… Read More

Pssst…Here’s the secret: Contrast

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What makes one sign more visually appealing than another? It’s contrast. Take a close look at sign layouts that really appeal to you…. Read More

Cover photo: Capurro Trucking – Lane Walker

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Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you don’t get much say in the layout of a sign. Customers get ideas in their… Read More