Want a cool 3D effect? Try embossed copper sheeting.
The “anything goes” approach to creative sign making gets used frequently at Southpaw Signs, Oceana, California. Looking through examples of their work, you’ll… Read More
signcraft
Two colors, high impact
Signs face a lot of visual competition out in the real world. Other signs, billboards and traffic are all drawing readers’ eyes away… Read More
Inbox – February 2024
New Australian sign magazine for sign painters Jumbo Magazine aims to capture in print the stories of the tradition of hand-painted signage from… Read More
Step-by-step – Making a multilayer 3D sign
Router-cut letters on a smooth or textured background give a nice 3-D feel, but layers accent the dimensional effect even more. Dayna Reed… Read More
Q&A: Choose a durable chrome film for vehicle graphics
A reader wants to know: “I’d like to hear what others think is the best chrome film for computer-cut vehicle lettering.” Chrome- or… Read More
Sean Beauchamp: Custom signs on the California coast
Custom sign shops are unusual, creative places. While many businesses buy products and resell them or manufacture a line of products to sell,… Read More
The sign designer controls what gets read—and when
It’s true: a picture—or a simple graphic—is worth 1,000 words. This Instagram post is a great example that carries a powerful message for… Read More
Need a little layout inspiration? Here you go.
Back in the mid-1990s, Rob Cooper began spending almost every summer with his friend Russ Mowry, who at the time had Vintage Sign,… Read More
Roger Cox: Back to sign making
Roger Cox waded into the sign business right out of college in 1988, a graduate from Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design…. Read More
SignCraft’s Instagram delivers loads of free inspiration
If you’re already an Instagram user, be sure to visit @signcraftmagazine to see over 1500 images of outstanding signs of all types—trucks, 3D, … Read More
Download this chart to help clients understand legibility
Customers often load a sign with excessive copy that forces the sign designer to use smaller letter sizes, hurting the readability of the… Read More
Six ways to use the background to energize a layout
When a sign is seen from a distance or is on a vehicle in motion, there’s not much you can do with the… Read More
6 super simple tips that make things a little easier
Keep track of your trimcap adhesive If you make electrical signs, you know how easy it is to forget how many coats of… Read More
Design & Price: 3D sign for a vacation home
In every issue, SignCraft gives a few sign makers an imaginary project. We ask them to do a sketch of the sign they… Read More
Lisa Hutchinson: Custom signs via the web
Lisa Hutchinson remembers the day in 1979 when she walked past the sign painting class at Boston’s Butera School of Art. Shop name:… Read More
More font favorites: Randy Howe
The typefaces you choose for a sign project have a huge impact on the effectiveness of the sign. The font first must be… Read More
3-D signs can grow your business
3D signs pack a lot of appeal and it’s easy to add them to the type of signs you offer. It opens the… Read More
Give your layout the squint test
Many years ago, SignCraft asked the legendary Chicago sign designer Bob Seelander how to tell if a sign layout was going to work…. Read More
Tips & Tricks: Smart Paint Racks make handling sign panels easier
If you’re short on space, Saker Smart Paint Racks can help. They let you hold sign panels by the edges for painting and… Read More
Do you really need to print at 300dpi?
The short answer is no, according to Doug Downey [The Image Factory, Stratford, Ontario, Canada]. Doug says that many sign designers are working… Read More
