Articles

11 script typefaces for under 25 bucks

Script adds a personal look to a layout and brings energy that stiffer typefaces can’t match. It works well for primary copy as… Read More

Cover photo: VanHeugten Contractors – Randy Howe

The typefaces you choose for a sign project have a huge impact on the effectiveness of the sign. The font must be highly… Read More

Raised letters deserve raised borders

It always bothers me to see raised letters on a flat panel with no border or a painted border. They look incomplete, and… Read More

Cover photo: Glenn Sheckler Electrical – Braun Bleamer

It’s a fact: The right graphics can turn a vehicle into a rolling billboard for about the cost of a candy bar each… Read More

Shop Trucks revisited: 2005 to 2007

Like most small businesses, a sign business’s vehicles are one of the best advertising opportunities going. Besides attracting customers, it showcases your design… Read More

Cover Photo – Prairie Sky Apartments – RT Signs

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

Making a carved sign with PVC board

I recently made two signs out of a material called Plaswood, a very hard, rigid PVC board that is weather and termite resistant… Read More

Cover photo: Clinton Casual Patio & Fireplace – Doug Downey

Do you really need to print at 300dpi? The short answer is no, according to Doug Downey [The Image Factory, Stratford, Ontario, Canada]…. Read More

Readers comment: Emphasize the company’s name or their product/service?

A couple of weeks ago, we featured an article by Jeff Cahill titled, “Should you emphasize the company name or their product/service?” Jeff… Read More

Cover photo: Sparacino Auto Rescue – Scottie Kania

Some sign makers do a little bit of everything while others settle into a niche market like 3D signage, truck lettering, boats or… Read More

A mini-projector saves layout time

I’ve had the usual bulky overhead projectors over the years, but their size has always annoyed me, particularly when I travelled a lot… Read More

Putting it together: Oakdale Farms – RT Signs

It’s always great to see a beautiful sign, but for creative sign makers it’s even better to learn what went into designing and… Read More

Cover photo: Bird & Jim – Signs We’ve Seen

Tourist towns always have more than their share of interesting signs, and Estes Park, Colorado, is no exception. Small shops and places to… Read More

10 beefy fonts for the New Year

Big, bold, beefy letter styles really come in handy on signs. They are usually extra-legible. They deliver plenty of contrast to medium, light… Read More

Cover photo: DMU Concrete– Bob Behounek

At the peak of his career, Bob Behounek was designing and lettering the graphics on about 400 trucks per year. Many of those… Read More

SignCraft Reader Survey: Emphasize the company name or the product/service?

If you read Jeff Cahill’s article this week, “Should you emphasize the name or the product/service?”, we’d like to know your opinion on… Read More

Putting it together – Smart Cents storefront signs

Seeing the finished product can give you an idea for a layout or color combination, but there’s more to the story with most… Read More

Cover Photo – Hutch’s Towing – David Showalter

Everyone has a few fonts that you know you can count on in the layouts you do every day. We often ask sign… Read More

Here’s how others finish HDU board

A while back, we asked SignCraft readers how they finished HDU board. We received many excellent responses and as expected, everyone has a… Read More

Cover photo: Eagle Eye Trucking – Braun Bleamer

One of the quirky things about the sign business is how a certain type of work often seems to come in all at… Read More