Give the main message the space it deserves
Ever wonder why some signs have so much more impact than most of the others? It’s because the designer used basic design principles… Read More
Articles
Q&A: How do I sell my sign business?
A reader wants to know: “How do I sell my sign business?” Sooner or later, every shop owner is ready to retire or… Read More
Download Tom Hutchinson’s “Stroganoff” font for FREE!
In SignCraft‘s very early years, we learned of Tom Hutchinson, a Toronto-based showcard writer who was turning out beautiful hand-lettered cards for businesses… Read More
Cover story: Fortified Tattoo – Alex Kurakake
When Alex Kurakake walked into Los Angeles Trade Tech College in 2011, he was an almost-19-year-old graffiti artist and pizza shop employee with… Read More
Heart and Bone Signs: Gold leaf, hand lettering and supergraphics
Kelsey and Andrew McClellan are a Chicago-based sign painting team with a penchant for gold leaf window signs—yet are equally comfortable painting 30-foot-tall… Read More
Cover photo: Quality Carriers – Cam Sauder
Cam Sauder has shared his work and ideas in SignCraft often over the years. In this profile, you’ll see nearly three dozen of… Read More
The signs and sights of Port Townsend, Washington
Port Townsend is located on the remote northeast corner of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. The picturesque coastal town is nestled alongside the remote shoreline… Read More
Cover photo: Bender Park — Tim Peterson
To grab the viewer, you need one good solid “hook”— unique lettering, a cool effect, or maybe 3D. In sign painting days, a… Read More
Q&A: Where do you find help?
A reader wants to know: “I often wonder where others find their employees. It seems I continually train new people who are going… Read More
Type choice gets the ball rolling
As we all know, some designs come together really fast, while others are not so cooperative. There’s usually something, though, that gets me… Read More
Cover photo: Strawberry Patch – James Dobson
Sometimes you just need a little inspiration to jump start your next design project. You’ll find plenty of that here in this Signs… Read More
Cover photo: Deadwood Gift Shop – Tim Peterson
For over 30 years, Tim Peterson has created beautiful, highly effective signs in and around Deadwood, South Dakota. His work, mostly 3D signs,… Read More
Cover photo: S&S General Contracting – Bob Behounek
The lowly ampersand usually does its job quietly and somewhat boringly, standing in for the word “and” between two words or letters. Bob… Read More
Put the real thing on their sign
In the days before most everyone could read, the sign maker’s task usually included adding an image to a sign that represented what… Read More
Hand-lettered signs bring a restaurant interior to life
Beautiful hand-painted signs—like good food—are uniquely appealing because they’re handmade. There’s something that just “feels good” about them that connects with those who… Read More
Cover photo: Drywall Crack Attack – RT Signs
If a logo includes a graphic, you’ll usually find it above or beside the main copy. But one cool way to surprise the… Read More
Tuck the graphic in a letter
That made for a catchy headline, but it really should say “Put the graphic in the letter.” Rather than using a separate image… Read More
Back in time: Vintage sign shop posters
Back in the day—before the Internet—a few leading-edge sign shop owners created posters to help advertise their creations. The ’70s and ’80s were… Read More
Cover photo: The Fabric Center – Ray and Rose Grossi
What is it about a wall sign that makes us look twice? Maybe that it’s big or unexpected or “How did someone paint… Read More
Tips & Tricks: Tile small signs when outsourcing digital printing
It’s tempting to just upload files for several small decals to be print and cut, then specify that you want 4 or 10… Read More
