More idea-packed secondary signs
A few weeks ago, in “Secondary signs that deliver the message,” we shared almost two dozen secondary signs by Rob Cooper, Koh Tao,… Read More
Articles
Cover photo: Flood Gate Vineyard – Jim Lago
In the late 1970s, the wine industry began to explode in Northern California’s Sonoma Valley. Jim and Tami Lago moved their sign business… Read More
Mark Cheyne: Still sandblasting, still painting
For many sign makers, seeing a sandblasted sign was a turning point in their work and their business. It was for Mark Chenye,… Read More
Cover photo: Corazon Verde – Carlos Sánchez Acevedo
In a resort area like Cancun, Mexico, an interesting sign is essential for the tourist-related businesses that line the streets. The gift shops,… Read More
Lessons learned from 50-plus years in the sign business
I’ve bought and sold sign companies several times. They were small shops—never anything major. I have some thoughts on doing that, but we’ll… Read More
Cover photo: RA Auto Refinishing – Greg Scott
Ever catch yourself wondering, “What could I do on this sign design to keep it from being just another ordinary sign?” Good news:… Read More
Secondary signs that deliver the message
Primary signs—storefronts and freestanding signs—get a lot of attention in SignCraft, but many businesses also depend on smaller secondary signs to tell their… Read More
Cover photo: Chikaming Police – Doyle Rogers
Conservative estimates are that there are about 400,000 police vehicles nationwide—which is why you see so many of them on the… Read More
Cover photo: The Office – Tim Beyer
Succeeding (or even surviving!) in the sign business in a small town is challenging. The mindset of the market is different than in… Read More
What do others get to letter a semi cab?
Most sign shops do their share of basic, one-color truck lettering projects—just a company name and phone number in a pleasing layout. The… Read More
Rebuilding a customer’s logo
Often a customer comes in for a new sign or vehicle graphics but brings a logo that is showing its age or just… Read More
Cover photo: The Works – Peter Poanessa
Among all the flat sign panels along the street, a curved sign face really stands out. To take advantage of this, Peter Poanessa… Read More
1976: Wood signs of Aspen revisited
A 1976 trip from the Oklahoma flatlands to Colorado’s mountain towns resulted in a treasure trove of inspiration. I burned through dozens of… Read More
Cover photo: R.A. Guy Contracting – Brian Schofield
Years ago, Brian Schofield and Karin Levin decided they wanted to avoid one of the pitfalls that plagues many sign businesses: Failure… Read More
Seelander and Swanson changed the course of sign design
One of the most influential sign companies in Chicago-style sign design was Seelander and Swanson. Created by a partnership of J. Marshall Seelander… Read More
Cover photo: All Points Towing – Lane Walker
As clear coats on vehicles became more impervious and lead was removed from lettering enamel, many sign painters began to experience problems with… Read More
Cover photo: Burgers, Wings & Things – Greg Scott
You don’t have to scroll very far down Greg Scott’s Facebook page before you realize that this is not your ordinary sign… Read More
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
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
