Online Exclusives

After I read Curt Nelson’s article, “Step-by-step: Building monument cabinet signs,” in the May/June 2010 issue, I began experimenting with aluminum composite material… Read More

While working on a large sandblasted sign for a local restaurant, I kept trying to think of an easy, unobtrusive way to assemble… Read More

Back in the mid-1960s, my travels in and around the greater Chicago area were a source of inspiration and amazement. Right in the… Read More

In What’s it cost to letter this box truck, I went through the time, materials and major steps of lettering a box truck…. Read More

Vehicle lettering makes up a good deal of my business, and most of it is on vans and pickups. Occasionally, though, I’ll do… Read More

Selecting colors in our work can be a great challenge. It doesn’t need to be intimidating, though. Every designer must be aware of… Read More

One of the biggest changes in our shop in the last ten years is the exclusive use of water-based acrylic house paint for… Read More

Choosing type with the proper font weight—bold, medium or light—is important for controlling in what order a sign’s message gets read. We discussed… Read More

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

Materials: Film, laminate and ink: $455 Cut vinyl and premask: $43 Total: $498 Labor: Set up and panel artwork: 1 hour Production: 5… Read More

As logo designers, we’re often asked to balance the perceived requirements or design parameters of the business owner with the needs of their… Read More

Have you ever had a customer who wanted more than a 4-by-8-ft. plywood sign mounted to a couple posts, but didn’t have the… Read More

I can’t believe how fast this year is going. It seems like weeks go by, then before you know it, the seasons have… Read More

When it comes to finalizing a design for your clients—whether for their sign, truck lettering or logo—the sooner you can get it signed… Read More

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

Material Costs: 80-lb 1.5-in. HDU: $50 Roller cover, sandblast mask, etc.: $60 Latex paint: $30 Subcontract sandblasting: $60 Total: $200 Labor: Create design:… Read More

Choosing colors involves a certain amount of risk, as your clients may not share your enthusiasm or vision for color. It is an… Read More

This was exactly the sort of project I was looking for after SignCraft asked me to put this article together. I wanted to… Read More

Designers and sign makers who have been in the business long enough can easily recognize work done by newcomers. Why? Either the newbies… Read More

In every print issue, SignCraft gave a few sign makers an imaginary project. We asked them to do a sketch of the sign… Read More