How do you explain to a person that when you write a sign, you don't write it like a regular sentence? All of the commas, simicolons, periods, parentheses, etc. are not needed in a sign. It's junk! Signs look better when they look like a sign not a page taken off a typewriter. Yeah, I said typewriter. There's got to be a word for it. "A sign is to be writen in (blank) form." I don't know what word blank is, but there's got to be a word for it. I bet Authur Vanson would have known. He was always good with words, bless his soul.
Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :
(blank) in modern computer words might be 'dot point' form (?)
Posted by Ken Henry (Member # 598) on :
I believe that the correct word might be "graphic".
Take the word "inquire" as an illustration. You could use it on a sign as it appears above. but you could also introduce some graphic creativity and write it as: in?uire.
Which is more memorable ? Which way might garner more attention ? Is it readily understood and comprehended?
The point is that the signwriter has to be afforded some creative lattitude in order to create something more visually appealing that connects with the viewer. The status quo is rarely memorable or intrigueing, simply because it's the same old way of looking at it, and that's a recipe for BORING.
Insist on the status quo, and nothing creative or memorable will result.The customer will get a sign that looks like everyone else's, and what value is there in that ?
Posted by Rusty Bradley (Member # 6938) on :
Maybe this will help in an explanantion to a customer.
A sign doesn't have to necessarily be "grammatically correct" as in formal writing...it does not have to follow the rules of grammar.
[ November 24, 2013, 12:54 PM: Message edited by: Rusty Bradley ]
Posted by Tim Barrow (Member # 576) on :
when I worked for the outdoor advertising companies we called them "promotional phrases" and were only allowed 3 or four "promotional phrases" per design at most. the were categorized as
or basically Who,What,When,& Where,... hope this helps you,...
[ November 24, 2013, 12:15 PM: Message edited by: Tim Barrow ]
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
i have a hard time with the "newbie printers"!!!! they seem to think all SIGNS are to be done like your writing a letter!!!!!! cap first letter and then lower case.... they really dont get what a SIGN IS)))))
Posted by Kelly Thorson (Member # 2958) on :
"A sign is to be writen in unpunctuated form."
Posted by Preston McCall (Member # 351) on :
Season's Greetings -or- Seasons Greetings....been nailed both ways. There seems to be one in every crowd.
Posted by Dale Feicke (Member # 767) on :
Wouldn't it be safe to say that a simple word or phrase doesn't need punctuation?
Simplest is always best....'cept the guv'mint.
Posted by MozeCollins (Member # 51014) on :
"Sans Punctuation".....?
Posted by Checkers (Member # 63) on :
K.I.S.S. - Keep it short and simple - as Tim implied. You can always tell him that you charge extra for punctuation
Havin' fun,
Checkers
Posted by Alicia B. Jennings (Member # 1272) on :
Okay, I like Kelly's answer the best. For now on I will say, " A sign is to be written in unpunctuated form." Very good.
Posted by Dave Grundy (Member # 103) on :
I chuckled at a sign I saw the other day. Kinda innovative OR the sign writer ran out of room???
BIENVENI2 Posted by Terry Colley (Member # 1245) on :
The final chapter of James Callinghams book 1874 book on Signwriting is titled " Orthographical and other errors" From it this; " In punctuation some very strange things are occasionally perpetrated. The signwriter who disdains punctuation, and omits " points" of every discription, is far wiser than he who, fancing he has knowledge of the art, introduces commas and full-points in all sorts of queer places" Also " If a tradesman who engages a writer is incapable of of correctly stating what he wishes written regarding his own trade, it is hardly to be expected that the writer will be much better. There is more, go and read it
[ November 25, 2013, 04:10 PM: Message edited by: Terry Colley ]
Posted by Terry Colley (Member # 1245) on :
Just had a further look at this book, might be worth another post, he states on gold leaf that the beaters get 1600 leaves from 1 ounce of gold , Todays gold process gets more than 2500 we are putting thinner gold on our work with standard leaf. Sorry for going off topic.
Posted by Craig Sjoquist (Member # 4684) on :
A sign is advertising be it a parking sign, storefront, pool rules, wrap.. It is branding the product/service
Posted by Brad Ferguson (Member # 33) on :
A sign is not literature. It is graphic art.
Posted by Sheila Ferrell (Member # 3741) on :
clean
streamlined
concise
uncluttered
efficient
Posted by Sheila Ferrell (Member # 3741) on :
clean
streamlined
concise
uncluttered
efficient
Posted by Sheila Ferrell (Member # 3741) on :
clean
streamlined
concise
uncluttered
efficient
Posted by Don Hulsey (Member # 128) on :
say that 3 times real fast!!!
Posted by Sheila Ferrell (Member # 3741) on :
.... lol or even triple post it ... (sorry bout the double post Alicia)
Posted by Sheila Ferrell (Member # 3741) on :
.... lol or even triple post it ... (sorry bout the double post Alicia)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)