I've seen it determined using arcs and lines through various parts of a substrate as well as using mathematical proportions. I reckon there'd be as many rules of thumb to judge it as there are approaches to any job. 3/8 down is my rule of thumb, anyone have any other methods?
David
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
The Optical Center Locating Device sold at the Letterville Sign Supply is a waste of money. Optical center is up, not down. The best and simplest charts adn descriptions are in the Mastering Layout (Mike Stevens) book.
Posted by Rodney gold (Member # 4065) on :
Im not sure what you are getting at - often "centering" something mathematically (especially italicised text) "looks" wrong. We have a rule here - if it looks visually good and reads out aloud well , it is good!!!
Posted by Mark Smith (Member # 298) on :
Actually, I know this doesn't answer the question, but for me Rodney is on to something.
When something is balanced, it just "feels right" - I literally feel it in my body. Optical center is slightly above the physical center of a layout area, and a quick way to find it is to stand in front of your sign blank - page - whatever and close your eyes. Clear your mind. Open your eyes, and look where your eyes go - BAM! Optical Center.
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
I will often center mathematically and then tweak the positions of the elements up, down or to the side until it "looks" right. As has been stated, italicized copy often looks wrong when centered.
Also, copy with a large capital letter at one end and a small lower case letter at the other looks too far to the left in some cases. If you are left justifying several lines of copy, a line that starts with an upper case "T" or other open letter sometimes looks too far to the right and may need to be moved a bit to the left to make it look aligned.
As Rodney and Mark stated, when it looks right and feels right, then it is right. Studying Mike Steven's book will help a person develop an eye for layout. He did a good job of quantifying why something "looks" or "feels" a certain way.
Posted by Danny Busselle (Member # 3746) on :
Well david around here is above center and theres more space at the Bottom than the top also. question are you just a computer sign guy? or have you read Mike Stevens Layout Book. And have you Served an Bonfide APPRENTICESHIP Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
i have a draftsman background...so CENTER IS ONLY CENTER!! now my artists eye....tells me which way things should/would look more "balanced." everything i do is done by 1/4 ing the sign. do a center vertical & horzontial and you got 4 quarters. with a computer layout is much easier to see how all the text "balances." all this works good for square and regtangle signs. round or oval signs are much more prone to "eye" center. and the type of text used....worst is script on an oval/round with a T,H,L,M,W,K for a begining letter and the the last letter is lower case y,or g. now you gota twist the whole word so it will not look distorted to the eye.
Posted by Don Coplen (Member # 127) on :
I'm with about half of ya....I just use my opticals.
Posted by Gail & Dave Beattie (Member # 572) on :
having seen some of Dave's design skills in action and remembering his time spent teaching
I can only imagine that Dave's talking about the formulars others use for deciding on the optical centre rather than asking how he should find it!
he already knows where it is
like most every one else has said I just push things around till they look right
now I know in your draftman's brain that won't do at all Dave, but since you also know I havn't got a logical bone in my entire body it's the best I can do
cheers gail
Posted by David Fisher (Member # 107) on :
Yup, I eyeball layouts too, sometimes for way longer than I should. Optical centre can be worked in various way, as I said, 3/8 down of the overall height is the rule of thumb I use. I've seen it calculated using other methods and wondered if anyone perhaps with formal training has any other guidelines for me to try. Yes Danny, I finished my apprenticeship in 1984 and have been working in the trade ever since. I am also a computer jockey (although I don't consider myself "just" a vinyl guy). I've also read Mike Stevens and a great many others. So... other methods? David
Posted by Monte Jumper (Member # 1106) on :
Everything said here is well and good but if a sign is 10 or even 20' off the ground you better move "visual center" down or it will look like the copy is crammed to the top.
I always keep in mind the positioning of the sign to determin "visual center" and have even moved it up beyond where it should be because the sign is below ground level (loading ramps for example).
After it is all said and done "visual center" is "Your visual center" and does not always see "eye to eye" with everyone else.
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