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I have a customer moving into a building with existing canvas awnings. One of the awnings has a flap with what looks like silk screened lettering - white on black, about 3 or 4" Helvetica caps.. He wants to either paint them or replace them, though I'm not sure he has the budget for either, plus one rear awning he shares with another unit (empty right now).I think we can work with the black and white stripes if we need to.
Here's the rear one with lettering:
Is there a way to just cover up the existing lettering without it looking too "patched," or can the entire awning be painted if that's what he decides?
-------------------- Tracie Johnson Signovations Ventura, California Posts: 444 | From: Ventura, California | Registered: Nov 2005
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Tracie, Make sure you tell them that you wil see the ghost. Tell them again. Make sure they understand. Then black out a patch (latex acrylic)and letter on top with new letters. Tell them 3 times. I've done a Brizilion of these and they wiil ALWAYS look at the finished sign and say "can you do something else"
-------------------- John Arnott El Cajon CA 619 596-9989 signgraphics1@aol.com http://www.signgraphics1.com Posts: 1443 | From: El Cajon CA usa | Registered: Dec 1998
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Tracie....once you have done as John has said, give it a coat of black, when dry, squeegee on your paint mask, give it anothe coat of black (to seal the edges) then roll on a heavy coat of white.
It will look professional!
-------------------- Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA
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Brushasaurus on Chat Posts: 8831 | From: La Mirada, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Looks like it's just on the valance. Tell the customer to replace the valance, and you do the lettering in your shop before they install it. This will be easiest for you and the least expensive, best-looking option for the customer.
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There is really only one way to paint that flap and thats to (push-pin from front)tack a 1-by the length of the graphic on the rear of the flap. This will give you the weight you need to letter the flap just fine. The guys make good points though as ghosting will result from differences in previous sheens. You could use bulls-eye primer on the entire bkgr'd. to normalize the sheen, Then double-coat the background black. Then a base coat of bull's eye as your first lettering coat. Then one-shot over the top. As John Arnott states, tell the customer this is a quick-fix and not the best way to do it. Notice how many steps...its also a lot of work for you.
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If you paint the entire valance first, it won't look quite as patched. You will still see a ghost of the old lettering as slightly glossier.
After you mask, paint the letters black, as mentioned, to seal the mask edges before you apply lettering color. Stapling a plank or clamping a piece of aluminum to the back side of the lettering area is important on a loose valance.
For blocking out, I make a mix of 2 parts One Shot Poster color to 1 part Lettering Color (dries fast, but has binder). This has good coverage, and I can use the same fitches I letter with. I reverse the proportions for the lettering. Double coat.
I just did one of these yesterday. Black awning, white copy. I actually triple-coated the block-out coat to make sure it sealed the mask. I guess I was paranoid, the customer was so picky. The finished product looked screened. One tiny bleed at a hem. But you could still read the old copy from certain angles if you looked for it. It's a cheap way to change a name.
Brad in Kansas City
-------------------- Brad Ferguson See More Signs 7931 Wornall Rd Kansas City, MO 64111 signbrad@yahoo.com 816-739-7316 Posts: 1230 | From: Kansas City, MO, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Besides the sheen, the other ghosting effect will come from the change in the texture of the fabric. I redid an awning a few months back, but the flattened fabric where I had screenprinted the original copy 10 years ago was still a completely different (more flattened) texture then the new painted over areas done with a roller... that they stopped me before re-lettering their new name & had me just make a wood sign instead.
Here is after 2 heavy coats on consecutive days. The color was consistent between lettering & background, and dried darker to the requested color... but you see that ghost of an "R" ? ...well even with consistent color, the texture made every single letter and logo easily seen from the right angle:
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