posted February 25, 2009 11:11 AM
I have a customer with their own artwork that wants a couple backlit faces.
The colors include a solid black background, and pms 152c lettering (kind of a burnt orange)
These are 6' x 12' pan faces, and I'm subbing them out to a company that's been making faces since the 80's. They will backspray the faces.
So I send the customer supplied artwork to the face supplier for a quote, and they tell me that with this color combo. they won't show up.
I trust what the face company is telling me, but my customer sees other signs around town with a black background. Their example was that Pizza Hut has a lit sign with a black background and white, red and yellow lettering. Shows up fine during day or night, but at night all you see is the lit lettering, which is the look my customer is after.
My thoughts are that this color combo will light up fine at night, it's during the day when the contrast may be a problem with legibility.
It's a lot of money to end up with an unhappy customer, and signs that you can't read.
I've done 30 or 40 backlit signs, but none with a solid black background.
I'm about to pass on the job, unless I can feel more comfortable that they'll be happy with the end result.
Any thoughts or insight?
Thanks, Tony
-------------------- Ace Graphics & Printing Camdenton, MO. USA
posted February 25, 2009 01:27 PM
Tony, I did one a few years back for a bar. They wanted a look like your customer... logo with all black background. I back-sprayed it on clear very similar to how Jon said.
The problem was at night, the sign just didn't have much 'punch'. The background totally blanked out, their logo kinda hovered up there but just didn't stand out much against the rest of the signs in the area. Just not enough brute force LIGHT emitting from the sign to make it noticeable.
Well, they didn't like it, so their next suggestion was to put neon tubing around the outside of the sign. I didn't think it was that great of an idea, but they insisted, so I had fluorescent green tubing bent up and installed it.
Man, that sign was ugly... the neon about blinded you, and the logo showed up even less with the bright neon robbing contrast. However, it did stand out and they loved it.... (until they went out of business a couple years later.)
-------------------- Jon Jantz Snappysign.com jjantz21@gmail.com http://www.allcw.com Posts: 3395 | From: Atmore, AL | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Tony McDonald: So I send the customer supplied artwork to the face supplier for a quote, and they tell me that with this color combo. they won't show up.
There's no reason the dark orange wouldn't show up well as long as it's translucent and the black is opaque. Translucent white backsprayed, of course.
posted February 25, 2009 01:37 PM
I agree with your face company. The value contrast is low with that combo. Get some translucent vinyl in as close to those colours as you can get and make a small sample on lexan to show your customer. Sometimes it is hard for them to understand the concepts, but seeing is believing. You may even be able to convince them by simply painting the burnt orange on black. It doesn't show well from a distance.
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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posted February 25, 2009 02:36 PM
I also agree with the face company. I'd try and get the customer to use a light, bright orange. That will make the difference. One big problem with what I call "muddy" colors is that they have a tendency to REALLY look that way at nite.
You need to get some color samples from Spraylat or Grip-Flex to show your customer. Then the monkey is on HIS back.
-------------------- Dale Feicke Grafix 714 East St. Mendenhall, MS 39114
"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." Posts: 2963 | From: Mendenhall, MS | Registered: Apr 1999
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posted February 25, 2009 03:46 PM
The thing is... the company spraying the face is probably using a lighter orange and just putting it on thicker to get the darker appearance, so it actually won't be a true translucent 152C. And consequently it won't stand out on the black as well as it should. If that's the case, they should go with a lighter orange.
posted February 25, 2009 06:48 PM
Thanks for the replies.
In the beginning, the designer had used 876c, which is a metallic copper and isn't an option in backlit. (designed for menu's)
So, I had my customer pick three pms colors with each being lighter.
First choice > 152c Second > 151c Third > 130c (not their favorite, but probably the best choice for contrast)
The sign company still thinks none of these will work...so I was stumped. They did mention it might help to add a white outline around the lettering, but my customer balked on that one.
The 151 or 130 is probably the way to go.
Just trying to decide the best choice, so everyone's happy
-------------------- Ace Graphics & Printing Camdenton, MO. USA
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