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Hi heads;I have a semi dark green with gold Metalic"One Shot" lettering and I would like to put a outline.My thoughts have been to go with a megenta.Would like your thoughts.Thanks Randy.
[ December 02, 2002, 08:35 AM: Message edited by: Randy Campbell ]
-------------------- Randall Campbell Randy's Graphics, 420 Fairfield N. Hamilton Ontario Canada Posts: 2857 | From: Hamilton Ontario Canada | Registered: Jan 2002
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In my opinion an outline is there to give crispness to the letter and add to the readability of the copy. My suggestion would be to use black or a navy blue. Magenta has a color value very close to your letter color and probably would not be very visible as an outline from any distance. Also, the brightness of magenta would draw the viewer's attention to the outline rather than the letter.
Green and gold are great combinations.
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I agree with Raymond, an outline should add to the readability. My rule of thumb is the letter should have the most contrast, the outline should be part of the background, this goes for shades and shadows too. If you have a dark background any outlines or shadows should be dark too. Outlines are most effective on the midrange colors where they greatly enhance the readability by increasing the contrast.
Raymond mentioned two of the best color choices, proper Purple would be another.
Improper or poor choice of outline/shadow color is probably the most common mistake going these days. It's covered in the Mike Stevens book, Mark Baty has written some excellent articles on it in the trade magazines, it's really basic, yet it never fails to amaze me how many otherwise good designs are hampered by an outline overpowering the design or a shadow of the wrong color closing up all the negative space between letters .
Time for a primer on outline /shadow usage?
-------------------- George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@bigriver.net
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
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