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If you had to describe your best "secret" technique or idea that you have used to make your customer's new sign attention-grabbing and super profitable (for them), what would that be?
-------------------- Richard Swartz DeNyse Signs 4521 Industrial Access Road Douglasville, GA 30134 Posts: 102 | From: Douglasville, GA | Registered: Nov 1998
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The signs that catch my eye have bold colors and strong contrasts, with the primary message being that which draws the eye. Then there's layout, with appropriate use of letter style and weight, intelligent use of negative space, and use of shapes, panels, etc. as a means of prioritizing copy. Mostly though, it's just in comparison. There's such an overwhelming amount of signs that are mediocre or worse, that anything halfway decent is breathtakingly unique and eye-catching.
One thing I notice a lot, is the attempt at using some substitute (paint, vinyl, etc.)"gold" color for gold leaf. It invariably fails to achieve its purpose. As an example; a deli in my town recently changed hands, and the new owner had a competitor of mine replace the carved, gilded sign with one using "gold" colored Gemini letters. He'd have been better off using white or ivory on the dark charcoal-grey background, got better contrast, and not have the dull, tacky effect of an obvious substitute for the real thing. What amazes me is how much of this dreck I see. Personally, I NEVER sell a sign with gold substitute colors. A customer who doesn't have a budget for leaf can easily be shown how ivory or white will offer far better contrast or readability than any "gold" substitute. The problem is not the customer, it's the sign maker who can't be bothered to learn anything about design, never offers alternatives or makes constructive suggestions, and who doesn't give a damn.
-------------------- "A wise man concerns himself with the truth, not with what people believe." - Aristotle
Cam Bortz Finest Kind Signs Pondside Iron works 256 S. Broad St. Pawcatuck, Ct. 06379 "Award winning Signs since 1988"
Posts: 3051 | From: Pawcatuck,Connecticut USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Thanks Cam- - -as a matter of fact, I was trying to design my new logo today & debated whether to use the regular gold colored vinyl, or hold out to buy the Signgold. I'm gonna wait for a couple of checks & go for the Signgold. I did take the splurge today & ordered a few "SignDNA" fonts. Can't wait to use them. I'll soon be a member here instead of just a visitor- - -Carl Wood DeSoto Signs Olive Branch, MS
[ November 19, 2001: Message edited by: Carl Wood ]
-------------------- Carl Wood Olive Branch, Ms Posts: 1392 | From: Olive Branch,MS USA | Registered: Nov 1999
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Three dimensions. Very few other folks are doing it.
Making the sign part of the store. Designing a whole storefront, and even merchandising space to BE the sign.
Color and a striking layout are also very important.
-dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!!
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The best attention grabber is a big bold "LOOK" with eyeballs substituted for the "O's"!
JUST KIDDING!!!!(LOL)
A good clean layout with appropriate colours that suit the business. Unusual shapes like ovals, triangles or even shields, anything other than the basic rectagle help draw attention to a sign. Always a good idea to visit the site and talk frankly with the client offering him alternatives to a basic sign. Many clients don't even entertain something out of the ordinary and it is up to us to educate and even upsell them to more effective and unique signage.
-------------------- Happy Signing...... Marty
M.F. (Marty) Happy Signmaker Since 1974 Happy Ad Sign & Design Regina SK, Canada S4N 5K4 306-789-9567 happyad@sasktel.net www.happyad.ca
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Rule number one....Make it readable! Then..take the time to know the client and allow him or her to use your talents . Its almost like being a translater.. After all.. sign writing is just another language. Go ahead and speak it!
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bold is not always better I can't stand when someone uses compacta bold with an ouline and the stroke is so thick that it merges with itself the whole dang thing turns to mud color contrast is very big in my book as well. Also, font choice is something too. Do the world a favor and delete Old English, Helvetiva and Brush script from your computer. The world will be a better place
-------------------- Ken McTague, Concept Signs 57 Bridge St. (route 107) Salem MA 01970 1-978-745-5800 conceptsign@yahoo.com http://www.pinheadlounge.com/CaptainKen
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"A wise man once said that, or was it a wise guy?" Posts: 2425 | From: Salem, MA | Registered: Apr 1999
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Great ideas all. My number one priority for grabbing attention is a strong contrast of the sign's background color to its backdrop. Dark colors generally for skyline backs and Light colors for tree and dark backdrops. A black sign against a white building in the rear will always grab major attention. Number two is to not make the sign too busy. Bronzeo
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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My 'secret weapons'that come to mind (seeing as how I just woke up..)
These will all be of the 'visual glue' variety. (makes things stick together, and add harmony)
1 - toning things together. Use an outline around the main copy or better yet the graphic, that is a tone (usually lighter/brighter) of the background.
2 - overlap. Letting the text touch the graphics, to give both dimension and sense of continuity.
3 - inside outlines on text. Lets say you have a white letter, and you outline it (fairly heavy) with dark blue. I run a thinner outline of a brighter/lighter blue between the white and the dark blue. This gives a subtle 'pop' that brings the viewers attention to to the otherwise boring text. (to me anyways.)
Maybe more after I'm running on all 8 cylinders...
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Jack, you nailed my main idea exactly! Contrast from the surrounding environment is always sound planning for maximum impact. It may mean that you have to go to the site and assess the situation yourself, instead of relying on what the customer says. . . Also, panels of all shapes always help in arranging blocks of info, within the same layout.
-------------------- Warren F. Ad Signs Honolulu Posts: 38 | From: Honolulu, HI, USA | Registered: Feb 2000
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