Hi Heads,Here is our latest sign, and thought you might like a sneak peak....the customer hasn't even seen it yet! Details below.
4 foot x 4 foot x 1 inch HDU ( Signfoam 2) 15 pound density
Hand carved ... Banner lettered "WHITE OAK" is a "3D" add on over the top of the sign glued on with Gorilla Glue ( we also used 4 dowel sticks 1.24 inches long drilled in the back of the arch banner and into the surface of the sign just in case the glue fails )
The banner is 1.5 inch thick foam and sculptured on the ends to 3/4 inch thick
Primer: Jay Cook's high-build primer
Paint: Pratt & Lambert exterior acrylic laxtex enamel
(biege and forrest green)
Lettering: Sparcal High Performance vinyl: Black, Terra Cotta, Beige
Lettering Fonts: Benguait Medium ( text editing and distortion by me
and Goudy Old Style
Ornamental Dingbats: Hand Drawn by me; Dave Draper... and scanned
Graphic: ClickArt 300,000 by Borderbund
Graphic was Edge Printed on Beige vinyl
Clear Coat Finish: Maxtech Plus Industrial Coatings: Waterbase Acrylic Urethane Clear Gloss
Sign Making System: Gerber Graphic Advantage / Gerber Edge and Signmaker 4B
Execution:
Design
I study pictures in every sign magazine for the last 3 years and then go to bed and sleep on it!
The next day I turn on the computer and Design the sign layout from scratch
It is important to make the layout and colors fit the type of sign for the type of business ( this sign would not match well on a corporate insurance building...but works great on a farm-ag business)
(also, this business goes back to a great-grandfather so I chose a look out of the 1800's) so that would eliminate a sandblasted look using a "grainframe"....which makes hand carving my option for the look I want to achieve. Design done...customer approved...lets build it!
Build
Cut sign shape using computer generated paper pattern and a Jig Saw with a wide blade ( wont bend as it cuts)
Sand the edge of the sign shape so it is rounded...this is very easy...dont need to use a router
Cut arched banner out of 1.5 inch thick sign foam. Cut ends of banner down to 3/4 inch thick by running it through the radial arm saw over and over to achieve a lower surface, sand smooth.
This will be pegged and glued on the sign with Gorilla glue
Cut cheap vinyl for lettering shadow pattern and apply on sign blank
Hand cut into the HDU Foam with large snap blade knife around the edges of the vinyl lettering patterns, deep as possible, then remove cheap vinyl shadow pattern.
Chisel out background about 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep....needs to look more rough than deep
Primer entire sign..starting with the face first, then flip over to the back side
Paint sign Beige and Forrest Green...Start with back of sign and flip over to face of sign
Cut and apply HP vinyl shadow (black), outline (terra cotta rust red), then the beige lettering
Edge Print graphic and apply.
Clear coat entire sign....this gives everything an even sheen and seals the vinyl edges.
If the shadow is done properly, an optical illusion will make the lettering look as if it stands out
much further than it really is. This translates into a great savings of time when carving out the background. You can actually come away with a nice look with a very shallow background depth. As the sunlight hits the high spots of the background, the shadows will display nicely.
Happy carving!
------------------
Go Get 'Em.....
AKA Raptorman on #Letterheads mIRC Chat
Draper The Signmaker
Bloomington Illinois USA
Proud 2-yr. $upporter of this Web Site (May 1999-May 2001)
[This message has been edited by Dave Draper (edited December 23, 1999).]
[This message has been edited by Dave Draper (edited December 23, 1999).]
[This message has been edited by Dave Draper (edited December 23, 1999).]