Sign Design 101

First, remember there are no hard and fast rules. There are, however, general guidelines that will make your sign more effective.  Some signs serve different purposes than others. A jobsite sign can be used to convey more info if it is placed where someone can stop to read it. Now if it's a roadside sign at 45 MPH the message will need to be simple.  Remember it isn't necessary to tell them every detail they will need to know to make a decision.

These signs are like billboards only smaller, and the same design principles apply. People on average will spend about 2-5 seconds looking at your sign. As you begin to design your sign we suggest that you begin with the element that you want your viewers to remember if they only remember one thing. For political office, this should be the name as it appears on the ballot. For an issue, this should be the name or number of the issue and your "YES" or "NO" recommendation. For most commercial signs, it's name and phone number. Unless your name is synonymous with what you do, consider that "what you do" is more important than "who you are".

All American Services ??  or   Interior & Exterior Painting ??

All other elements that compete for that 2-5 seconds should be relegated to a minor position or not used at all.

Readability has several factors

Letter size, typestyle, color/contrast, graphics, etc.

Some typestyles are easier to read than others. Typestyles with serifs are harder to read at a glance (and a glance is all you get sometimes)  than those without (sans) serif.

Exterior Painting    vs   Exterior Painting 

Upper And Lower Case Together Is Easier To Read Than ALL CAPS, IF THERE IS A LOT OF TEXT.

Contrast helps readability. Consider RED or BLACK on white. Avoid black letters on blue background and also avoid 2 or more similar colors right next to each other (touching). It's better to separate them with some white space for better readability.

Visibility tests have shown that:

 RED letters on a WHITE background and BLACK letters on a Yellow background are clearly the most visible of all color combinations.  High contrast colors, such as blue, green or black on white background will still make a very strong statement.

Graphics and Special Effects

Often a simple graphic or logo can convey a lot of information at a quick glance. However, consider special effects carefully. There is a time and place for them, and are usually more suited to print media like ads, flyers, mailers, etc. rather than roadside signage. Slanting, stretching, compressing, twisting, arching to fit a curve, drop shadows and others usually REDUCE  readability and should be avoided unless it is VERY IMPORTANT to your specific message.

Our designers will be happy to make specific recommendations for your signs and will work with you till we get it right.

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