Looking at various images here on the board, it seems most of us have a preferred drop-shadow direction. So, are you upper-left or bottom-right (or neither) and is there any logic behind it, or does it just look right to you?
Just curious, Graham Bottom-right Posted by Dale Feicke (Member # 767) on :
I think I probably prefer bottom-right, too; but I have been known to move it around to see if some other direction might work better in the overall design.
Posted by Jim Moser (Member # 6526) on :
I generally put the light at the upper left ( lower right shadow ) but a lot depends on the letter style..... sometimes a lower left shadow works better with certain styles. Italic script is usually lower right. Sometimes I reverse the shadows on different sides of a vehicle for effect....
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
Being a hand letterer ... bottom left.
It is a more natural brush stroke, plus letters like B, E, F, M. N, etc. require less strokes.
Posted by Lawrence Armstrong (Member # 8336) on :
Same as Si being a lefty as well. I do think that for script lettering it looks better bottom right though.
Posted by George Perkins (Member # 156) on :
I'm with si and for the same reasons.
Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :
Bottom Left- it's much easier to paint, as above.
Posted by Sonny Franks (Member # 588) on :
Bottom left with paint, bottom right on the computer......
Posted by Tom Henningson (Member # 7442) on :
Depends on where the sign is going to be located...but bottom left in most cases.
Posted by FranCisco Vargas (Member # 145) on :
I would also agree 'bottom left' because the sun comes from the East, light source thing...
but then again what time are we looking at, it could be to the right if it was 8:48 pm. I guess at that point you make the decision...
Posted by Jillbeans (Member # 1912) on :
Bottom left except for script, I do that bottom right. Not both on the same sign. But I noticed in the UK, when I did see a handpainted sign, it was mostly bottom right. I try not to drop shadow everything. Love....Jill
Posted by bruce ward (Member # 1289) on :
bottom right on every thing
[ July 19, 2010, 06:57 AM: Message edited by: bruce ward ]
Posted by Tony Vickio (Member # 2265) on :
I'm with Si. I was taught to paint shadows "bottom left" by Al Bradt (who's father taught him! Al's dad painted in the 1800's) for the same reasons Si described!
Tony
Posted by W. R. Pickett (Member # 3842) on :
Right handed brush painters prefer left, left handers prefer right. Often the lettering design or layout will lend itself to one or the other.
Posted by Tim Barrow (Member # 576) on :
I'm with Si here with one exception,..if the primary lighting(sunlight direction) is in a manner that the existance of a third dimension on the copy I'm lettering dictates otherwise,...as if in the case where a sign is facing south the sunshine would naturally cast a shadow on the left side of copy most of the day,...on the back side of that sign facing north the sunshine would normally cast a shadow to the right of the copy,...I only do this when trying to do embellished 3 dimensional lettering like prism lettering or when using a shadow to depict a three dimensional element in 2d,....
Posted by Preston McCall (Member # 351) on :
Got used to doing it on the lower right. I realize it takes a few more strokes and sometimes that actually adds more color to a fluoro sign. Left is easier, but just got stuck doing it on the right. It is really a non issue to me.
Posted by Michael Gene Adkins (Member # 882) on :
bottom left
Posted by Alicia B. Jennings (Member # 1272) on :
Bottom right, any other way is lame-o, because,, it has to do with the way you naturally read. Let to right, letters first, shades last.
Posted by Joe Cieslowski (Member # 2429) on :
Just a personal thing here, same as Alica for the same reason.
For me, either way still aint easy.
Joe,
Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!
Posted by Dan Beach (Member # 9850) on :
quote:Originally posted by George Perkins: I'm with si and for the same reasons.
+3
Posted by Kevin Gaffney (Member # 4240) on :
Bottom right. So long do'ing it that way now, anything else looks od to me
Posted by bill riedel (Member # 607) on :
Add one more to the bottom left gang, I learned it that way and anything else just doesn't look right.
Posted by Craig Sjoquist (Member # 4684) on :
I look to see where most traffic comes from. otherwise bottom right or bottom left if italic or bottom left if in a rush.
Posted by William DeBekker (Member # 3848) on :
Bottom Right.
Posted by Jon Butterworth (Member # 227) on :
Bottom right.
I was taught that, in most cases, the light should come in from top left to draw the eyes into paintings and/or text.
Posted by Frank Smith (Member # 146) on :
Bottom left, but sometimes I go with where the light on the sign usually comes from.
Posted by Curt Stenz (Member # 82) on :
Always bottom left for letters, but numbers do read better with bottom right.
Posted by Bill Davidson (Member # 531) on :
Geez, I'm a goofy footer water skier and skateboarder (years ago) so it's bottom right.
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