Over the last few months I have established a relationship with a local shop to “lend assistance” in many aspects of operation. This ranges from streamlining administration duties, introducing productivity methods, lowering expenses, to interfacing with clientele. One thing I attempt to avoid doing much, if at all, is original artwork and design. We just have two diametrically opposed views and approaches to this subject. I just keep reminding myself that it is his business and not mine. There are times that the discomfort of poor execution becomes too much and then it starts. The questions! Are you happy with this layout? If you would change anything, what would it be? Why? Is the message conveyed? Effectively? And on, and on, etcetera.
This was one of “those” times. Pictured below reflects the general feel of what was to be produced. The order was for three identical 4’x 8’x .5” single face MDO signs for short term display.
I don’t claim to be a designer, but this thing just screamed HELP ME!! So the questions started, answers were delivered, and a phone call was made direct to the customer. Then, with a few additional minutes invested, I proposed the following.
So what’s the point to all of this? The shop owner liked it, the customer loved it, and I was happy with it. That was until today upon completion of assembly. Standing back to look at the big picture I became a bit disappointed.
I think it is aesthetically pleasing when compared to the other version, however the message doesn’t flow “nicely”. FALL FESTIVAL drops into the background and doesn’t grab attention. Giving it a yellow fill helped, but then it fell into the yellow panel and introduced too much yellow overall. SATURDAY, by its design, size, and color gets more attention then SEPTEMBER 7 and FALL FESTIVAL. I did have September 7th and Saturday swapped, but it looked hideous and didn’t read comfortably. The colors were picked to help round out the “fall” feeling, but I’m wondering now if some other combination would have been more appropriate? Again, it looks better when in comparison, but left on its own merits, does it really do the job?
There it is. What suggestions or modifications would you recommend? The job is already completed and waiting for pickup, so any changes will be done “virtually” only.
Thanx, Bob
[ April 04, 2002, 07:44 PM: Message edited by: Bob Gilliland ]
Posted by David Wright (Member # 111) on :
Hi Bob, There seems to be too much use of panels in the design so overall with that and the copy, it appears too busy. Maybe tighten up the copy areas and maybe more consistent use of colors (and fewer). Fall festival and Saturday could have been same color to promote continuity.
Posted by cheryl nordby (Member # 1100) on :
Hi Bob. I would have made the panels dark and the background light. Then it would seem to really jump out. Yours is an improvement for sure.
Posted by Ken Henry (Member # 598) on :
Hi Bob. What I'd change is the slanted lettering in the layout. Basically, the format has a vertical orientation that's been fragmented by the use of panels. The flow of information is disrupted, because the eye is being directed upward and to the righthand edge, each time that a slanted line is read.
If the important copy was done in a bold vertically oriented letterstyle (perhaps Compacta Bold). then the flow might be improved. The most important information should also have the MOST contrast, the secondary copy slightly less, and the least important copy the least amount of contrast.
In summation, I think the problem lies with the layout "fighting" against the vertical format. My preference is to use condensed letterstyles on vertical formats, and extended styles or normal styles on signs with a horizontal axis.
It will be interesting to hear other peoples' opinions, and proposed solutions. Good Post.
Posted by Mark Fuller (Member # 2128) on :
Hi Bob
Like my sign school teacher used to say... "I Don't care how pretty it is,..if it dosn't work it's no good".
Now, having said that, your design is much more visually pleasing and of a higher quality in skill. But I find the first one easier and faster to understand.
Sometimes I find it hard to convey a message as opposed to making a sign. They are supposed to be the same thing. If this is at the side of the road and people are driving by at 60 - 70k, the first one is easier to read.
Your design is good!, but does it "work"
Mark
Posted by ScooterX (Member # 2023) on :
first, the redesign you did was 100 percent better than the original, so these are just meant in the spirit of helpful hindsight.
i looked at the design using the basics: color contrast, size contrast, white space and shapes.
sometimes looking at a design in black/white (grayscale) can help find problems:
color contrast: yellow and orange aren't that far apart on the color wheel, or on the grayscale - you've got a 30 percent gray against a 10 percent gray.
size contrast: all the main words in the copy are the same size: Messiah, Fall, Festival, Saturday. Considering how MANY words on the sign, it might have worked better to pick one word to be the main idea -- (probably "Fall Festival" or "Saturday" depending on how well known the event is in the community).
white space: the phone number at the bottom is the third biggest thing -- is it really that important? by making a few things smaller you could have created a little white space and given it all some breathing room -- right now everything feels pushed to the borders and kind of crowded.
the diagonal lettering is a problem because it breaks up the nice panels -- the diagonal words "bleed" from one panel into another. The word "Fall" actually sits between two panels, so its "lost in space."
