posted
I 've got a customer, who needs a sign, that could be read from a distance of about 700 feet. It's not 700 feet in a strainght line, but it would be off the main road, sloped hill, in a valley. And it would only have two words, For Sale. I'm wondering if 4'x16' would not be large enough. There will also be a smaller sign placed under it with a phone number. That sign would not have to be as large, since the viewer would be able to drive down a road to get closer.
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3820 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
I would print out what I wanted to do at 4" by 16"... thats inches, hang it on the wall, and stand 70 feet away, if you can, that will give you a reference point. I do that alot with colors i'm not sure of, etc.
Readability is key to a good sign.
MC
[ June 01, 2007, 01:41 AM: Message edited by: Mike Clayton ]
-------------------- Mike Clayton M C Grafix Custom Lettering New Jersey (again) Posts: 508 | From: New Jersey | Registered: Apr 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
4 x 16ft sign would be totally adequate at that distance. Just two words "FOR SALE" will register easily. Even if the eye does not percive the exact wording, the brain fills in the gaps.
Rule of thumb: Restrict long distance signs to 5 words or less and keep to high contrast colors. That's about what the brain can assumulate at speed.
They will pick up the phone number in passing. BUT that's only if they stop and go back! Nobody registers phone numbers at speed, remembers, or has time and place to write them down.
PS: Use BOLD Block letters for the "FOR SALE" and open up the kerning a bit. Distort Vertical or use Condensed font ... stay within a 1:4 format size and HIGH contrast to background.
[ June 01, 2007, 02:55 AM: Message edited by: Jon Butterworth ]
posted
Hiya Alicia, Here are a few more suggestions... Gemini offers a letter visibility chart on their web site. It's always a good point of reference... http://signletters.com/PDFs/LetterVisibility.pdf at 750' they suggest a minimum of a 33" letter. Also, for maximum visibility, I was always taught to estimate 1" letter height for every 10' of viewing distance. Finally, the USSC published some sign sizing formulas in their last newsletters that takes into consideration driving speed and and sign position. I'm still digesting this information though. If you didn't get their printed newsletter, it is available for download on their site... www.ussc.org
Havin' fun,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Which one? I was gonna use Bright Red for the background and white or Lemeon yellow for the lettering.
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3820 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
| IP: Logged |
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3820 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
| IP: Logged |
Here's one way to get an idea of what kind of scale you many need for it to be easily visible from 700 feet away.
Here's a shot of the Green Monster at Fenway Park in Boston.
As you can see by the two players standing on the warning track, who are around 6 ft tall, the scoreboard itself is around 12 to 15 feet tall. The "CVS" letters are taller that the ball players. Again, that shot is from HALF the distance you will be doing that sign from.
I did a little plotting out and came up with this...
6 sheets 24 ft long with 3 foot lettering/line 192 sq ft
I completed a sign that size last fall and, IMHO, it wouldn't work from that far away. Would look smaller than a business card at arms length.
Hope the customer knows what they are asking you to do. At that distance, a 12 foot tall sign MIGHT work, but it would have to be around 32 ft long. 384 sq ft=12 sheets of material.
Hope this sizes it up better... Rapid
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Alicia, Chrome yellow bkg. Black letters. This is a time proven color combo for billboards. It shows up against green grass or white snow. I've been active in this crazy sign business for 47 years. I have had many clients comment on the readability of this combination. Give a test print, I think you will like it. Good Luck! Don
-------------------- Donald Miner ABCO Wholesale Neon 1168 Red Hill Creek Dobson, NC Posts: 842 | From: North Carolina | Registered: Apr 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ray's example is for a fixed point of viewing. Assuming viewers are travelling towards the sign at 60mph they will cover the distance in less than 20 seconds. In 5 seconds the sign will appear twice the size!
Two words, Block Letters all caps, opened kerning, either white on red or Black on Yellow will register fine the size (2 sheets) you planned on.
posted
The phone number is going to be on a separate sign. And I already painted the backgtound red. But Im' not sure if I want to go with all caps or upper and lower case. After the sign goes up, I'll post a pic from the road.
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3820 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
I think they have done a number of studies especially with highway sinage, and have found the using words in both upper and lower cases, are easier for people to read.
The eye and brain combination uses the silhouette of the word to help us fill in the blanks.
All caps have a shape of just a rectangle while upper and lower have a distinct shape that the brain recognizes and helps process the information more quickly.
I think some posted a paragraph here once and every word was spelled wrong but the brain was able to decipher it and made reading the misspelled words make sense.
Just thinking out loud (well not really)
monk
-------------------- Sandy "Monk" Baird Windwalker Sign Studio Port Colborne, Ontario L3K 4H9 Posts: 442 | From: Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jun 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Interesting Sandy...the ultimate readability may be best upper and lower in certain instances. But I think the "punch" for a headline is still best all upper, although I stand willing to be corrected. After all,there is alot of experience on this board.
I always see the secondary copy as upper and lower case, because it gives that info the strongest emphasis, without overpowering the main copy.
-------------------- Jeff Ogden 8727 NE 68 Terr. Gainesville FL, 32609 Posts: 2138 | From: 8827 NE 68 Terr Gainesville Fl 32609 | Registered: Aug 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Not to derail the thread, but heres something interesting I just read along the lines of what Sandy is saying. Should be the first article, "FSI Releases Spiekermann’s FF Mt":
posted
Upper & lower case soften the outer perimeters of a sign Jon & yes widening the spaces between the letters makes it more readable, but alot more unattractable...?
-------------------- Michael R. Bendel Bendel Sign Co,. Inc. Sauk Rapids, MN Posts: 913 | From: Sauk Rapids, MN | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Upper and lower case is definitely more readable when done in a simple type. Type the words "for sale" out both ways and print it....pin it on a wall and back up until you can only decipher one line....that should convince you. I've used this with clients a number of times...I got my biggest ongoing and most profitable client that way, simply by typing out their system standard (all caps)and my version of upper and lower. I think there are rules as well as exceptions to every rule, but the visual test does it for me.
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
| IP: Logged |
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
| IP: Logged |
I usually don't like all caps.
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[I Don t Know]](graemlins/dunno.gif)
![[Rolling On The Floor]](graemlins/rolf.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic