posted
I have this cabinet that will no longer be used with lights and I would like to paint (with latex) onto a substrate that is fairly rigid. I was thinking of dibond or alupanel type material with one panel being 5' wide and the other two 4' wide. Does anyone have a better way to go or better material to use. Thanks ahead of time! I am planning to change the value of the circle. PS- I am still working on the design but I'm open to learning more there too.
posted
It looks like you've grabbed a bundle of elements first, & then tried to fit the words in- I suggest you do the opposite- fit the words in first, and then arrange elements, one at a time, to enhance them.
Yes the bottle-cap circle commands my attention almost more than Bond, the kerning of which I'd increase a tad- at least for the D.
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hi Bruce, Merry Christmas, DiBond would be my first choice, you can get them in 5ft x 10ft sizes as well, you should put some sort of joiner piece on the back to keep them together.
-------------------- "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged |
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6717 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ian, You summed it up. I am still working on the design and want to learn more about using panels. I will try your advice thanks! Neil, I hope your holidays are special. What kind of joiner options are there? Don't they sell a divider bar? Rick, I am a one man show in a low ceiling space so my concern is dealing with the size. It was my original thought but I don't think it would be practical for my set up. Thanks Rick!
posted
for this size with no seams I would order flat lexan and still secure from behind as to prevent blowout. unless you order a pan face which is more expensive.
As far as the lettering I would think about redoing that and take some of those ornaments off of it
-------------------- You ever notice how easily accessible people are when they are requiring your services but once they get invoice you can't reach them anymore
posted
Clear Lexan! Letter it on the reverse side and it would look awesome!
-------------------- Tony Vickio The World Famous Vickio Signs 3364 Rt.329 Watkins Glen, NY 14891 t30v@vickiosigns.com 607-535-6241 http://www.vickiosigns.com Posts: 1063 | From: Watkins Glen, New York | Registered: Sep 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I agree with Bruce . . . & Tony . . . avoid a seam . . . plus the idea of painting the back IS cool. Do your background colour & frame on the back of the panel, and then do the lettering and your scroll-frame on the front of the sign - this gives the sign face a little depth because anything on the front creates a natural little shadow from any angle . . .
By the way . . . a little kerning of the letters is never a bad idea, in this case, on 'BOND'
. . . actually I would shorten them AND extend the letters & spaces . . . but then, that's just 'cuz I love euro-bold done that way.
-------------------- Signs Sweet Home Alabama
oneshot on chat
"Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a dog" Posts: 5758 | From: "Sweet Home" Alabama | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
I've never found seams to be objectionable, though many do. Seams are to be expected when working with sheet goods. But, like Rick said, this sign could be done in polycarbonate in one piece. I would include a hanging bar at the top, both to prevent blow out and to make it hang flat. If this were a lighted sign, a hanging bar would also make servicing easier, though servicing a sign with this big of a face can be difficult even at that. If this actually were a lighted sign, I would try to sell a retrofit flexible face with a hinge.
Seaming Dibond is easy. Simply install a 2-inch vertical strip on the backside at each seam, attaching with pop rivets. You may have to cut the strips shorter than the height of the face so they don't catch at the top and bottom retainers when you are sliding it in. A T-bar, or H-bar, divider would be unsightly.
I worked at one shop for a while that intentionally put a non-permanent seam in a plastic face this big, even if they had large size material available. This allowed servicing by one man. Sometimes, the strength of two people is needed to slide a big face safely, but if the face has a middle seam, it's easier to service the middle of the sign by simply sliding the two pieces apart. One of the two faces would have a strip glued to the back that overlapped the other face from behind, preventing light leaks. I've always heard this called a "field seam."
A piece of polycarbonate this big may be a 500-hundred dollar piece of plastic, another point to consider. Is a seamless plastic face worth the extra money when you're not going to light it anyway?
........
Regarding layout, there are always good suggestions on this board. One thing to remember is that sometimes the colors can make the difference. A layout that might be considerd "weak" can be saved with color. For example, a secondary ornament that seems too prominent might be fixed by compromising its contrast with the background. In this way an element can be pushed from foreground to middle ground, and it no longer competes with the primary elements.
Brad in Kansas City
-------------------- Brad Ferguson See More Signs 7931 Wornall Rd Kansas City, MO 64111 signbrad@yahoo.com 816-739-7316 Posts: 1230 | From: Kansas City, MO, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
After listening to everyones input my plan is to use four vertical dibond panels with a narrow piece rivited to the back at the seams to keep the bowing affect from happening.
posted
I would use disband too Bruce. Easy to install for a one man operation. The joining strips however, I would divide into about six pieces, boding every sec on one on each panel with vhb tape. That way when pushed together, you will get a really flat rigid join on each panel. At that height, joining won't be at all noticeable
-------------------- Kevin Gaffney Artistik Signs Kinnegad County Westmeath Ireland 044-75187 kevingaffney@eircom.net Posts: 628 | From: Ireland | Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm not sure if this is what Kevin G has in mind for the seam, but it seems like a good idea. The sheets could remain separate and still yield a flat joint, allowing an easy installation by one person.
-------------------- Brad Ferguson See More Signs 7931 Wornall Rd Kansas City, MO 64111 signbrad@yahoo.com 816-739-7316 Posts: 1230 | From: Kansas City, MO, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic