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Another apartment job...thought I would challenge myself again and incorporate a landscape painting for the second time ever...here are 2 separate but similar landscapes from my imagination...each landscape has 2 versions...I plan on using cutout hdu letters...raised hdu borders...mdo board for the landscapes...and using smart board for the 2 versions using a paneled background.
Wondering if you guys have a preference of the 4 and if you have any suggestions or prefences on materials that may differ from what I have described...thanks
You may have to increase picture size a little as I wanted all 4 to be seen together.
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Hi Rusty,I Like #1 with the sunset/sunrise scene) altough I would move the Creekstone lettering down a bit so they are totally surrounded by the black (will read & pop better)... # 4, for the day light landscape.
-------------------- Pat Welter Masterhand Signs and Designs Unity, Saskatchewan.Canada Posts: 1304 | From: Unity, Saskatchewan.Canada | Registered: May 1999
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The sign with the small picture. Easier for the customer to maintain. You might not be the next sign guy called to refurbish it, and he might convince them to scrap the whole thing for a white background with dark red letters on top of a black shadow!
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Rusty I am partial to the Cooler day palette myself. I do like #3 but lower the text so we do not have a visual conflict with the painting...These are Stunning. What medium will you employ for the pictorial?
-------------------- Bob Sauls Sauls Signs & Designs Tallahassee, Fl
"Today I'll meet nice people and draw for them!" Posts: 765 | From: Tallahassee, Fl | Registered: Jun 2009
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These are so nice I wouldn't mind hanging them up in my living room. I vote for #1 and agree with moving the text down to eliminate some of the blank space between the icons.
-------------------- Jean Shimp Shimp Sign & Design Co. Jacksonville Beach, Fl Posts: 1265 | From: Jacksonville Beach, Fl. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I like all of them, but the bottom two most. I'm a big fan of negative space, but the space underneath the lettering is forced by the equal housing icons. I wonder what it would look like to make the bottom border thick enough to allow those icons there. Then you could drop the copy down a few inches and still have plenty of negative space to force the eyes to the copy.
I can see it in my head. But, does my explanation make sense?
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Thanks...I do appreciate the suggestions...when I get some time tommorrow I'll work on them...if something works well I'll post it...I am aware that there is some visual conflict created by the overlapping of elements...especially on #3...but not as much on #1...I raised the lettering as much as I could on purpose for fear that I was creating a composition too top heavy and out of balance...also I was hoping that the shadows created by the dimensioanl letters would compensate somewhat for the overlapping problem and also thought I could tweek the shading as needed behind the letters in the painting process to help...I'm encouraged to try dropping the letters now that several have suggested it...thanks
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Rusty, number 1 is my favorite. It is so realistic. Your pictorial tells me you should do much more, it is truly beautiful. The whole effect looks like if you change anything, you will spoil it. The customer will be very lucky to get such quality work.
-------------------- Bill Riedel Riedel Sign Co., Inc. 15 Warren Street Little Ferry, N.J. 07643 billsr@riedelsignco.com Posts: 2953 | From: Little Ferry, New Jersey, USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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Rusty, after some thought # 4 is proving to be my favorite. It is cleaner and the Painting looks like it belongs as a part of the composition rather than a background. Also when any maintanance needs to be done you might be glad that the pictorial could be removed and worked on seperately rather than having all of your eggs in one basket. It just looks more like a sign...A fantastically executed sign.
-------------------- Bob Sauls Sauls Signs & Designs Tallahassee, Fl
"Today I'll meet nice people and draw for them!" Posts: 765 | From: Tallahassee, Fl | Registered: Jun 2009
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Stick to No. 1 !!.......You are on the right track.
Do not compromise the quality of your beautiful work by thinking that, in the future, the sign will need "maintenance" and you need to plan, now, for when it happens......because you are certain, that the customer is going to call you, then, to provide the maintenance for the sign that you made 10 years before........Yeah, right !.....Listen to the voices, Rusty.
If it happens, that the sign, eventually, will need maintenance.....you will, probably, be too old, by then, to carry out the task.......Be realistic, brother.......Listen to the voices !
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rusty, your work is outstanding ! my choice is #2, but i would suggest leaving the main bkdg panel plain (not ribbed) and of the darkest value as in #3.
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I prefer #2 & #4 for an entrance sign. When the pictorial is in it's own frame and the copy is separate it somehow makes more sense as a sign to me. Do those two symbols have to command so much space? They seem to throw the layout off so much. Could they be mounted on one of the columns stacked as if a couple of plaques?
-------------------- Joy Kjer Art On Display Signs 4001 Randolph St Lincoln, NE
"My life has a superb cast, but I can't figure out the plot." Posts: 445 | From: 4001 Randolph St. Lincoln, NE | Registered: Jun 2002
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Joy...you make very good points...interestingly I designed the smaller framed pictorial signs #2 and #4 first...only later as an afterthought did I have the idea about making the pictorials encompass the whole background and superimposing dimensional letters on top...if I could pull it off...I feel #1 would have the most dramatic effect...however both of the big pictorials are risky and would be hard for me to do...the smaller pictorials are safer yet still work well...but I want to remain open and listen to the ideas and suggestions of others here in Letterville whose opinions I hold in high regard...my real preference might not be the most practical...and who knows...the client might not want to go the extra mile and pay for something with this kind of flair anyway...this all could be a moot point.
As far as the symbols...again you make a good point...I tried the very thing you suggested once before but the people in charge of that project were afraid it would not meet the code requirements because they were not directly on the sign itself...but seems to me like it would be a part of the sign anyway...that is something I might suggest to these new guys and see how it flies.
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For what it's worth, I put the handicap/equal icons on the posts of a fairly large freestanding bank sign here in Huntsville. TN and AL will be different rules, but just as likely the same.
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Ricardo...so that's what I'm hearing...and all along I thought it was the battery going out in my hearing aid...just joking Ricardo...I know exactly what you mean and thanks for the vote of confidence.
I worked close to your home town, ( in Tenn. ) for two years, and did and re-did a lot of real estate and entrance signs, for apartment complexes ( for another sign shop ) in that area.....I remember "the topic" on The Handicapped and Equal Housing Opportunity logos, coming up on several occasions, and I think that you are correct in saying that you are required to have those two logos on the face of this type of sign, to be able to meet the code requirements......Better to be safe than sorry.
P.S. - Just to be on the safe side, make sure you charge the batteries of your hearing aid, SO YOU CAN HEAR THE VOICES....can you hear me, now?.
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Here is #1 with the lettering dropped...the original is on the left...at first glance it is hard to tell there is much difference...which is good...but notice the location of the top of the "k" and the narrowing of the black negative space under "Creekstone" in the revised version...so whatcha think sign people...door #1 or door #2.
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Bob...I hear what you and Joy are saying and #4 is coming in a close second with me...you guys make valid points...it does seem however that most people prefer #1...it's my favorite as well...I think it's the colors...however I'm still pondering the pros and cons...something like this I never give the customer an option...I only show the one I want to make.
I still like No.1, because if you bring the name of the complex down ( No. 2 ), you are bringing it too close to the logos of Handicapped and Equal Housing Opportunity...and making the sign look, kinda, heavy on the bottom.....On the other hand, by leaving the name of the complex where it was.. ( No. 1 ), you are creating more negative space around it ( including, also, the top area of the name ), thus making it more pleasant to read.....I think.
Now, to more important matters......I hope you do realize and, also, appreciate the effort and years of practice that I have put into my accent ( over 75 years, now ) to sound like this ( I still can't figure out how you know I have an accent....unless you were just born prejudiced and no one has ever told you, yet. ).....
Anyway,that accent, like you choose to call it, in such a condescending manner, has taken me to many places that you, without an accent, can only dream about visiting....and I don't mean countries. That is why I love my accent, so much.
Good luck with your sign project, Rusty....Don't ever stop listening to the voices......You know we love you in Oklahoma.
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Oh Ricardo...what I failed to mention was that many people find accents quite sexy. ...and yes you probably have visited places I have only dreamed of thanks to your alluring accent...wait...I think I'm hearing the voices again.
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I like #2 but that black area on the bottom is still a bit "empty" looking. Could you add some small text like "Apartments" to take up the space?
-------------------- Jean Shimp Shimp Sign & Design Co. Jacksonville Beach, Fl Posts: 1265 | From: Jacksonville Beach, Fl. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I've been following this thread and I like the version you have here. I would go with the Appartments on a raised panel which would give you some balance with the raised lettering.
Did you say if the letters will be gilded? or painted?
You also mentioned about a shadow effect from the raised letters.......there won't be any visible shadows on a black/dark background. FWIW.....when I sell a sign with a black background, I tell the customer the shadow is free.
Love all your work!
Joe,
Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!
-------------------- Joe Cieslowski Connecticut Woodcarvers Gallery P.O.Box 368 East Canaan CT 06024 jcieslowski@snet.net 860-824-0883 Posts: 2345 | From: East Canaan CT 06024 | Registered: Nov 2001
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I'm always enthralled by your designs. I like the handicap and equal housing symbols in the border. The only suggestion I'd have for your latest designs is to center "APARTMENTS" in that bottom border. To me, it's too high.
I've done many apartment signs over the years and have done something similar to your bottom design a number of times--make the top two thirds or so with recessed background and raised copy and the bottom section a wide border with raised background and recessed copy.
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5084 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I can't tell you how helpful the input from you guys has been...I think I got so involved in painting landscapes that I lost something in the process about sign design...the fresh perspective of new eyes brought to my attention basic things that I was looking right past...I needed fresh input to help me see my mistakes...thanks to everyone' help I'm leaving with something better than I initially brought...of the last 2 versions...of which I feel really good about...my personal favorite would be the top one...and yes David..."Apartments" got way too high in the process...that was just a slip and not intentional but thanks for noticing...it would not have built that way...you guys are the best...with the talented resources here in Letterville...you bet "I'll be back" for more help in the future...thanks again to everyone.
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Rusty, I knew anything you ended up with would be awesome! I admire your work so much that I was hesitant to comment on it at all. Those both look great.
-------------------- Joy Kjer Art On Display Signs 4001 Randolph St Lincoln, NE
"My life has a superb cast, but I can't figure out the plot." Posts: 445 | From: 4001 Randolph St. Lincoln, NE | Registered: Jun 2002
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Tremendous suggestion by Jean, on adding the word "APARTMENTS" !.....and, also great suggestion by Don Coplen, on placing the logos of Handicapped and Equal Opportunity, on the bottom, outside of your painting.....Fantastic !
I like the word "APARTMENTS" ON the raised panel....Looks great !
P.S.---- See what happens when you listen to the voices ?
![[I Don t Know]](graemlins/dunno.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
I vote for #1 and agree with moving the text down to eliminate some of the blank space between the icons.
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