How 'bout we get alittle jiggy with it on this forum! (hahahaha... whatever that means!)
Let's play with layout! I'm gonna start this out real simple-like!
Hmmmm... how 'bout the simple 18"x24" real estate "for sale by owner" sign? Aluminum, D/F, (to be mounted on a metal stand or wooden yardarm). Vertical or Horizontal layout acceptable.This is about layout, not price, so don't start sweating!
Your customer (a young couple) has a small Keywest Style Bungalow home for sale, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath. Remember the phone number! (just make one up!) Can add "For appointment only" ... or something else if you see fit. They don't want to spend alotta money (what else is new), they make comments like ... "it doesn't have to be fancy", but they are anxious to sell. (Baby on the way, need more space).
This lesson is designed to show how it's all about layout ... and even the simplest signs are destined to be either conquered or victimized by the hands and mind of the designer.
Now ... let's see how this idea flies! Nettie
------------------ "When Love and Skill Work Together ... Expect a Masterpiece"
Start packing and move in! It's just too easy to be a Resident! Location, Location, Location! It's all right here! http://www.letterhead.com/supporters
[This message has been edited by Janette Balogh (edited May 20, 2000).]
posted
This is exactly the sort of thing we want to see happening. We thought it would happen in the Design Workshop Forum , but what the heck, let's just do it.
The whole purpose here is to learn. Be prepared to explain why your design is better. There is more to good sign design than just being pretty. Let's use this opportunity to learn how to trouble shoot a sign design that has to work in a specified environment.
posted
OK....Here's a quickie that I would not be embarressed to have on my lawn. I have fifteen minutes into it at this point, which doesn't include time with customers, and their debating between each other what colors will compliment the house. It took longer to get it onto this board than to design it. As far as money goes, to do this on .080 aluminum, we'd get $140 for this as a double faced sign and $85 as a single faced. This is a very typical "For Sale" sign for us, and the scrolls came from The Main Street Collection.
An editorial footnote: I received a message about an apparent misspelling. This was an intended comment about ending debt, not an error! ------------------ The SignShop Mendocino, California "Where the Redwoods meet the Surf"
[This message has been edited by Rick Sacks (edited May 20, 2000).]
Posts: 6717 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Start packing and move in! It's just too easy to be a Resident! Location, Location, Location! It's all right here! http://www.letterhead.com/supporters
posted
Cool Nettie! FUN, FUN, FUN! Here's one I did.
------------------ John Deaton III Deaton Signs&Grafix 109 N. Cumberland Ave.,Harlan, Ky. 40831 606-573-9101 "If I was any happier, I'd be pukin up smiley faces!" johnd3rd@kih.net http://www.angelfire.com/ky2/dsigns
[This message has been edited by John Deaton III (edited May 20, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by John Deaton III (edited May 20, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by John Deaton III (edited May 20, 2000).]
Posts: 4172 | From: Ages-Brookside, Ky. Up the Holler... | Registered: Jul 1999
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posted
Thanks so much for the participation so far in doing this. I'm having fun seeing everyone's individual take on this sign!
Here's mine.
It's a small home, so I played up the character of it, but still kept the most important info prevalent and legible at a distance. Chose a funky font, and a curly embellishment for flair. Keywest makes me think in shades of pale greens and yellows, thus the choice for the greens. Threw the pink in for pizzazz.
Keep 'em coming! Nettie
------------------ "When Love and Skill Work Together ... Expect a Masterpiece"
Start packing and move in! It's just too easy to be a Resident! Location, Location, Location! It's all right here! http://www.letterhead.com/supporters
posted
hey nettie, i like your little "Cyber Panel Jam" you have going on here! after seeing all the great layouts above i am almost ashamed to present mine. but here goes... this sketch done on the fly....
posted
Nice layouts guys and gals!!! I want to join in too.......but haven't quite figured outHOWto do it. I haven't had signlab that long.......and still need a scanner for my new puter.......I know ..... I know....there have been posts on this subject......but I am more of a hands on kinda gal. I need to be shown instead of reading directions!
------------------ "surf" Cheryl Nordby Signs by Cheryl 206 300-0153 Seattle Washington
it isn't whether the grass is greener on the other side, it's how good of a gardener you are
posted
OK, OK, I'll play even though I only do about one of these a year. There was a time when these were about all I did. Since they don't want to spend a lot, and it doesn't need to be fancy here's my take on it. I've included only the important information, if they requested the appointment only would be added. The sign is going in the yard of the bungalo so the style of house should be apparant. As far as the phone number goes maybe Wilson Picket will answer
If the image doesn't load, right click on the broken box, then click on view image. If somebody knows what causes this please let me know. ------------------ George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@ixlmemphis.com
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
posted
Here's my humble offering. I kept it to 2 letter styles, 2 colors on a background and pretty simple layout to keep the cost down and because it is, after all just a "for sale" sign. I used black for the two most important elements because of the high contrast/visibility.
------------------ Dave Grundy shop#340 AKA "applicator" on mIRC "stickin' sticky stuff to valuable vessels and vehicles!" in Granton, Ontario, Canada 1-519-225-2634 dave.grundy@odyssey.on.ca www.odyssey.on.ca/~dave.grundy "A PROUD $ supporter of the website"
posted
Don't know anything about Florida lifestyle to try to convey but heard the words don't have a lot to spend so bang it out and get to the rest of my stack of job orders
posted
For my first attempt, I'm going to post an actual sign we did a few years back. To me a layout is all detective work. I want the most important to be read from a determined distance. Our first job is to imagine yourself in a car driving down the street.
1. How big a letter do you need to allow the driver to read the sign in the 2-3 seconds they have in driving past this sign.
2.What is the most important copy on the sign? Many will feature "For Sale" and the phone number like I have here, but this may not be the best use of the 18 X 24 format we have.
Someone would be fair to say that the copy For Sale may not be that important. Anytime I see a sign on a lawn I pretty well assume that means the house is for sale. Perhaps this space could be used to try and sell the features of this home instead. Back to the drawing board.
posted
Great idea Nettie. We should do one of these every few weeks.
Here's mine. The top-down light pink Krylon fade and bottom-up light blue fade aren't showing too well. The black outline around the sign is not intended as a border; it's the edge of the sign.
------------------ Pat Neve, Jr. Sign Man, Inc. 4580 N. US 1 Melbourne, FL 32935 321-259-1703 signman@signmaninc.net Capt. Sign Letterville Constituent constituent: "One of the individual entities contributing to a whole"
Posts: 2283 | From: Melbourne, FL, USA | Registered: Jan 1999
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posted
Nettie, ok ok, i finally fiqured it out, but somehow its not as crispy as some of you other folks, i redid it in corel and exported as a jpeg, sorry its not as clear. i guess i will post it anyway, and try another way hope i can get it more clearly
------------------ FranCisco Vargas aka: Cisco aka:Traveling Millennium Sign Artist http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935
"to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98
[This message has been edited by FranCisco Vargas (edited May 23, 2000).]
Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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Danyez
unregistered
posted
Here is my humble offering... is someone making fun of meeee......????????
------------------ There is nothing new under the sun. What will be has already been, and what has been will be again.
[This message has been edited by Danyez (edited May 23, 2000).]
posted
Here's a light hearted approach that attempts to sell an idea instead of the actual house. Instead of using up valuable space with the words "For Sale," the benefit is the main focus.
Every designer should know that a 1" letter is readable from a distance of 25 ft. This can change with the font style and letter stroke weight used. but this is a good rule of thumb.
I'm aiming fot a 3-4 inch letter height to insure those in cars can read the main message. If interested, they will slow down or stop to read the secondary copy.
Some other design tips going thru my mind.
1. Bold letters come forward. Lighter letter strokes fall back.
2. Warm colors come forward. Cool colors fall back.
3. A light letter on a dark background really pops! Learn all you can about seeing colors as their value on the grey scale. What you call Lt Blue may in fact be a dark grey on the grey scale. As sign designers, contrast is very important to us.
posted
Ok you guys, you are havin too much fun. LOL here is my contribution, with a little twist on the for sale part, my design is intended to draw the reader through the entire sign, the original has no fade, the second one is for the edge, or airbrush.
Bill
------------------ Bill & Barbara Biggs Art's Sign Service, Inc. Clute, Texas, USA Home of The Great Texas Mosquito Festival Proud second year Supporter of the Letterheads Website MailTo:twobeesusa@netscape.net
[This message has been edited by Bill Biggs (edited May 30, 2000).]
Posts: 1020 | From: Lake Jackson,Tx | Registered: Nov 1998
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Start packing and move in! It's just too easy to be a Resident! Location, Location, Location! It's all right here! http://www.letterhead.com/supporters
posted
Here's Judy's version, as well as a few words from her! Judy is a brand new Letterville resident so I applaud her for jumping right in with a splash!
Oooooooooooookay! Here it is! My first shot at this sort of thing...soooo... everyone in letterheads...be easy on me! Cisco, I did this in my flexi program and exported it as a jpeg as well, so I'll be curious to see how it looks on the BB. Thanks Nettie for the encouragement! Judy
------------------ "When Love and Skill Work Together ... Expect a Masterpiece"
Start packing and move in! It's just too easy to be a Resident! Location, Location, Location! It's all right here! http://www.letterhead.com/supporters
[This message has been edited by Janette Balogh (edited May 23, 2000).]
posted
Explanation : Customer screams "That much! I'll do it myself!" Sign on the right is what he designs on his 'puter at the office. Sign on the left is how it looked when he finished doing it himself!
------------------ Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA (714) 521-4810 ICQ # 330407 "SignPainters do It with Longer Strokes!"
Brushasaurus on Chat
Gladly supporting this BB !
[This message has been edited by Si Allen (edited May 24, 2000).]
Posts: 8831 | From: La Mirada, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
For all the ones that haven't figuired out this "postin" pictures/and or layouts. I NEVER use the word "for" in front of a Sale sign,when dealing with either Real Estate or put on a car windshield!!Reason#1 being,it takes up Valuble Advertising space need for the Actual Sale.#2 If the perspective customer can't figuire out that where ever this "Sale" sign is located,is what is (FOR)Then you don't want to deal with them anyways! I feel the word SALE should be the focus,and the Phone number next!! Like I tell my customers:you can't make the SIGN do ALL the work!!! If you can get the perspective buyer to call the seller,to ask questions about weather it can be viewed by appointment,or that it is Key West Style. THEN the Sign has done what it was designed to do!That is to make the other guy more money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Face it,that is our job as sign people.
P.S. I can already see it in my minds eye right now!
------------------ PKing is Pat King of King Sign Design in McCalla,Alabama The Professor of SIGNOLOGY
Posts: 3113 | From: Pompano Beach, FL. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
What a great idea Nettie! We used to do before/afters for brochures and flyers on my old desktop publishing board. It's always fun seeing all the different interpretations and it really gets the creative juices going. Hope I can get mine to post. In keeping with the theme, I wanted to emphasize the architectural elements that are so cherished in the old Key West style homes. Hoping to keep Code Enforcement and/or Homeowners' Association off our couple's backs, I kept to colors I felt would be strong enough to stand out, but still complimentary to the neighborhood.
------------------ Kelli Cajigas aka Janda Dolphin deSigns & Banners “A satisfied customer will tell two friends, a dissatisfied customer will tell ten.”
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