First Step in Designing a Panel

[joe]

The first step when designing a good panel is to find a letter style that goes with the clients business. That alone is a creative process. If you don't have a bank of fonts to choose from, no problem, you can search one of the many font banks like "Fonts Com". Most of these companies have a "Type Tester" so you can see wha the letter style looks with your clients name before purchasing.

Lets say you've found what you want in a good graphic letter, then the next step is to build or find a good panel shape. I'd suggest starting out with something simple. Keep in mind the negative area's within the panel. They can work for you or against you. Large vacant spaces, without any imformation in them are a killer. That's one of the reasons you should build your sign shape around the copy. If you try to cram lettering into a pre-fab shape you'll be squeezing or pulling the letters around. That seldom looks very good. I'll be showing to develop panel shapes a little later down the road.

One of the rules of design, which you can test for yourself, is every thing within the panel has a magnetic quality. For example the closer two lines of copy come together they tend to read as a single thought. Not only that the closer an object gets to the edge of the panel or frame the more tension it causes. I'm sure you know this when a line of copy gets too close to the frame, it looks wrong and make you uncomfortable. All this has to do with negative space. Which will work for you or against you. One way or the other Negative Space is in play at all times. Keep your eye on the negative spaces to see how they work. It's the foundation for good design. Until you understand the use of negative space you'll struggle to make powerful layouts.

Here are a couple of examples by Gary Anderson who has built the panel around the copy.

Joe Crumley
www.normansignco.com

[Red F]

Thanks for that.

I don't make many signs, but always appreciate a good one and wondered where to start.

[myxpykalix]

I don't do many signs and the ones i do for Hightech Signs are already designed and all i'm doing is routing and cutting. However for inspiration on what kind of font might go with certain businesses you could go to http://www.letterheadfonts.com/ as they have several examples of their fonts on designed signs for specific types of businesses. My only problem is my hands aren't steady enough to be able to paint something nice enough like Joe or Melissa

[RossMosh]

I think the function of signs has been lost at times. Signs primarily have dual purposes. The first being a location marker. "Hey, I'm over here" basically. The second being a piece of advertisement. "Hey, look at what I offer." It's the sign builders job to hit both of those while providing an aesthetically pleasing sign.

For me, the Jane's Gifts and Flowers sign may be aesthetically pleasing, but I don't think it does it's job as a place marker or a piece of advertisement. What's more important, the name of the business or the function of the business? In a big chain, the name is king. Small independent stores, the function of the business is far more important. To make the name of the business so predominate makes little sense. Now I don't know what the rest of the signage looks like for that store but that example alone leaves a lot to be desired from my perspective. I don't think it passes the "driving down the road at 30mph" test.

For a retail sign, if I can drive 30mph past your sign and I don't know what you sell/do, it's hard to explain the point of the investment. Even for industry signs, I think there is an overwhelming failure to explain what the business is. I drive through an industrial center 3 times a week to make pick ups and I honestly don't know what half the facilities are. Before we got into this side of business I literally drove by a Laird Plastic for 5 years without realizing I could have dealt with them. What's the chance that there are other companies that I could possibly deal with? All this because their signage simply says their name and a typically pointless tag line instead of saying what they actually do.

[chiloquinruss]

"past your sign and I don't know what you sell/do" Chances are really good their letterhead and business card look the same.

A good chance to go 'strut' your stuff with some samples and some sketches and/or portfolio.

Show 'em what ya' mean! Russ

[joewino]

What something is closest to is what it will relate to - that's called Compulsive Graphic Relativity. Every word, graphic, and line that composes one thought (copy block) should be close together and separated by negative space from any other thought or copy block.

Like Joe has said, begin with the copy and design the layout. The last step is to draw the shape around the layout. Design with contrast in mind - the darkest dark against the lightest light will draw the most attention, both in color and value.

Therefore, the greatest contrast should not be in the border, but in the priority copy.

Layout has two purposes: convey a message and create a pleasing subliminal appearance (artistic value).

Software is not the answer. The computer cannot "see". First, you must know the principles of good design and then apply them with anything - a pencil, brush or computer software.

[joe]

Raymond,

Thanks for your input. I miss reading your posts.

I think we're wasting time on this topic. There are few dedicated designers and artists in this neck of the woods. Lots of nice folks though.

Joe Crumley
www.normansignco.com

[FJ Baker]

Thanks for this thread Joe. I look forward to learning more from all of you.
John

[bleeth]

If you guys haven't looked through Joe's and Ray's web sites and focused on the layout and information given on their galleries, besides the use of color and construction technique you are missing a couple of the best shows around on how to do it right there are.
http://www.normansignco.com/
http://chapman-design-studio.com/