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Thread: Neighborhood Entrance Sign

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Clayton, NC
    Posts
    449

    Default Neighborhood Entrance Sign

    My fundraising has been successful and looks like I'll raise enough to build a sign for my neighborhood entrance.

    I've started the design and looking for feedback.

    I plan to to have the border, letters, line and circle be raised (I'll pocket carve the back layer so they are recessed a bit)

    The circle will have a "G" in it, just haven't decided on the font to use for that "G" yet.

    Here are two pictures of the preview from aspire (site won't let me upload the DXF file, says it is too large). Any thoughts on spacing or anything else?

    Daniel E.
    ShopBot PRS 48x96 (2010 Model)
    Porter Cable Router
    Vacuum Table w/ 2 Fein vacs
    Aspire 9.0

    What I do when I don't mess up wood: http://www.pathhome.net

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Elgin Illinois
    Posts
    706

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    Daniel, the sign is rather basic, but there is nothing wrong with basic if you live in a generic community of generic houses. But for example if you lived in a neighborhood with lots of big Victorian houses, well, then this sign would miss the mark, and should not be so simple. And if for example, your neighborhood were upscale with very expensive houses, well then this sign would be not a very good match either. So that would be my basic, starting question to you,,,, does this sign seem appropriate for the type of community in which you live?

    And make sure that you use good material so the sign won't rot before you know it. Chuck
    Chuck Keysor (circa 1956)
    PRT Alpha 60" x 144" (circa 2004)
    Columbo 5HP spindle
    Aspire 9.0, Rhino 5

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
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    Clayton, NC
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    Chuck

    The neighborhood is about 15 years old, and is made up of what this market considers starter homes. Mostly ranch homes with vinyl siding, $130K to $160K. Sign will be attached to a brick wall that is already there. The old sign was metal letters on plywood and failed within 5 years of installation.

    Using Precision Board product for the sign (similar to SignFoam but less expensive) so that should last.

    Here is picture of where it will be mounted:

    Attached Images Attached Images
    Daniel E.
    ShopBot PRS 48x96 (2010 Model)
    Porter Cable Router
    Vacuum Table w/ 2 Fein vacs
    Aspire 9.0

    What I do when I don't mess up wood: http://www.pathhome.net

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    3rd rock
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    I would be a little concerned about the maintenance of the landscape.
    In the attached photo, it looks like it's very neglected.
    What's the point of having a sign, if it isn't attractive and gives the impression
    of sec 8?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Elgin Illinois
    Posts
    706

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    Daniel, thanks for the added information. And seeing the place where the sign will go is also helpful.

    I would suggest placing a scaled to size image of your sign, and placing it on the wall where the sign will go. Do this to adjust the size of your sign so that you know it will fit right, and fit in design wise. And then it will be easier to evaluate your color schemes when set against the real background.

    And, what is that circular medallion on the left side of the brick wall? Can you provide a picture of that? It may have details or some motif that you would want to tie into in your sign.

    Chuck
    Chuck Keysor (circa 1956)
    PRT Alpha 60" x 144" (circa 2004)
    Columbo 5HP spindle
    Aspire 9.0, Rhino 5

  6. #6
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    Aug 2013
    Location
    Clayton, NC
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    Quote Originally Posted by 8Ball View Post
    I would be a little concerned about the maintenance of the landscape.
    In the attached photo, it looks like it's very neglected.
    What's the point of having a sign, if it isn't attractive and gives the impression
    of sec 8?

    It's all maintained on volunteer basis right now, and that picture was before someone did some mowing. The point is to slowly bring pride back into the entrance. Putting new signs up there will have the largest impact on perception of the neighborhood, and next year's project is to formalize a mowing/upkeep process.



    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck Keysor View Post
    Daniel, thanks for the added information. And seeing the place where the sign will go is also helpful.

    I would suggest placing a scaled to size image of your sign, and placing it on the wall where the sign will go. Do this to adjust the size of your sign so that you know it will fit right, and fit in design wise. And then it will be easier to evaluate your color schemes when set against the real background.

    And, what is that circular medallion on the left side of the brick wall? Can you provide a picture of that? It may have details or some motif that you would want to tie into in your sign.

    Chuck
    I'll give that a try in photoshop, I'm not great with it and my first attempt to play with colors looks horrible. But I may get some blue insulation boards from Lowes and cut it out to size and put up there to see how it will look size wise.

    The inside brick area is 88 inches wide, and 40 inches tall. Sign is 64 inches wide, 29 inches tall.
    The medallion is a circle with a "G" inside, I'll get a picture of it. I was going to do something similar to that medallion in the circle in the middle of my sign. The medallions are in rough shape, need a good cleaning and possible repainting. Each sign (there are two on either side of neighborhood entrance) is missing 1 medallion. We may just remove those medallions when the new sign goes up.
    Daniel E.
    ShopBot PRS 48x96 (2010 Model)
    Porter Cable Router
    Vacuum Table w/ 2 Fein vacs
    Aspire 9.0

    What I do when I don't mess up wood: http://www.pathhome.net

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Elgin Illinois
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    Hello Daniel. PLEASE do not try and figure out the size of the sign by making a full sized cutout from foam board...... Honest,,, this is why we have computers and pixels.... You need to get some program that you can manipulate images with. I like Photoshop, but whatever, you need to be able to look at what you are creating and get it right before you cut out anything.

    I took your sign image, and pasted it on to your wall image, and I deleted your text. I resized your sign a couple of times to see what it might look like. I am not saying I like any of these, just showing you that you need to be able to look at options, and then be able to adjust things until you think the size and shape look right. In the few samples I made, you can see how the placement alone can make a big difference. (And hence even this consideration is worthy of careful consideration.) (Also, I think you should get rid of that huge grain pattern, as even having that will confuse and distort your ability to evaluate your design,,,, assuming you do not intend to have the sign look like a giant piece of plywood. :-)

    After you get a shape and size that seems to relate best with your brick wall, then I would start to consider the graphics. And you can see that by just pasting in simple text, the emptiness of the design has created a vacuum that is crying to be filled. And coming up with nice artwork that matches, is not too clunky, to big, too small, is well, that is where the hard part comes about. If you don't make a good looking design, it will never look good after you make it!

    So, that is just my suggestion for how I would approach this. I am no sign artist.

    Chuck

    PS: I moved the circular medallion! The existing location is really bizarre! If you have to repair them, (well, only one in the image you provided), you'll need to remove it anyway, so you can figure out where they look best using your computer.
    Chuck Keysor (circa 1956)
    PRT Alpha 60" x 144" (circa 2004)
    Columbo 5HP spindle
    Aspire 9.0, Rhino 5

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    120

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    1. I think your sign is too small. People often forget that signs are supposed to be functional. Too many people make signs with small letters that cannot be read while traveling 45mph all while trying to pay attention to everything else going on around. Look at a letter visibility chart to make sure your sign is going to be effective.

    2. There is nothing wrong with your design. It's a bit minimalist but there is nothing wrong with that. Everyone has a design aesthetic they like. I'd recommend offering two options. One being something similar to what you have and one being a bit more fancy.

    3. For colors, I assume you're going for a 2 color sign. Go with light (white is best) letters and let them pick the main panel color. Before buying the paint, I recommend changing the image into gray scale. You'll see if the sign has a proper amount of contrast.

    4. I completely agree with Chuck that super imposing the sign on a photo is the best way to make sure you're heading in the right direction. You don't need to use Photoshop. Download Inkscape. It will easily handle this job.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    95

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    I would suggest you spend a few dollars, with Phillip the Sign Amigo and have him design something.

    He is awesome at what he does and hate to say this, but way too cheap for the quality sign he designs.

    Now Phillip, don't go raising my prices!!!! LOL!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Elgin Illinois
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    Daniel, I agree with Greencarvings. Getting a good design is key, if your design is bad, all of your effort will be wasted.

    But I would also recommend that you look at the links to sign groups that Joe Crumley has posted here. And look at Joe's signs. Even people like me, who are not artists, can start to recognize a good design or a bad design by looking at lots of designs. And that is important even if you are going to buy your design.

    Chuck
    Chuck Keysor (circa 1956)
    PRT Alpha 60" x 144" (circa 2004)
    Columbo 5HP spindle
    Aspire 9.0, Rhino 5

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