Don’t let the message get buried by technology

Most signs and banners “back in the day” were either hand painted or created with computer-cut vinyl—or a combination of both. Time and labor were a major part of each project, so when a client asked for a ton of copy or a bunch of logos, it was always easy to steer them away from too much of it.

Actually, the argument was twofold. On one hand, the extra elements drove the price up and on the other, the extra copy and logos reduced the legibility and effectiveness of the sign.

Now, large-format printers have changed the way these types of signs are produced. Sheets of metal, sheets of vinyl, or banner material is fed through the printer. The printer doesn’t care if there are just a few words or thousands of words—nor does it matter if there are numerous complicated logos. The “time” on these kinds of projects is in the layout time spent at the computer, and not in the production.