Building a landmark: Sprocket the Robot
It doesn’t happen often, but occasionally we partner with another sign designer to come up with something truly special. A while back we… Read More
Author Archives: Dan Sawatzky
Sample signs help you reach into new markets
I’ve written recently about some new markets we’re currently trying to break into by creating some preliminary concepts and shopping them around. Our… Read More
Another sign for the Far North
With the opening of a new all-season road in Canada’s Northwest Territories we again got the call for a suitable sign. The road… Read More
Designing on spec: Breaking into a new market
Before we begin, it is important that I first give my definition of a sign: At our shop, we define a sign as… Read More
A door to opportunity
In our book, a sign is anything that draws attention to our customer’s business, products or service. An obvious place to start is… Read More
Creative sign brackets add appeal
Iʼve long advocated that sign designs should encompass a lot more than just the board they are made on. While a few of… Read More
Creating a landmark sign bound for the Arctic Circle
We recently received an enquiry from a new client from the far northern reaches of Canada. They were enquiring about a “landmark sign”… Read More
The key to pricing your work accurately
Two of the most difficult things about owning your own sign shop is how to determine your true shop costs and handle pricing…. Read More
Save those good ideas for later
About fifteen years ago we first came up with the idea to create a submersible-shaped feature like the famed Okanagan Lake monster named… Read More
A sign-making family builds an inn
The Hazelnut Inn project has now been underway for four long years. The inn is on the grounds of our shop and will… Read More
Glazes bring textures to life
A SignCraft reader recently asked about faux finishing, which is something we employ on almost every sign that leaves our shop—albeit not necessarily… Read More
Making the most of slow times
We are definitely heading into a time of uncertainty. Putting aside the health concerns and the potential effects of the virus that is… Read More
Photo opportunities deliver powerful advertising
As I began this article I wondered if I had enough material, but when I went through my archived photos I realized there… Read More
Signs can tell a powerful story
At our shop we consider ourselves, above all else, visual storytellers. When a new client approaches us for a sign we listen carefully… Read More
Themed signage down on the farm
We’ve long wanted to do farm signs. But even though we live in a farming community, we have done only a handful of… Read More
Combining traditional skills and today’s technology
I turned 65 this past year—an age when most think seriously about retiring. Not me! I enjoy what I do far too much…. Read More
My dimensional sign making roots
Sign makers I meet often comment about how they would love to do the kind of work we do in our shop instead… Read More
Creating a theme and a package for an ice cream parlor
We have an extremely fun job currently in progress in our shop. A regular client of ours recently asked us to work up… Read More
The challenges of concept design
I often get asked if we charge for design. The answer is always “Yes!”—with one caveat. We do charge upfront for design, but… Read More
A landmark sign for a pet hospital
Not long ago, a veterinarian from a neighboring town dropped by our shop. She wanted to rebrand her business with one of our… Read More
