Effective design creates a powerful first impression
Recently, a new restaurant opened up near my office. It had been vacant for almost ten years, and people were very excited for… Read More
Category Archives: Articles
Using swatches, patterns and tiles in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
Do you ever wish to add a texture or pattern to letters or graphics? Maybe you’ve never really needed them, but with a… Read More
Design & Price: 4-by-16-ft. storefront sign
In every issue, SignCraft gives a few sign makers an imaginary project. We ask them to do a sketch of the sign they… 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
Step-by-step: Traditional airbrushed lettering
Jersey-style truck lettering, with its gradient blends, custom-designed lettering and chrome effects, has much of its roots in race car lettering and rock-and-roll… Read More
Design Clinic: Take a break and have some fun
Ever since I was in grade school, my interests seemed to center around color and design. I am a visual type of person,… Read More
What’s it cost to produce this 12-by-16 entrance sign?
Materials: 4 sheets 2-in. HDU board: $1600 CNC cutting/routing: $660 1-in. PVC board: $240 2X6 pressure-treated stock: $150 Paint: $100 Hardware and miscellaneous… Read More
Sign panels and substrates at work
Sourcelist: substrates Aluminum composite material/ACM 3A Composites USA Grimco Laminators Inc. Mitsubishi Plastic Composites Nudo Products Inc. United Industries Engraving materials Duets by… Read More
Bob Bjorkquist
Shop name: Bob’s Signs Shop size: 1200 sq. ft. Age: 56 Staff: Three plus Bob Graphics equipment: 2-by-3-ft. Laguna IQ Pro CNC router… Read More
Redgie Adams
Shop name: Adams Signs Shop size: 2600 sq. ft. Age: 69 Staff: Redgie Adams and Jon Moore Graphics equipment: MultiCam CNC router Roland… Read More
Tom Bowen
Shop name: Plainfield Signs Shop size: 2400 sq. ft. Age: 62 Staff: Three plus Tom and Sue Graphics equipment: Roland SP540 printer/cutter Roland… Read More
Letters
Greg Preheim: 1945 – 2018 Greg Preheim of Greg Signs & Murals, Irene, South Dakota, died November 20, 2018 of lymphoma. He and,… Read More
Tips & Tricks
Bond Styrofoam with Great Stuff foam sealant We often make interior signs, displays and props from extruded polystyrene foam, often called Styrofoam. We… Read More
Shop Trucks
Send us a photo of your shop truck today at signcraft@signcraft.com or to SignCraft, P.O. Box 60031, Fort Myers, FL 33906. Read this… Read More
What’s it cost to produce this 3D entrance sign?
Materials: 4-by-5-ft. 3/4-in. PVC board: $120 2-by-4-ft. 1/2-in. PVC board: $40 2-by-5-ft. ¼-in. PVC board: $30 4-by-5-ft. 4mm corrugated plastic: $7 1 quart… Read More
Finding a market for laser cutting and engraving
Cutting letters and graphics for signs is a natural for the laser, but there is a lot more work out there for the… Read More
Design Clinic: Restaurant window signs
Much of my work in recent years centered around fascias and vehicle graphics, but it wasn’t always that way. In my early days,… 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
Design & Price: Truck lettering
In every issue, SignCraft gives a few sign makers an imaginary project. We ask them to do a sketch of the sign they… Read More
Adapting logos to vehicles
When you think about designing wraps for vehicles, it’s akin to putting a puzzle together—making sure all the elements fit together, and making… Read More
