prestonservco

Here's a sign for your shop.

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How can I get the EPS to open in SCALP?? Sorry I realize this is a stupid question

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I like the size comparison chart. I'm thinking just applying them to the front of the counter or the wall behind the counter. That would give people a sense of the best bang for their buck. Thanks

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Wow.  I haven't logged on to this forum for quite a while.  I'm surprised to see this post still pinned.  I've changed jobs a few times since the original post in 2009, but I still cut vinyl on occasion.

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Wow, talk about resurrecting a necro-thread!

One of the signs that I always found useful in my shop was a display showing the difference between Serif and Sans Serif styles.

Simple, but effective to convey this important information.

 

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Wow, talk about resurrecting a necro-thread!

One of the signs that I always found useful in my shop was a display showing the difference between Serif and Sans Serif styles.

Simple, but effective to convey this important information.

 

serif.JPG

I just tell people that Serif fonts have "feet", and Sans-Serif doesn't. They pretty much grasp the concept ... then usually want something that custom that kind of falls into it's own category from dafont.com  :P

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I have been lucky over the years, clients stick to the basics and don't aggravate me with odd font requests.

Probably 80% of the stuff I've produced is straight Block (sans serif) lettering, Helvetica Bold or Microgramma Bold or some-such.
Boring AF, but readable and direct to the point.  My philosophy is that signs need to be created with the KISS principle.

I'm not a graphic designer. I am a sign maker. (Or to be precise, a computer-cut-vinyl sign lettering guy).

 

 

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I have been lucky over the years, clients stick to the basics and don't aggravate me with odd font requests.

Probably 80% of the stuff I've produced is straight Block (sans serif) lettering, Helvetica Bold or Microgramma Bold or some-such.
Boring AF, but readable and direct to the point.  My philosophy is that signs need to be created with the KISS principle.

I'm not a graphic designer. I am a sign maker. (Or to be precise, a computer-cut-vinyl sign lettering guy).

I believe in the same philosophy, its just too bad that some of my clients don't agree with me. :P

Not sure why it's so hard for them to believe that I don't do design, I cut vinyl. That's how I would work on websites with clients. Draw me something on a paper or napkin, tell me what colors you want, and I can totally kill the technical side and get it worked up for you, but do not ask me to design it for you, because you will not like what I come up with. Hahaha.

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I believe in the same philosophy, its just too bad that some of my clients don't agree with me. :P

I just recently completed a project for a local restaurant, the owner wanted something "unique" for his sign, and I threw together something with Pretorian which is very stylized. It came out pretty nice, if I do say so myself.

 

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I still call it designing Slice&Dice. 

Currently I do a lot more work with lasers and engravers, which requires lots of fonts too.  I have a sample board in my showroom to help customers choose, and I recently remade the board and reduced the number of selections.  More than 10 and they seem to get lost.  If they can't pick from the 10, then I let them peruse my selection of 100,000 fonts while I do something else.  They've never gotten through the font names starting with "A" before giving up.  lol. 

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I agree with ya, preston, it's designing, at its root. In my SignBlazer-based world, I keep it as simple as possible, and make sure the basic message is clearly conveyed at a glance.

By the way, that restaurant opened on Dec. 12th, and the place has been jam-packed with lines of people getting pizza throughout the end-of-year holidays.

 

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Thanks, I only wish this restaurant was close-by. It's over an hour away, and that is kinda far for me to travel 2 hours roundtrip just for a slice of his great pizza!

By the way, that primary sign above the entrance is 3' x 8' on red maxmetal.

 I just finished another smaller plaque for the inside. These days, restaurants depend a lot on app-based pickups, it's keeping them alive.

 

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Maxmetal is exclusively sold by Grimco, it's the same composite poly core/aluminum laminate material as diBond.  (3mm and 6mm thicknesses)

They also produce it with steel faces. (Maxmetal Element)

Yeah, the thicker stuff (6mm) comes in 5x10 sheets which allows a 60" cut.

They have a warehouse in Chicago (Bolingbrook), about 2-1/4 hours west on 80 out to you there in Moline. I'm sure they'll be happy to deliver (order minimums apply).

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I agree with ya, preston, it's designing, at its root. In my SignBlazer-based world, I keep it as simple as possible, and make sure the basic message is clearly conveyed at a glance.

By the way, that restaurant opened on Dec. 12th, and the place has been jam-packed with lines of people getting pizza throughout the end-of-year holidays.

 

IMG_0421.JPG

IMG_0419.JPG

Great font choice. Something like that speaks on a subliminal level along with the words. 

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Maxmetal?  I'm not familiar with it.  It looks similar to Dibond / Alupanel.... Can you cut 60" ovals?

It's just a trade name call it maxmetal, Probond, Dibond, Signbond, Alcopanel and many more. But stuff wise it is the same Aluminium Composite Panel......HDPE sandwiched in between Powder coated Aluminium sheets (02 mm to 0.5 mm Thick). Excellent option for display exterior signs as well as interior ones

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Wildgoose, choosing an appropriate font for a particular 'message' is a gift I happen to have.

I did a tow truck a while back, and the Magneto font just seemed right --- the owner of the business was thrilled and put this 'logo' onto his business cards, and website, and facebook, and he got some nice compliments from friends and family.

There was another truck, for KHAN BROS. and they're Mid-Easterners (I think from Saudi Arabia) so I chose a font that looked kinda MidEastern-y.

I get a lot of trucks because a commercial truck dealership refers buyers to me, for their DOT decals and door lettering!

 

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Wildgoose, choosing an appropriate font for a particular 'message' is a gift I happen to have.

I did a tow truck a while back, and the Magneto font just seemed right --- the owner of the business was thrilled and put this 'logo' onto his business cards, and website, and facebook, and he got some nice compliments from friends and family.

There was another truck, for KHAN BROS. and they're Mid-Easterners (I think from Saudi Arabia) so I chose a font that looked kinda MidEastern-y.

I get a lot of trucks because a commercial truck dealership refers buyers to me, for their DOT decals and door lettering!

 

20190805_085556.jpg

20190810_142531.jpg

At the end of the day, we have to work as per the client's directions as we are getting paid by them. But, a general trend is: Simple and clear are surely making a comeback against Fancy and Cursive when information needs to be displayed. Calligraphy, Cursive and Fancy fonts are preferred for parties hangups and easel boards. At least this is what I have figured out from the works I have done in the past

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