New sign for horse farm

[nenemott 0]

I did this sign for a horse farm owner who sells miniature horses, he did the wording and I did the layout, It is a 4x4 foot sign on plywood. I did caulk the edges and primed it before painting. He did not want to pay too much, that is why I did it in plywood.

[nenemott 0]

It is the first time I did a project like this, next time I will use a dibond, I found a place that sells a 4x8 sheet for $145 with shipping.  If anyone has a cheaper place, please let me know, I live in south jersey.

[three47b 0]

Great Work! Do you mind sharing the link for the Dibond.

[Guest Schramm]

Well I have tried to post a pic for the last 1/2 hour of something that I re-did for you.  There are issues with your design and defiantly with your layout.  Everything is kinda too tightly packed giving the reader way to much information which is very hard to read.  There is no pop or wow factor at all and honestly the phone number is not even centered.  If you want to be successful in the sign business you  will have a number of things to work out.  The horse on your sign is a MUSTANG and not a miniature which is what he is selling.

The idea behind him hiring you to do the sign is so it doesn't come off home done and to make passers by that may not know about him be able to see what he does and has for sale.  I don't know how long you have been in this business and as time goes by you will get better.  I don't know how to beat around the bush about things as I feel that you need to hear it honestly from someone that would be passing by.  You should make your signs so that people will want to know - WHO DID THAT and where can I hire them.

That is my opinion on the sign.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

Def hard to read the number with that spacing

my supplier has 1 sided aluminum over plastic for around 45.00

[Guest Schramm]

By the way any lumberyard in just about any town will have MDO or waterproof MDF.  Plywood in any climate will fail in less then 6 months as it will warp no matter what you do to it!

[john! 1]

Nice work, Keep us updated on how that holds up because i was told plywood doesn't hold up outdoors....

I did a horse farm sign with MDO 2x2' and got $200 for it with hanging hinges double sided because i told the customer what needed to be done for it to last.

[Guest Schramm]

Here is the pic that I tried to post before....

Maybe you can see what I mean now with the centering of the phone number and not smashing all those things into a small area.  Your sign should be loose and fluid and the image that you add should have to do with the subject.  Mustangs are not miniatures, so it is up to you to use art images that reflect what you were asked for.

I am not saying that what you did was 100% wrong, it just needs some adjustments to make it better.  I also am not saying that mine is perfect as I tossed it together in about 5 minutes.  Just trying to let you see it differently

[JoeCamaro 11]

Important: always leave margin space.

[LEISUREBEACH 0]

Here is the pic that I tried to post before....

Maybe you can see what I mean now with the centering of the phone number and not smashing all those things into a small area.  Your sign should be loose and fluid and the image that you add should have to do with the subject.  Mustangs are not miniatures, so it is up to you to use art images that reflect what you were asked for.

I am not saying that what you did was 100% wrong, it just needs some adjustments to make it better.  I also am not saying that mine is perfect as I tossed it together in about 5 minutes.  Just trying to let you see it differently

[/

Now that will make you ask who did your sign!!!!!Nice job

[zx360 0]

I kind of agree with Schramm. The first time i read the sign i actually though that the whole business was for sale, not the mini horses.

Over all good idea, i think the execution slipped. I would love to see a 2nd version of this with what everyone said applied. Maybe not re-design the whole thing but just improve on your already existing ideas.

Always room to grow.  :thumbsup:

[Guest Schramm]

I am pretty sure that it is already there.  Problem is the idea was the ranchers the execution was his.

I don't think that it is all bad as I said but there are things that a pro or even semi pro sign shop would of never let out the door.

[Guest kenya]

Important: always leave margin space.

+1

[stormy 5]

Here's my 2 cents...I think Schramm's probably came off as a little offensive, but he's made some good points.

The good: Your sign is pretty easy to read. The white banner at the bottom is an excellent tecnique that makes the phone number jump out and looks professional. For using plywood, you did about the best thing to it to make it last. Depending on what kind of rain, hail, snow you get, I'm going to guess that sign will last about 3 years.

The bad: Leave margins...don't be scared of them...everything kinda looks crammed up top. Wrong kind of clip aart for miniature horse. "For Sale" looks out of place. Number must be centered if you're going to use that banner technique.

[Guest manwayvan]

Congrats..Dont worry too much as layout techniques are something that comes quickly to some but even then it takes alot of time or thought to make something visually asthetic. Main thing to focus on is feedback and learn from it and grow in your ability to do layout. There are some great books which has some really nice idea's(logo design,Mastering Layout, The Logo Bible). This is just my two cents and take it for what its worth but I do agree with most..

[JoeCamaro 11]

Here's my 2 cents...I think Schramm's probably came off as a little offensive, but he's made some good points.

+1

Everything can be said with a little sensitivity.

[BannerJohn 1,324]

Here's my 2 cents...I think Schramm's probably came off as a little offensive, but he's made some good points.

+1

Everything can be said with a little sensitivity.

+2

[Guest Schramm]

Here's my 2 cents...I think Schramm's probably came off as a little offensive, but he's made some good points.

+1

Everything can be said with a little sensitivity.

Sure that is absolutely true but if you are going to want to be a sign company, I say dare to be the best and don't be afraid of that others will say.  If you show your work, expect criticism as well as praise.  I don't expect everyone to love what I do but then again I can take the punches with the compliments.  I meant no harm but at the same time if you are going to do this for a living, be good at it!  Before you start a business you should already have a game plan and business knowledge of what you are doing.  If you are going to do designs for a living and make signs then you need to fully understand layout.  People that say I am just starting out should already know how to do their job as people are going to hire them based on their knowledge.  Many people wanting signs want them professionally done and the company doing them should know how to price but more then anything know how to do their job that they are selling.

In this case it is not bad, but I have seen a ton of stuff that makes me wonder if people just buy a plotter just in hopes that the US CUTTER FORUM will be a training forum for them!  Common, get real if that was the case you would have a ARMY of sign companies without a clue!  Eventually trust with customers will die out.

Case in point, I post on here with my mirrors but I get a lot of emails asking me for a formula to make the solutions to make mirror.  Then when I tell them where to get it but the cost is in the $1500 range they come back stating to me "Silver Nitrate only costs $45"!  WTF?  Well that is the kind of homework that will get you hurt!  However that is the way that most people approach business there days!  I mean there is no longer experience, OJT or schooling but instead people asking for a bone....

If you noticed in this thread I was not being one sided about anything, in fact I quickly re-laid out the design (not that it is perfect) but to give him an idea of what I was talking about.  Some people need to visualize it as well as hear it.  I felt if I was going to tell him what was wrong that I should give him some ideas of how to fix it.  Honestly if you are timid then really you should not post on forums, but if you want to learn from mistakes then just listen to the criticism and  dont whine about it!  I mean I am a third party just like your customer and before you hand it or make it maybe you should show it in drawing form first.  I am sorry that I seem raw about a lot of things but I honestly feel if you dont have the drive to do the best job possible you will fail anyway so either listen to people that know or QUIT!

[BannerJohn 1,324]

This forum was,in fact,created as a place to learn and share tips and knowledge....

Not just a place to display your own work and wait for the compliments or criticisms. The 'show your work' category,as a matter of fact,came later.

Those of us in the sign business know how to give advice without coming across as offensive or raw. And bear in mind, it wasn't me who pointed this out.

the design you submitted was great....but no way would I do something that detailed in vinyl for someone who 'didn't want to pay much'. This is where being in the sign biz comes in handy..knowing where to draw the line.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

This forum was,in fact,created as a place to learn and share tips and knowledge....

Not just a place to display your own work and wait for the compliments or criticisms. The 'show your work' category,as a matter of fact,came later.

Those of us in the sign business know how to give advice without coming across as offensive or raw. And bear in mind, it wasn't me who pointed this out.

the design you submitted was great....but no way would I do something that detailed in vinyl for someone who 'didn't want to pay much'. This is where being in the sign biz comes in handy..knowing where to draw the line.

I agree John

[Guest Schramm]

In all my life I would NEVER put vinyl on PLYWOOD and a sign company would know that.  If you go on Signs101 and post that kind of stuff they would eat you alive!  If you are going to do plywood (dont agree with it) I would paint everything.  Personally I would paint signs and not use vinyl.

As far as saying I am not a sign business that is true but I still have made over 100 (a lot more) but always hand painted.  Think of it like this John:

If you pay for advertising you know how much it costs and sometimes the returns are not worth it.  HOWEVER if you go above and beyond on each one of your projects and give them MORE then what they expected soon your advertising budget will disappear because your signs will make people to want to know where they came from.  Anytime that someone says to your customer "Where did that sign come from as it is awesome" he/she would simply tell them about this great sign company.  In general your attitude to give someone what they paid for is great if and only if you want to stay somewhat steady but if you want to ever go farther then imagined take the criticism that I give.  You dont have to be a sign biz to know how to run a business you just need to think out side the box and be different.

As for this forum being a "SIGN FORUM" John you are a MODERATOR for it, so if you can show me one single TITLE that uses the word sign I'll kiss your butt!  This forum (and I am not stupid) was designed for US CUTTER to sell plotters and nothing else.  By us meeting here it gives insight to a bunch of different businesses and ways to use a PLOTTER and NOTHING ELSE!  Cutting vinyl is not only for SIGNS as demonstrated on this site, if you think that this is a sign forum your nuts.  More people come here to talk wall words and small decals, glass etching and ask "how to" more then talk signs, wouldnt you agree???  Signs101 is a sign forum but this is not only about signs its about everything.  By me coming here and being here for 3 years and not doing signs would say that I am right as I do not go to Signs101 and post as I (as you said) am not a sign company.

One more thing....  You do not need to be a SIGN COMPANY to know how to LAYOUT, but you HAVE to know how to LAYOUT to do SIGNS!  It really is that simple!

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

hmmm do I sense anther break coming? frustration abounds

[JoeCamaro 11]

Ok. I hope it stays like this. No bs needed over this.

[Guest manwayvan]

Can't we all just get along?

[JoeCamaro 11]

Yeah. Some people are so talented for pissing others, its amazing.