Creating stand-out signs is essential with attention spans becoming shorter and more crowded. Choosing contrasting colors, easy-to-read fonts, and positioning your sign for visibility from close up and distance are crucial.
To design a successful custom sign, you need to know who you’re targeting: clients, patients, shoppers, or nearby motorists.
Utilize Contrast
Contrast is a massive part of making your sign stand out to customers. You want your message to be clear, especially if it’s from a distance, and colors that are too similar can make it difficult for customers to read.
The font is also an essential aspect of contrast when designing your sign. A simple sans serif font will be much more readable than a script or brush font, particularly from a distance.
Creating a hierarchy for your message is another way to ensure it’s readable from a distance. This means putting the most critical information at the top of your sign and adding less relevant information below it. Using graphics is also an effective way to catch the eye of passersby, but you’ll want to ensure they are high-quality images.
Add Images
Custom sign Portland OR, is an excellent way to convey your business’s offers to potential customers. However, it would help if you were careful not to include too much information that will overwhelm the reader. Instead, organize your data into a hierarchy that will allow them to grasp the most essential details quickly.
Depending on the purpose of your signage, you may also add images to help convey your message. For example, if your sign promotes a sale, adding a photo of a product can catch the attention of passersby.
Just be sure that the fonts you use are legible and appropriate for your signage. Comic Sans, for instance, is likely to make a negative impression on your audience. Instead, go for fonts that are simple and easy to read.
Add Texture
Regardless of color scheme or shape, your sign must be easily readable. Hierarchy and contrast are critical, but fonts also play a role. While it may be tempting to use a fancy script font or something overly complicated, these can decrease the clarity of your signage. Instead, opt for simple sans-serif fonts that are designed for screen reading.
While the joke about Comic Sans is tired, hard-to-read fonts can destroy your signage’s effectiveness. If someone needs help figuring out what your business does or offers, they won’t be inclined to visit. They might even be turned off by your signage altogether. That’s why it’s so crucial to utilize clear, clean fonts.
Utilize Color
Using color is a great way to make your sign stand out. Whether it’s the red of a stop sign or the bright yellow of a restaurant sign, color is an effective tool for grabbing attention.
When paired with fonts, colors create a contrast that impacts readability. While fancy script and serif fonts look beautiful on a computer screen, they can become difficult to read from a distance. Legibility is essential, so consider using standard, highly legible fonts like Arial or Futura.
You can also use colors to create a visual hierarchy that helps your message stand out. For example, a red square on top of a black background will be more prominent than if placed on an orange background. This is because of the concept of analogous color.
Experiment With Shapes
Taking your sign shape out of the ordinary is an easy way to stand out. Try rounded corners or custom-cut edges to give your characters a unique look that the competition can’t duplicate.
Don’t overcrowd your design – leaving 30-40% open space will improve readability and make your sign easier to digest. It also helps people focus on your most critical information, leading them to the additional details below.
Fonts are another essential factor to consider. Selecting a sans-serif typeface will help your sign be more readable, especially from a distance. It’s also a good idea to avoid scripted fonts, which are harder to read at a glance. If you need help with the best fonts for your sign, ask for a second opinion from a friend or professional.
