Quality Signs Fast: Banner Sign Printing & Design

As times change so do people’s taste in color. Color trends are important to understand and follow as they can give you an indication of what will look good in your sign design. Be sure to keep your eyes open for modern, well-designed examples of color. They are easy to find, for example design magazines found at the newstand, or at your local library.

Whenever you see a particular palette of colors that appeal to you, if at all possible try to collect samples. You may receive advertising in the mail that has great color combinations, or simply purchase magazines that show graphic designs in color palettes you like. Create an idea folder of these samples as a guide to help you when you are looking for design color combinations in the future. Color trends and tastes tend to shift all the time, so you’ll want to keep actively aware in order to be up-to-date.

According to Jim Krause (2004), “Creating harmonious and effective combinations of color is a matter of instinct (honed through practice and observation), awareness of trends, and understanding of color theory basics.)

As you design your banners and signs, you may be creating a layout around a specific photo or graphic. If so, the easiest way to complement the image is to borrow colors directly from the image itself. This is known as color echoing.

Reference
Krause, J. (2004). Design basics index. How Design Books: Cincinnati, Ohio.

The golden section or ratio, is a way of dividing space within a composition that is considered to be one of the most visually satisfying of all geometric forms. It can be found throughout architecture, paintings, within natural forms, and the human body. The golden ratio is called Phi. You pronounce it like “fee”.

Phi has been used throughout the ages to achieve harmony and balance within compositions. Examples of Phi proportions can be found in nature, such as DNA, nautilus sea shells, the human face, and body. The Greeks used it extensively in designing the Parthenon, and the Egyptians for the pyramids. Leonardo Da Vinci constantly used the concept of Phi proportion in his work. Some of his most famous examples include the “Mona Lisa”, and “The Last Supper”. The Christian cross also is an example of Phi, also called the divine proportion. Mondrian used it within his famous color abstraction paintings.

An example of composition based on the golden mean in Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper.

So what is this magical ratio of Phi? The Phi relationship is 1.618:1. It is also known as the Golden Section, golden mean, golden proportion, ratio, or divine proportion.

Graphic from Wikipedia.

Create your own Golden Section Measuring Tool
Jim Krause (2004), tells us how to make your own golden section measuring tool. Using vector software like Illustrator, simply create a line that is 13″ long. Put a mark at the 8″ point along the line. Now you have a line divided into two golden sections. Simply save this image as an .EPS file and then place it on your computer where you can easily get to it in the future. So the next time you are creating a composition for your sign, or graphic design just import the .EPS golden section ruler into the document you are working on. “Then, scale it up or down to fit the line(s) or spaces(s) you wish to divide into golden sections. (the sections on the ruler will remain “golden” regardless of scaling.) When you are done using the ruler, simply delete it from the document.”

Graphic from Wikipedia.

All of this is well and good, but how do you apply these concepts to your sign design? Try utilizing the above tool described by Jim Krause. Also refer to the below drawing to help you understand where the golden ratio is within a rectangular space which is similar to our banner designs. This shows basically a spiral type shape growing out of the result of squares that are sized according to the golden mean. It seems to indicate the potential for infinite space.

Reference
Krause, J. (2004). Design basics index. How Design Books: Cincinnati, Ohio.

We thought you might enjoy a look back on the fine art of antique label designs and illustrations.  Although not exactly sign designs, they are still fun to look at and are great for inspiring those who are  looking to create a nostalgic brand.   

 Fruit crate labels are a cherished art form for many collectors according to Ralph and Terry Kovel authors of a very fun book entitled:  “The Label Made Me Buy it”.  We encourage you as designers to always be filling your eyes with colorful eye candy. It helps to inspire you for your own design work and keeps your mind inquisitive and innovative. Having a good library of sign design books, or advertising design books is a must for any designer!

Fruit and vegetable crate labels were designed by the thousands from the 1880’s to the 1950’s with the very first ones coming out of California. Florida citrus labels date back to 1875 when E. Bean developed the first wooden Omega crate. 

Florida citrus growers would order their labels from local printing companies to attract the attention of buyers.  The printers would keep label designers quite busy creating and updating their designs so buyers of products would be attracted by the more colorful and fashionable graphics.

Reference:
Kovel, R. & Kovel, T. (1998). The label made me buy it. Crown Publishers: New York.

Gestalt psychology (also Gestalt of the Berlin School) investigated the way people perceive information on a two dimensional surface.  They noticed that we humans tend to finish uncompleted shapes, group similar items, and can distinguish between foreground and background on a flat piece of paper.    

A good sign designer works with a knowledge of the fundamental principles of perception.  By doing so they tap into the power of gestalt psychology.

You see, in order to make sense of the world around us, we tend to group things into units.  We thus can see a “Whole” and also the individual parts that make up the “Whole.”  Remember that old jingle for Mounds Bars: You can share half and still have a whole.  Well it’s true.  You can see the halves but also perceive the entire candy bar.

Use the power of grouping and variation within your designs.  By doing so you will be tapping into your audience’s innate tendancy to make sense of things by analyzing their structure.

Gestalt design principles include:

Similarity 
We notice things that look similar and will naturally group them together. When most things in a group are similar, we will definitely notice something that is dissimilar straight away.  See how focused your attention is on this yellow circle?  Such a simple design can create quite a powerful effect.

Proximity 
We may group things by how close they are in relation to other things.  The closer two elements are physically, the more likely we will see them as being together in a group.  In the below example you can see how the top four elements seem to be their own distinct group, separate from the other circle at the bottom.  The net effect is that your attention is drawn to the one item that is not like the others in terms of proximity.  Right away you can see how this simple concept can be used to make your banner sign have impact!

Closure
Our mind likes to complete lines or curves in order to form a shape that is familiar to us.  Can you see how the third cube seems to be connected by your inner designer with lines to the other two cubes?  This is an example of closure.

Figure/Ground
Our mind also likes to separate and discern objects from their surroundings or ground.  Here you can see the tension between the figure-ground relationship.  This is also known as a positive and negative space relationship in design.

 You may begin to notice that gestalt principles can be quite readily applied to logo designs and symbols.  If you have the task to come up with a logo, see if you can use the power of gestalt to help you!

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References:
Arntson, A.E. (2003). Graphic design basics. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Illustrations:  Diane Michel

One secret key ingredient to great design composition is unequal, and unexpected spacing. Remember variety is the spice of life, and even more so for graphic design!

Novice designers will always try to center everything in their graphic design. Somewhere somehow someone told them this is the way to do it “correctly”. However this technique frankly is just too expected and doesn’t draw the viewer in at all. Instead of getting your audience excited, you’ll be repeating the same old “ho hum” design idea that we’ve all seen a million times. Take your average business card for example. Everything is always perfectly centered. Snooze city.

Want a quick way to get big impact? Try dividing your design space with unequal spacing. This will give the banner a much more dynamic and energetic feeling.

Reknown designer Jim Krause (2004) states: “When you design, do not allow the spacing between elements to “just happen.” Develop an active awareness of the spatial relationships that are occurring between the components of a layout or image.”

Try to avoid clenching firmly onto ideas that come to your mind right away. Even if on the surface they seem to be pretty good solutions to the design problem. Let your ideas flow lightly and evolve. Just remember the unexpected use of spacing will help your design have the room to play and be seen.

Important Idea: The first design solution is not usually the best solution. A good idea will quickly become a great design idea if you give yourself the time to sift through alternate ideas as you work.

See the above example of unexpected spacing in a graphic design for Publix Supermarkets.  The circles are allowed to be cut off on the edges of the banner.  Also the ice cream cone juts out into the white space creating a surprise, that draws in the viewer.

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Reference:
Krause, J. (2004). Design basics index: a graphic designer’s guide to designing effective compositions, selecting dynamic components & developing creative concepts. How Design Books: Cincinnati, Ohio.

Composition is defined by our friends at Webster as:

 ”The art or practice of combining the different parts of a work of art so as to produce a harmonious whole.”

Every banner design begins as white empty space. Quality Signs for example,  provides 5′ or 8′ banners that are 15″ or 30″ wide.  That’s a lot of surface to cover. 

 How you fill that space and use it helps the impact of your message. As you begin to add elements to your blank banner you can empower your design and make your message more interesting by paying attention to these ideas:

1. Aesthetic quality of the elements.
2. Relevance of those elements to other parts of the sign.
3. Space relationship to the other elements in your sign.

By choosing the best placement and working creatively with the white space as well, you will create a strong and interesting sign. Naturally you wouldn’t want to hang the Mona Lisa in a crowded closet, or in the back of a truck. Why?  Because the quality of it’s message and beauty will be tainted and overshadowed by the surroundings.  That’s kind of a rudimentary way to show us how composition is so important.

An effective design will make a connection with your viewing audience. It will attract and hold their attention, because it is satisfying to look at or is intriguing to them.

Principle of Unequal Spacing
If everything is always equally and symmetrically balanced sometimes it can simply be a bit boring.  Just think if you centered everything all the time.   

 Visual variety encourages your viewer to explore, and adds spice to your design recipe. The point on the following layout shows that unequal spacing does indeed draw you in and create interest.  Of course your probably not going to create a banner with just a dot on it, but the point is the idea of unusual placement.

Here’s a real world example of variety in composition from a recent advertisement from a popular grocery store in Florida called Publix.  See how the Y, in Variety really stands out!  Now you get the idea.  Unusual composition draws the viewer in, and catches their attention!

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Reference:
Krause, J. (2004). Design basics index: a graphic designer’s guide to designing effective compositions, selecting dynamic components & developing creative concepts. How Design Books: Cincinnati, Ohio.

Today we are pleased to present our first in a series on graphic design. These little mini tutorials will help you to learn how to professionally design your banner sign, for the best look possible. With just a few tips, your printed banners will provide stunning visual appeal and have a strong impact on your target audience.

Everyone wants to promote a professional image for their company. Afterall, your banner will literally be a message that extends 5′ - 8′ long. A little inside knowledge about graphic design and how to apply certain principles of it to your advertising will be a great skill to have as you develop your marketing.

Good graphic design is not as difficult as one might think. There are certain fundamentals and ideas that are central to a good sign design or any design for that matter.

We will organize our tutorials according to a system devised by Krause (1994).

The Three C’s of Design

1. Composition
2. Components
3. Concept

Let’s start with:

1. Composition
The way in which the components of a design are visually combined and arranged. Composition =

placement

grouping

alignment

visual flow

white space

In our next installment we will learn how to put the principles of great composition to work for you!

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Reference:
Krause, J. (2004). Design basics index: a graphic designer’s guide to designing effective compositions, selecting dynamic components & developing creative concepts. How Design Books: Cincinnati, Ohio.

Your banners and signage should also reflect the traits of your company’s brand.  Your company’s brand helps recall and recognition, build trust, and has great value if protected and developed in a professional manner. Powerful brands can help drive your company’s success in competitive markets, and can become one of your organization’s most valuable assets.

Brand equity has real value monetary value. When managed intelligently, certain brand traits will enhance each element to expertly identify and differentiate your brand. Effectively enhancing brand awareness helps to facilitate the formation of strong, favorable, and unique brand associations in the mind of the consumer.

The traits of an effective brand include:
a.  Memorability
b. Meaningfulness
c.  Protectability
d. Adaptability
e. Transferability.

Creative Elements of Brands:

a. Name:
Your name should be easy to remember, and effective for helping the consumer understand what your business is.

b. Logo:
Useful for brand recognition. 

c. Slogan: 
Will help brand recall and recognition.  Can clearly convey almost any type of association.

d. Characters or Illustrations:
Useful for non-product related imagery and brand personality. People quickly relate to images better and quicker than words. Images elicit emotion and involvement much
faster than type alone. Characters are created because they represent merchandising power. They are likeable, fun to look at. They also represent an innocent time, in which we all, at some point in our lives can identify with.
 
References:
SkillSoft.com (2008). The traits of an effective brand. Retrieved April 22, 2008, from http://acm.skillport.com

Mendenhall, J. (1990). Character Trademarks. Chronicle Books: San Francisco.
 

Hi.  We’d like to welcome you to our Quality Signs Fast blog.  We are pleased to announce that our state-of-the-art banner sign Website at QualitySignsFast.com is now live! 

Quality Signs Fast features:

Fast and efficient marketing and promotion:
 Make your own banner sign online in just 5 minutes! Delivered to your door within two business days. No more wasted time and gas driving to a sign shop to order and then returning to pick it up. 

Easy to use for beginners
Our special step-by-step design process easily walks you through making your own banner sign.  You’ll get professional results every time!

Efficient for Graphic Designers
Advanced designers will appreciate our Advanced Power Designer.  All the functionality you need is right one one screen right at your fingertips!

 Large library of images or upload your own custom images
We feature a clip art library of over 15,000 images to choose from.  If that’s not enough, you can upload your own custom artwork, logos, or photographs to create your perfect advertising banner.

Premade samples or custom templates makes your job easy!
We have hundreds of premade samples and layout templates to choose from. Just customize your advertising or personalized banner with your own text and images and you are ready to go! 

Ideal advertising for business owners
Do you need your signage to tie into an existing advertising campaign?  No problem. Just upload your logo and images for professional results.

Efficiently Change your Marketing Strategies
In today’s market, you need to be flexible and fast.  Have new product to promote?  You can move as fast as the market, with quickly designed and printed banner signs.

Save your banners in your own custom library for future reprinting
Save your signs inside your very own custom library to make reprinting banners in the future a breeze!

Full Color
Full color banners - print as much color as you want! No longer do you have to be restricted by per color printing costs.

No set-up Fees
There are absolutely no set-up fees.  Just choose a banner sign and you are ready to start designing!

Custom Graphics, Photographs & Logos
Upload your very own photographic images logos, and graphics for a completely custom banner.

Variety of Banner Sizes - Horizontal or Vertical
Choose any size that fits your marketing needs:
15″ x 5′
15″ x 8′
30″ x 5′
30″ x 8′

Custom Party Banners
Make a big splash for your own celebrations and special events with 5′ - 8′ custom banners. Your birthdays, anniversaries and parties can be announced with attention-getting style! There is nothing like an 8′ Happy Birthday banner to bring out the smiles! 
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