Useful information about sign design.
If you have any questions or suggestions about what is or should be here, e-mail us.
Lettering: Here are a few terms defined and described.

Uppercase: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Lowercase: abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Letter height: The given letter height is normally the height of a capital letter E, which is flat on the top and bottom. Letters that curve at the top of bottom, with few exceptions, go past the line to achieve the illusion that they are the same height as the flat letters. If they did not, they would appear shorter.

Letter spacing: The distance between letters should appear consistent, as if the space was filled by equal amounts of sand, not by measuring the same distance between each one. Because of the different shapes and relationships between them that occur, spacing must be done visually, not mechanically. The same is true for the space between words and when balancing a line of letters between two borders. However, the space between lines of letters should be the same.
Letter Size, Optimum: Do a Google search for "Letter Visibility Chart" to get opinions that look as if they are facts. The best way to determine sizes is to go to the site of the sign and view it from where you want it to be seen. "Maximum Readable Distance" numbers are meaningless. No one will be reading a sign that is so far away that it can barely be read.
Font: A letter style. This is an old word is used in a variety of ways, so you may hear it used to apply to slightly different aspects of the same thing. A font family refers to a group of fonts with related characteristics under the same name. Example: Palatino Normal, Palatino Bold, Palatino Italic, Palatino Bold Italic.
Serif: ('ser-if) Those little pointy things on a letter. When they get fat and the tip is chopped off, they might be called a slab serif.
Sans Serif or Block: Without serifs. E
Italic:

Script:
Ampersand: &
Artwork:
The word "artwork" in this context refers to a file or print that is suitable for reproduction, also known as "camera art" or "camera ready art". In the digital age, however, the camera used to shoot the art is often bypassed. For signage, today, with the exception of full color printing, the only truly "camera ready art" is vector art which can be scaled without loss of detail and is ready to be sent to a plotter/cutter for cutting vinyl, metal, acrylic or wood and for pattern making. For every other form of art, some conversion must take place. For information on what types are best, check our Artwork Info page.
Design: Good sign design is a matter of following a few basic principles:

Readability: The key. A sign is meant to be noticed and read. Make sure your designs are understandable from the distance from which they will be seen .

Contrast: Adequate contrast between the letters and the background is crucial to readability. Complimentary colors (those opposite each other on the color wheel) can interfere with readability, too.

Negative Space: Negative space is that area of the sign not being used, like the space between the art and the border. A sign that looks too crowded is less readable and less likely to be read. Give the elements of the sign some "air". Sometimes, making things larger does not make it easier to read.

Emphasis: Any sign that goes beyond a simple logo needs prioritizing. What is most important to be read first? Does it make sense for your phone number to be bigger than your name? Size and color choices determine the emphasis and the variation makes the sign easier and more pleasant to read. It leads the eye through the sign in order of the importance you have determined. If everything is the same size and color, the sign becomes a boring "gray" that is less likely to be read by people who have a lot of visual input competing for their attention.