Need Help Channel Letters

[Davide87]

Hi everyone,

I'm Davide, graphic designer and new to the sign business.

I work for a sign company for almost a year and I'm looking to stay with this kind of business, I love it.
I'm looking for some detailed drawings of channel letters, channelume where to learn from but online all I found are cheap drawings with no details.

Can someone show me the right way to follow to study properly channel letters design, sign design and everything involve the sign business? Anyone have, or know, where to find good drawings?

Thank you in advance to who will answer.

Davide

p.s. sorry for my english, is not my first language.

 

[Johnny Best]

You need to get a hold of Rick (member on here), he will be able to suggest books and material for you on the sign subject.

 

[Davide87]

You need to get a hold of Rick (member on here), he will be able to suggest books and material for you on the sign subject.

Ok, thank you Johnny.

 

[Rick]

Thanks Johnny...

When I started designing on a computer, I started drawing and collecting all my section drawings for every basic sign. I would get other designers drawings and improve on mine add or subtracting as needed. You can start by drawing the section drawings from this site to your style of drawing. please note that the installation details will be different depending on the wall construction, you will need to have alternate wall details to overlay as needed.

RNS Channel Letters - Wholesale Channel Letter Manufacturer, Inland Empire, Corona, California, Riverside County, Los Angeles County, signs, leds, neon

When you are done, you can have a separate file for them or if using Illustrator, slide them into your Swatch Library and drag and drop as needed, still in scale and editable...

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I hesitate to recommend anything from this site as the owner had a meltdown on this site BUT... it is useful information, once you get past the useless chatter...

Inside Sign Design (eBook)
How to Draw Attachment Details (eBook)

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I think this survey book is interesting... and he also writes for Sign Business on sign design and detail.... plus study his shop drawings...

Charboneau Signs
Charboneau Signs
Charboneau Signs

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GO TO THE SHOP, OBSERVE AND ASK....

Most signs I design are one offs, it usually means a template may only give me a start... (see attached image)
I have learned more by observing and asking the shop guys how a sign is built or ask how they would build it and incorporate their ideas into the drawing, after a while, you will learn how signs are fabricated. When I worked at a shop, I used to go to the shop floor daily to see my designs get built, I would also go on installs and see how they are installed.

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Collect catalogs and brochures, especially extrusion catalogs and LED specs...

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What do you want to be in this business? A sign shop designer is not a bad way to make a living but.... you might want to groom yourself to get a better position later on...
EGD firms usually want someone with a degree, but when you learn documentation, you can ease your way into a better job.... you might look into google "sign standards .pdf" "wayfinding sign packages .pdf"

Maybe buy this book to start...
"Signage and Wayfinding Design: A Complete Guide to Creating Environmental Graphic Design Systems"
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1118692993/ref=sr_ob_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1509730521&sr=8-6

Check out:
segd.org

Check out a local design firm...
Entro Communications

 

[Sign consultant]

PM email i will shoot you some good drawing. .

 

[cbrown]

So I know Matt and Mike personally from email above that Rick mentions. I'm not sure what happened on this site - (and honestly it doesn't matter) But if your serious about the "sign game" order all those books - they are extremely helpful on a variety of topics. There are no other books even close to this available anywhere else. The other book recommended from Amazon - I have it ...has nothing to do with construction or drawings of any type of signs. It is a nice book to have as well - just not anything of what you have asked about

 

[GaSouthpaw]

Not meant as a knock against any of the other suggestions, but I don't think there's really a bad way to learn (unless you learn it wrong, I guess), but I second the "go to the shop, observe and ask" method. The folks fabbing the letters/shapes/etc. will often have years and years of experience to offer- and can tell you what they do and don't need on their drawings.

 

[Rick]

So I know Matt and Mike personally from email above that Rick mentions. I'm not sure what happened on this site - (and honestly it doesn't matter) But if your serious about the "sign game" order all those books - they are extremely helpful on a variety of topics. There are no other books even close to this available anywhere else. The other book recommended from Amazon - I have it ...has nothing to do with construction or drawings of any type of signs. It is a nice book to have as well - just not anything of what you have asked about

When you recommend something so wholeheartedly, then he comes here and implodes... It matters... yet as flawed as he or the book is, I still recommended it.

Matt I have never had the pleasure of meeting or chatting with, but I read his articles, I have chatted with Mike...

As off-topic as the book is, the reason I mention the book is, if I were going to give someone advise on a career in this business, he may get more out of it (pay, benefits and nicer projects) than doing geek drawings for sign shops... another thing is, the OP may not have known about Environmental/Experential Design... now he does...

 

[Davide87]

Hi guys,

sorry for my late answer but i had a mourning in the family.

I'm going thru all your messages carefully and see what is better for me.

I will keep you updated.

Thank you for your time and help!

Davide