Thoughts on this layout?

[Jillbeans]

@ Gregg I could make this sign myself using a saw, sign-ready MDO, paint, (I love to do fades with paint) some scrap SignFoam, a dremel tool, primer, flat black paint and a lot of sandpaper.
It's really very simple. I would never design something I could not make.

Glad you liked the suggestion, Sinetist, I was doodling on a Sunday with not much to do.
Whatever you do, please don't just slap words on a pre-fabbed border out of VectorArt.
I was out yesterday afternoon and saw a sign, a real nice little town sign which was a print. It looked great until I saw the sign maker had stretched the heck out of some Karen Sousa scrolls in order for them to fit on the sign. Little things like that bug me, also running stuff right to the edges.

I have used blue before, for a seafood place. Both in their logo, on their signs, and on their menus. It worked out OK. I think I always like to see red somewhere in a restaurant sign. Even varying tones of red.

 

[Gino]

Very good points, Fitch.

On the use of green..... in my early years, all I did was food and grocery store signs for windows, cases and all around the store. I was taught and always reminded by various stores..... Don't ever use green again on my signs. Although lettuce and lots of vegetables are green.... green trends to put a picture of 'Mold' into one's mind and it then gives the feeling that things in the store are old and getting moldy. Not very appetizing.

As for the front of the building.... the right green will easily work. Usually the deeper the better. The closer you get to Kelly Greens and and such... the less they are going to work for you. However, if you have pictures on it, not a good idea, so sometimes lettering trucks or making menus can have another feel to them.

See how green can make you sick............ ​

 

[Circleville Signs]

I really like where everyone is going, especialy with the font choices.

Here's another thought though, that you may want to play with in the design.

The name is "FoodSmiths", right? I'm assuming that this is a play off the idea of a blacksmith. Except instead of forging iron, he is forging great food, right?

Why not play with something that has at least the suggestion of an anvil, or something that is being created?

 

[TheSellOut]

That blend Jill - as perfect as it is - VERY hard to do - even for an experienced person.

I am no hand letterer and not a great sign painter by any means, I mostly have produced stacked vinyl signs and I now have a digital printer, but I like to paint signs and challenge myself with layouts like the last one Jill posted.

That gradient in the background can actually be achieved quite easily with three rollers! One light green, one dark green, and one using a split roller pan that would put half light and half dark on your roller. Start by applying light in the center, dark green on the edges , and using the half&half roller to work in the gradient. This really turns out nice.

I do agree thou that people have to be aware of what they are able to produce when designing. Digital printing is not an end all solution to the sign industry.


BTW...I really liked Jill's first layout and thought that the original one has progressed nicely! Good work everyone

 

[SignManiac]

Roller blends are easy to do as well as airbrushed or sprayed blends using larger guns. Unfortunately many in the sign business today do not possess those skills anymore. I still use many of my old tricks on signs today and often incorporate both old and new technologies in my work today. You can never have too many tricks up your sleeve!

On my lunch break so I'll toss this out for another direction.

 

[TheSellOut]

Lunch break attempt!

 

[SignManiac]

One more quickie on the lunch break... Pictorial is recycled from a job I painted about twenty five years ago.

 

[sinetist]

Wow .... lookit all theses great ideas flowing. I just spent some time toying with the anvil/forge idea (while the latest designs were being posted) and came up with the attached pic. I've spoken with him again ... he loved the Artisan Cookery tag and tooled font for the name and liked the rules made from diamonds. The Chefsmith may be more graphic than he has in mind but I'll run that by him. And all these latest ideas! .... liking them all and adding them to the drawing board for some further consideration. Thanks a lot everyone. It's very inspiring and educational.

 

[TheSellOut]

Yeah!! I liked Circleville's anvil idea and you pulled it off b-e-a-utifully, great graphic!....I would just even out those diamonds!

 

[Fitch]

Love the ideas flowing and to repeat "I know Jill and I know she has the skills to do this"

The other ideas and comments on "how to" seem to be coming forward from those that CAN do it.

I guess the point was that there are many that design such elaborate designs that generally would be dedicated to the Mimaki (Dips hat to those that actually can roll or spray) or cost prohibitive. Make sure "YOU" have the ability to build it and design accordingly. Otherwise do as HeathSign says and challenge yourself.

SignManiac that is absolutely AWESOME and I would love to do that in 3D
SignManiac that is absolutely AWESOME and I would love to do that in 3D
SignManiac that is absolutely AWESOME and I would love to do that in 3D

Cheers

 

[sjm]

Don't get me wrong here... PLEASE.

The only thing that bothers me about the last one that Jill submitted is this:

There is a basic saying in the sign industry... "You designed it... now build it".

This is NOT an old timer / youngin' thing nor a digital v paint point I am making. It is about DESIGN, and the ability to execute that design.

Now before anyone jumps on my case for saying this: let's just say that Jills design is going to be installed in Arizona - in 365 day sun. Inks from a digital printer are going to fade it quite quickly, even with lamination. Good for "repeat" business, but the owner has to either fork out more money, or be dissatisfied with a fading sign he can't afford to keep replacing.

Are you seeing my point (of design flaw v capability) yet?

So maybe lets use paint ( for longevity) as an alternative in the manner the sign is created in the first place. Now... I know Jill and I know she has the skills to do this. There are however many on the forum that just simply do not have either the desire or ability to work with paint. That blend Jill - as perfect as it is - VERY hard to do - even for an experienced person.

So I guess what I am putting forward is : think about the final output re design. Can it be painted, digitally printed, routed, plotted, embroidered, small, large, super large, gigantic etc.

Remember... the point to a good design is to have it as a tool to have your clients business grow and hence more business for you.

And before someone takes the route of " i'll just outsource it ", the idea in business is to make maximum $$$$ - not just a commission on others work.

Cheers

PS I actually like the design Jill.

Woah, that can't be digitally printed? I beg to disagree. A red won't fade in an Arizona climate?

I think a sign has to compliment the message that in this example a resturant is trying to convey. That as the original question posed, Craftsmanship in Cooking.

I suppose some would argue, a Big M as in MacDonald's conveys craftsmanship? Perhaps in the sign but not the cooking, I think anyways.

 

[briankb]

sinetist, I love the last proof you did with the anvil chef.

 

[Fitch]

@ sjm.

Of course it can be digitally printed. I bow to thee and my lack of geographic knowledge lol.

I just picked somewhere I knew was hot... so forgive me. I guess I was talking more towards the longevity and substrate, rather than the design content. Arizona just seemed "hot"

Australia has the harshed UV count in the world, so I guess I related (poorly) one to the other.

I guess that's why Americans have such beautiful skin and Aussies look like crocodiles.

 

[sinetist]

Thanks .... Evened out things a bit more and added some color (I'm going to talk him out of green - the burgundy is much better looking, I think). Here's what I'm sending him. I got a feeling he's going to like this one.

 

[Fitch]

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

This is what frsutrates me, when you can't let something go...lol

The design just gets better and better. I save all "throwaways" and recycle them for the next or suitable client. Saves a lot of time and the "bin" gets bigger and bigger for the future, especially when creativity is down.

LOVE IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[sjm]

@ sjm.

Of course it can be digitally printed. I bow to thee and my lack of geographic knowledge lol.

I just picked somewhere I knew was hot... so forgive me. I guess I was talking more towards the longevity and substrate, rather than the design content. Arizona just seemed "hot"

Australia has the harshed UV count in the world, so I guess I related (poorly) one to the other.

I guess that's why Americans have such beautiful skin and Aussies look like crocodiles.

Me mate, gday ... as a Commonwealth member I think all skin is beautiful. Though I am in the present replacing an airbrushed mural that is in a climate no wheres near as hot as Arizona nor a Bondi Beach ...

Hey I can even make a crocodile look like a shark digitally.

 

[TheSellOut]

Thanks .... Evened out things a bit more and added some color (I'm going to talk him out of green - the burgundy is much better looking, I think). Here's what I'm sending him. I got a feeling he's going to like this one.

That really looks nice sinetist!! I'm not sure how it would look be maybe try changing the outline of the Chefsmith to black and have the gradient go from white to the gold or beige color!

 

[sinetist]

That's better .... and not too bad in green either.

 

[Fitch]

Not bad but IMHO either introduce burgundy into the sign or change the posts. They look too separate - as if the posts have no right to be there.

ALL conponents need to compliment each other and a part of the sign in its entirety.

 

[TheSellOut]

That really makes the sign pop!! I don't mind the green or the burgundy. In my "Victorian" town it is played out though, our planning committee thinks that those two colors are the only two victorian colors. And I do agree with Fitch on the posts but I would change them to black, possibly with gold/beige caps!

Have you tried a deep blue background? maybe with the gold, black & white.

No matter what, where your at now is great and it progressed very nice!