Creating signages seems like a straightforward thing to do, but the truth is that many aspects are considered before a sign is drawn. Here are some crucial factors that designers take into account when creating signages:
1. Letter Height or Font Size
Letter size or letter height is an important feature in design because it helps determine how far away the sign can be read. If your lettering is too big or too small, it may affect the quality of your sign. So knowing the particular viewing distance you need for your signs is essential.
As a general rule, every ten feet of viewing distance from your sign requires a one-inch increase to the letter height. For instance, a text viewed from 150 feet away requires 15-inch tall lettering to ensure that anybody from that specific distance can still read the signage.
2. Font Type
Standard fonts used in creating signages are Serif and Sans Serif, including their variations.
For the most visible and easy-to-read signs, you should opt for block fonts. Generally, using decorative fonts is not the best option because these fonts are harder to see in smaller sizes. Thus, affecting a sign’s readability. However, it is not entirely impossible. If you want to use decorative and script fonts, adjust your letter height by a few inches to improve its visibility.
3. Sign Placement
Readability and visibility are also affected by sign placement. To balance out its visibility with everything else, you need to consider whether your signage ends up in the roadways or sidewalks. For instance, you need to take into account the angle of where the sign will be placed and the angle of the viewer. Consider both passengers in cars and pedestrians walking by.
A sign placed perpendicularly to the viewer’s line of sight is easier to view than if it was placed parallel to a road or walkway. Large font sizes are also more visible even when placed parallel to the viewer’s line of sight. Signs placed below or above eye level should also be in large letters to increase readability.
4. Font Color
To increase your signage’s visibility, you can use colors that contrast with the sign’s background. The general rule is that you should use a dark-colored background with a light-colored letter and vice versa.
If both your letters and the background color are of the same level of darkness or lightness, it wouldn’t be readable. That is especially true for vinyl lettering and decals on tinted windows.
Additionally, you also have to consider the lighting condition in the area you’re using the sign for when deciding on the colors. Don’t use light colors for signs to be placed in bright rooms. Consequently, you also have to avoid using dark colors in signs for areas with dark lighting.
Conclusion
These four things to consider when creating signages are easy to master and don’t require special graphic training. When in doubt, use bigger letters, block fonts, and contrasting colors. In addition, increasing visibility to viewers involves placing your signage in an obvious location with lots of light. But be sure that the light does not affect your sign’s quality.
Reliable Sign Services is a full-service sign manufacturing company in Alabama, offering design, fabrication, installation, maintenance, and permitting. Reliability is at the core of every signage we do, guaranteeing that every customer gets a high-quality sign product at the expected time and at a fair price. If you need outdoor or business signs in Birmingham, AL, call us today at 205 635 7685!