Signs are ubiquitous, business signs, street signs, for sale signs, cottage signs, billboards and more…
A good sign has to stand out and grab a passerby’s attention, even if they are speeding, talking on the cell phone and tending to kids in the back seat. Or in some cases they are doing it all at once.
What makes a great sign?
1.A great sign needs to first comply with local bylaws or it will be removed. So check with your local authorities.
2.A logo or image should be unique, simple and readable from a distance.
Think of famous logos like Nike, Mercedes Benz, MacDonald’s all are simple and instantly recognizable from a distance. Some like Amazon and FedEx even contain subliminal imagery. Notice how Amazons yellow arrow goes from the A to the Z, indicating they carry it all from A to Z. The FedEx logo also includes and arrow, but can be hard to see. Between the E & x, the point of the arrow is in the left side of the crosspoint of the x, and the tail of the arrow is the hollow of the bottom section of the E. Very ingenious actually.
3.Text size and font should simple and clean and again large enough to be read from a distance at speed.
4.Effective use of intuitive symbols and shapes can help express your message as well.
5.Size; in most cases bigger is better. Your sign can be seen from further away and you have room to convey more information without overcrowding the sign.
6.Colors; Should contrast well
If you are designing a new business sign for an area, there are economic advantages to presenting an attractive sign to the public. Sometimes merchants collectively coordinate a sign system to add to a municipality’s continuity. Doing this encourages economic development, beautifies streets and improves a community’s appearance. Since signs are a consumer’s first impression of merchants, designing a good impression is tantamount to attracting customers. To bring in business, a merchant should have a high quality, clear, attractive, appropriately sized sign which fits the context of the overall scheme of the area.
Street signs are a bit different. Street signs must be clear and simple so that it can be read and understood instantly. For example, a red ‘no entry’ sign conveys a message without words or pictures. Color and shape are also very important for street signs. Different colors create differing reactions to the human brain, and different shapes create different reactions. For example, a triangular sign has points and represents danger, which is why the shape is used for warning signs. Rectangular signs are the same shape as a book therefore, they give information. Round signs are instructional because they look like the end of a pointing finger giving you an instruction. Symbols which are easily recognized around the world, are extremely important to convey an idea and be understood. Designing a symbol to effectively translate information to all cultures and languages is difficult, but it is possible. When you research symbols used by designers you can see that sign symbols evoke similar responses in different nations and cultures. Similar living experiences, and memories are the base of understanding symbols, and culture is the common thread between a designer’s ideas and the viewers understanding. This being said, our complex world is comprised of a handful of some very simple design patterns. Patterns are made of basic shapes. These shapes have found their way into human design since the beginning of our time because they tell an eternal tale in a glimpse and their structure instructs us about our connection to the universe. Symbols are intuitive and immediate. Designs that reference these symbols create an immediate relationship with the viewer.
So, the next time you are speeding down the highway, or driving through your city’s heritage area, take a moment to think about the signs. What are they trying to say with their design, colors, shapes and patterns? You’ll never take another sign for granted again.
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