Figures 1 and 2: At the design stage, client-supplied graphics may need to be optimized for sign legibility.
Design knowledge and experience
Another potential problem is the customer who has no knowledge of sign and/or logo design. Just as clients can be naïve regarding how much work is involved with producing and installing a sign, they may be equally out of touch regarding the generation and use of vector artwork files.
The first-timer might even assume the sign shop will automatically supply new artwork among its standard services. This may be fine, provided the expectation is presented ‘on the table’ in advance and the client is made aware of the additional costs involved with the design process.
It also means the shop needs a staff member on hand who is capable of generating an appropriate design. If this is the case, then the company will be well-equipped to take on the additional challenge of creating artwork at the beginning of the project—keeping in mind it could involve multiple revisions, which will add to the project’s timeline.
A new customer may even assume a hand-drawn sketch on a sheet of paper counts as a design file and, once that sheet has been handed to the sign shop, the design stage of the project is complete! This is certainly not the case and needs to be explained at the outset.
Graphic files
Some customers, on the other hand, will provide prepared graphic files that look fine in print, but do not translate well into signage. Their logo, for example, might use a custom font featuring letter strokes that are far too thin for channel letters, which necessarily entail minimum stroke widths to accommodate the physical realities of the letter materials and illumination. Alternatively, the logo might include artistic elements that are impractical to reproduce in signage, as the resulting design would be difficult to read (see Figures 1 and 2).
Yet another potential issue is artwork with overlapping graphic elements. Again, these might provide an appealing appearance in print, but are not feasible to reproduce in a set of channel letters. Even as a logo box, the design could cause legibility problems.
These are all reasons for signmakers to be wary when a new client proudly proclaims, “Our logo is all set to go!” While he/she may not realize it, in many cases a graphic designer has created artwork without consideration of certain applications, particularly signage. So, the design may involve odd shapes, layered elements and other complications that would prohibit a straightforward translation into an effective sign design.
With that in mind, when the client explains the file is ready, the signmaker should insist on seeing it first. A ready-to-go file may not be ready at all.
