The importance of WHITE SPACE for Signage

Wayfinding sign, wayfinding signs, directory sign, directory signs, modular sign systems,

Way Finding

Howimportantis WHITE SPACEfor Signs?

To make this a little easier to read: How important is WHOTE SPACE for signs?

What is  WHITE SPACE? And why is it important when designing LEGIBLE signs?

It is said that music is less about the notes and more about the space between the notes as this is where the sound we hear resides.

The same thing about white space can be said with regards to legible signage.

Signs are simple. Good signs that are legible and do their intended WORK WELL may be a little less simple.

Good signage needs to deliver on the signs intended purpose. A signs purpose can vary from getting feet into a store to informing people of positions or offers to directing people to a specific location or in a specific direction.

One common factor in all signs if they are to WORK is that they NEED to be EASILY LEGIBLE.

The more ‘visual noise, the less the sign is EASILY LEGIBLE, and in some circumstances, the sign is not legible at all. Visual noise is the equivalent of NOOPENSPACE (or NO OPEN SPACE) around the intended message.

Visual noise can make text or the pictures bleed into each other, making a sign difficult or even impossible to read. Just like a paragraph that is too long (like this one?) a sign that is difficult to read will most likely not achieve its objective.

If you are in the market for SIGNS that WORK at fair prices (read that as not the cheapest, but good value with guaranteed work), then SignForce is here to assist you.

Contact SignForce now on info@signforce.co.za or call SignForce on +27 (0)11 440 7525 or WhatsApp SignForce on +27 (0)82 558 6413.

Find out more about SignForce by visiting our website at http://www.signforce.co.za

Why SignForce!

SignForce Pylon

Any Size pylon or billboard to suite YOUR needs

Why SignForce!

This ambiguous phrase could be a question just as well as an answer – as such, we will both ask and answer the question.

What makes SignForce unique?’

Obviously the people. No two people are alike, so the people make SignForce unique. However, that same argument is applicable to EVERY business. Not only businesses that design, manufacture and install signs.

SignForce’s USP – Unique Selling Proposition – is the experience we at SignForce strive to (and mostly achieve) create for our clients, as well as the fact that SignForce is a SOLUTIONS based SIGANGE business, meaning we seek solutions – whatever they may be – to your visual communication concerns, issues and questions.

SignForce has a fairly unique skill set in that we CAN and DO offer MARKETING advice, and we are fortunate hat said advice, while being largely logical, is also based on and backed by formal qualifications in the marketing and financial fields. It is for this reason that we firmly believe that ANY money spent on signs should be an INVESTMENT. If your sign does not bring in feet or catch people’s attention or achieve whatever it’s desired purpose is, then in our opinion, the expenditure on your sign is a failure.

Yes, we may offer some top left field  idea’s – but these tend to work. Talking to people much more experienced in international marketing than ourselves, it seems the more uncomfortable you feel when you see the proposed idea, the higher the probability that the sign will be noticed – and achieve it’s objective.

Part of SignForce striving to create a positive EXPERIENCE when dealing with us is to provide FAIRLY priced, intelligently made, value for money signs.

Part of creating value for money means that we need to stay ahead of our competitors when it comes to being informed about new materials on the market, and figuring out if and how the new products – or sometimes old products – can be repurposed to give our clients the best possible value.

Call SignForce today to see how we can help you get your name and message out there – our all time favorite activity, as when our client’s expand, it helps SignForce expand. We are definitely long term thinkers, in it for the long game.

Call SignForce today on +27 (0)11 440 7525 or email us on info@signforce.co.za

Find out more about SignForce by visiting http://www.signforce.co.za

Solid Metal Signs

Brass signs

Brass signs

In a world of JUNK, built in obsolescence, instant gratification, cheap materials, no concern for longevity (until it needs to be replaced which is invariably too soon, especially for cheap materials), it is always comforting to know that solid, NATURAL METAL signs – as in BRASS, ALUMINIUM, COPPER and STEEL (including STAINLESS STEEL) are still available.

Whether you are in the market for a plaque or cut out material, natural, long life, SOLID metal signs create a lasting impression  of CLASS, REFINEMENT and TIMELESSNESS.

As with all signage contrast is VERY IMPORTANT which is why the featured BRASS sign on the BLACK background works so well.

A similar effect can be created with copper.

If you are in the market for a sign that will weather with class, contact SignForce now on +27 (0)11 440 7525 or info@signforce.co.za

 

5 points that make a #sign successful. Part 1

The success of a sign is generally a VERY SUBJECTIVE measurement, and will have a lot to do with exactly WHY the sign was originally commissioned, and WHAT the intent of the commissioner was at the time the sign was commissioned.

If the #sign was commissioned to let passers by know that YOU are located in a particular location, and the sign generates sufficient interest or attention to get [sufficient] people to walk in, the sign could be considered a success.

If on the other hand the #sign was intended to make a specific statement, one that was intended to say ask for a ladies hand in marriage, could one say the sign was UNSUCCESSFUL if the lady turns down the proposal?

From a #signage perspective, generally, for a sign to be successful it should:

  1. Stand out from it’s environment
  2. Be easy to read
  3. Be easy to understand
  4. Be clear, and
  5. Be BOLD

If your sign has all five points, it is bound to succeed in it’s objective.

For SUCCESSFUL signs visit http://www.signforce.co.za or contact #SignForce at +27 (0)11 440 7524 / 5 or email to info@signforce.co.za

SignForce is based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and ork throughout Southern Africa.

How to Illuminate a sign

How should my sign be illuminated – or How do I light up my sign

There are three main directions that a sign can be illuminated, namely FRONT ILLUMINATED, EDGE LIT and REAR ILLUMINATED.

1. Front Illumination – also known as front lighting – refers to the sign being illuminated (lit) from the front, generally either from below or from above, and is commonly used on advertising billboards.

Front illumination is most commonly achieved with bright, ‘spot’ light type lighting, although almost any lighting, including florescent lamps, can be used for front illumination, where the light is being ‘reflected’ off the face of the sign.

Front illumination tends to have the advantage that it can keep costs – both initial investment and running costs – low. This saving does, however, tend to be at the trade-off of clarity and possibly visibility, because one of the largest disadvantages of front illumination is that if the light source is not properly, or well, focused, the sign can become totally illegible at night – just when the lighting is supposed to make the sign visible – as the light reflecting at the incorrect angle can result in the full brightness of the light reflecting off the face of the sign directly into the viewers eyes, similar to the effect of looking into the headlights of oncoming traffic, and effectively blocking the sign’s message.

2. Edge Lighting – also known as side lighting or side illumination or edge illumination – refers to when a sign – generally for a framed glass type sign – is illuminated from one or more side (or edge). Edge illumination is commonly used for safety signs that are illuminated from one edge, as well as for smaller signs that are placed in poorly lit area’s, and ‘slim’ signs that are located in area’s with limited space.

The biggest advantage of edge lighting is that the sign can be extremely thin – from as little as 20 mm deep – so that the illuminated sign can be hung like a work of art or used in the place of a standard piece of artwork, such as a decorative painting.

While there are many advantages to having thin signs, especially when space is at a premium, it is worth remembering that edge lighting can only be used with ‘thin’ light sources, such as T5 florescent tubes or LED lights, so that, for now, (or until the technology improves), the illumination is often not very bright. This does not tend to be an issue if the area where the sign is to hang is poorly or not illuminated, but can be problematic when the area is well illuminated, or there is a lot a ‘other’ light in the vicinity of the sign, as the edge light may not be as bright as the competing light, and thus the most powerful effect of the illumination can be lost.

3. Rear Illumination – also known as internal lighting, back illumination and back lighting – is the most powerful, and most common lighting, used for business signs, building signs and ‘light boxes’. Rear illumination refers to the light ‘passing through’ the face – and illustration – of the sign, thus enhancing the picture, and / or message.

Because of the work involved in the manufacturing and wiring process, rear illumination does tend to be the most costly form of illumination, although the costs are coming down with all the wonderful developments being made in lighting technology.

One of the many advantages of rear illumination is that different types of illumination can be used to create different effects for the viewer. An example of this is when old technology florescent lights (running off magnetic ballasts and starters) are placed behind a picture of running water. Because of the flow of energy in the tubes, the water in the picture also gives the impression that it is moving. While the effect is wonderful, and old technology ballasts are inexpensive when first purchased, it is common for these ballasts to fail. They are also very eco-unfriendly and use a lot of energy because almost 80% of their output is lost to heat.

Modern, energy efficient florescent lights such as the one’s that SignForce use, run off eco-friendly electronic ballasts, and while their cost is constantly decreasing, the initial investment required for this type of lighting is still significantly larger than that required for the older technology, magnetic ballasts. That said, the increased initial investment is WELL WORTH IT, both because of the longer life expectancy of the modern ballasts and tubes, and also because of the lower running costs – both from a power consumption AND a maintenance perspective, as well as the fact that the sign box will not need to have all the ventilation required from the heat generating magnetic ballasts, contributing to a lowing of the manufacturing costs.

It is becoming increasingly common for rear lit signs to be illuminated with energy efficient, eco-friendly LED lights, because of the reduction in running costs, the extended life expectancy of LED lights and the ease of use.

Another advantage of rear illumination is that the picture and / or commercial message is enhanced when the lighting is from the rear, making the message brighter and clearer.

If you are in the market for professional looking, illuminated signs, or simply require advice on how best to illuminate your sign – and get a return on your illuminated sign investment – email arnold@signforce.co.za or david@signforce.co.za using the subject line: ADVICE PLEASE and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

http:www.signforce.co.za

Getting a sign ‘HEARD’ above all other ‘NOISE’

Each one of us is supposedly bombarded by millions of stimuli on a daily basis, much of which is ‘lost‘ through a wonderful feature known as ‘FILTERING’, which removes information that we do not ‘see’ as immediately relevant or beneficial.

Signs often fall into this category, as unless the viewer is looking for your product, service or store, their filters will delegate your visual advertising to file 13.

There are two thoughts as to how to overcome filters. One is constant change. The other is simplicity.

Constant change requires that the sign colour, shape and message change on a regular basis – which today can be achieved by using flat screen monitors on a shop front as a sign.

The other, possibly more effective from both a cost and memory perspective, is simplicity.

A simple sign means that the message is clear and there is a large contrast between the background and the message. The larger the contrast, and the clearer the message, meaning the greater the possibility that the sign will be seen and remembered amongst all the ‘noise’.

Should you require any signs or advice on signs, or if there is any specific sign related topic you would like me to cover please email SignForce now on arnold@signforce.co.za or call the office on +27 11 444 3331 to see how we can serve you.