Signs should be creative and fun!

As I look at the signs for developments it makes me wonder why there aren’t more creative and fun ideas used. The sign industry is chock full of people who insist they are creative and yet most of the signs are far from it.

We take a far different tack as we design developments. Imagine of we could use creativity at every turn – literally. Why do trees signs have to be a boring rectangular flat piece of metal with some boring type stuck on them?

With the advent of modern software, high tech materials and CNC plasma cutters, lasers and routers this kind of sign is easier than ever to design and create.

We are currently working on a number of projects where we will be proposing some very different ideas. The first one, below, is from a project I designed about seven years ago. Sadly the project never went ahead for it would have been ground breaking. It was for a tourist development by the seaside. The street signs and direction signs were to have been very different.

A current project is smaller in scale but even more creative. Many details are still under wraps but I can share two signs which will be part of many in the series. The brackets and lettering on the signs would be made of plasma cut steel, welded together and then powder coated for longevity. The cute vehicles on the top will be routed from 30 lb Precision Board. We’ll do them in halves and then glue them together. Smaller details will be added before the final paint.
With this approach even the smaller signs will be focal points. This project will gather a lot of attention and be truly memorable by all who visit. It will all be designed in from the start.

Published with permission from precisionboard.blogspot.com. Source.

Renovations Part 1.

A few months ago, I walked in the shop and stopped in the entryway. I looked around and thought, this is nice, but it’s not really Synergy. After some careful brainstorming, the hammers came out, the paint brushes began to fly, and the Multicam CNC Router began cutting parts. The first step was to texture all of the walls with Coastal Enterprises TSF 45 texture coating. We used 3 gallons putting a nice heavy texture on the walls. After that was dry, we turned our attention to the paint. The first of many coats is now applied and we’ll begin the glazing process soon.

The Multicam 3000 series router has been humming for a few months working on various parts for the entry way.

First we made up some amazing gear window sills, then some pretty cool shelves that will mount on the walls to showcase small portfolio pieces
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Once those were complete, we turned our attention to the fabricated beams that will serve as the wow factor in the room. All in all, there will be 6 beams with pipes and overhead portions that you will walk under when entering our shop.

The beams have just been texture coated and will get their base coats of paint today. If you look closely at the rivet details on the beams, we made silicone molds of real steel hot rivets so we could cast lightweight copies. We minded over 960 rivets for this entry way!!! Thats some serious attention to detail.

Stay Tuned!

-Jim

Published with permission from Synergy Sign & Graphics. Source.

New Challenger: Phase Two: Turning 2D to 3D, It’s harder then it sounds

I have a concept, I figured out my scale, now to start actually building… ugh… Where to begin?

Jim and I sat down with my concept sketch and started figuring out materials we should use. This can somewhat be overwhelming, but we approached it by dividing the piece in half. We started with the base, The bottom pretty much needs to be the strongest and most durable. This is because your top half is to be shipped inside it.

We came up with a steel frame welded together and attaching Precision Board from Coastal Enterprises for the panels inside the frame. This will give great durability and strength to the base while keeping the weight lower without sacrificing durability by using the Precision Board panels. Making this easier to unpack and assemble at the show.

We took my vectors into Enroute Pro to develop the textures and look and feel of the panels on my piece. Below is Jim instructing me how to tack weld, lets just say I need to practice those welds.IMG_2454_blogIMG_2449_blog

Also here are a few views of our Multicam carving the panels.

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Next up is painting!

-Aubrey

 

Published with permission from Synergy Sign & Graphics. Source.

New Challenger: Phase One: Use all the math you learned in school, that you never thought you’d actually ever use.

Phase One: Use all the math you learned in school, that you never thought you’d actually ever use.

I have a concept! Now what do I do? Well… I guess I can put the engineering degree to use and start drawing my piece to scale.
I started with the basic dimensions a 24in x 24in base, as stated in the contest rules with a total height of 72 inches.

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Easy enough, right? Well I began using all the math knowledge I never thought I’d use, I started to do rough sketches.
I brought my dimensions I calculated in Abobe Illustrator, and then everything seemed to fall into place.
I did my rough outlines that I will later bring into Enroute to start the modeling process so I can carve my design.
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Onto the modeling carving… yay! Fingers crossed!
-Aubrey

Published with permission from Synergy Sign & Graphics. Source.

New Challenger

A few months ago the invites for The Sign Invitational went out, I thought nothing more about it really besides the theme and some ideas came in mind for the shops entry.
As some of you may know, Jim and the shop helped organize a contest last year, where a bunch of sign makers challenged each other to create a dimensional display piece.
Synergy placocnept-editced 3rd and that was the first month I started at the shop and my first big project.

I then received an interesting email from none other than Dan Sawatzky. My eyebrow raised as I opened a email entitled “Sign Challenge.”
Oh brother, I thought to myself reading that Dan challenged me to compete in The Sign Invitational with Jim as a accomplice.
I panicked a bit, well actually I am still panicking a bit, ok well I am panicking a lot. I have a lot to learn and I am learning a lot and I feel this was a very tall order.
I still feel it is a tall order and a challenge for me having the least experience then the rest of the competitors.
I took a deep breath and thought to myself I might be able to do this if I have a strong idea.
I began to do what I do best, I curled up at my desk with my sketchbook and began to brainstorm several ideas.
The theme this year is Sign Magic, and I fell upon one of  the oldest styles of magic, fortune telling.
It is all starting with an idea and a sketch… Wish me luck and send some sign magic my way! I’ll need it!
-Aubrey

 

Published with permission from Synergy Sign & Graphics. Source.