Modern Signage to Match Historic Architecture

When Shane Durnford was asked to design and fabricate a handcrafted sign for the Peel Heritage Complex (now called The Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives) fifteen years ago in Brampton Ontario, he did his research.  The sign was designed within the historical time period and form of the building’s architecture, resulting in a seamless and authentic design. Shane tells us how he used Precision Board HDU, a copper roof, Wiarton stone base and bronze and gilded lettering to create a brand new sign that looked like it had always been there.

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When the Peel Heritage Complex owners needed some signs to compliment their historic site, they approached Shane Durnford.  They were looking for three signs in total- a directional sign on the side 12 feet tall, a long sign on the lawn about 15 feet long and then some modern touches to the sign on the building itself.

Shane says, “I’m a sign specialist, as much as a sign maker. The visual fit and placement with surrounding environment greatly influence the effectiveness of the final product.”  He adds, “I tell clients they are hiring me for my expertise as well as supplying the product.”

“I followed a design process that follows a criteria developed from research and discovery,” says Durnford.  “I designed the bases and they were contracted out.  The signs themselves were created in the studio and then assembled on location,” he adds.

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He sketched the designs, redrew them in Adobe Illustrator then scaled them to full size and hand-crafted them out of PBLT-18 Precision Board HDU using traditional woodworking tools including a wood lathe (for the corner pillars ), bandsaw, table saw, and carving tools. There were no CNC machines used.  Everything was done by hand.

The base is limestone from the Niagara escarpment, a native stone that was traditionally used throughout Ontario in the 1800’s.

The roof is copper that was patina’d.  Shane says copper was a natural choice for this.  He then used pot lighting to light the sign up at night.

“The principal criteria was that the signs had to look like they had always been there,” he tells us.  “We had to match the architecture, the building and historic vernacular.”

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“They had a reader board originally, something very modern. It was a full disconnect from the historic setting and architecture, especially considering the site was a landmark in the area and they used it for period movies,” Shane says.  “I researched the history and time period so I could get inside of the thinking behind the architectural forms and materials used. This was the framework for the sign designs.”

Shane says he loves the challenge of creating new signs that authentically blend with historic buildings and their stories. 

“I look at everything- after all the research and information is gathered, I then tuck it away and go by feeling. It tends to design itself this way.”

Durnford says for projects like this, he’ll go back to the history of the building and research the time period and architecture.

“I want to understand why they did what they did and then that gets infused into your design. It’s creating a story. How it’s going to be used. It’s a nice blending of all of it, combined with the quality of materials used.”

Shane says too many signs these days are new interpretations of old pieces and they fall short- there’s no story. The very thing that gives it soul.

“Old buildings were intuitively designed using natural proportioning and patterns, You look at old buildings and you feel and connect on a visceral level,” he says.  “You look at a new building and it’s usually void of these values, and connection.”

Shane says, “I feel signs are all about story telling and intimate communication. They can bridge a strong connection not only to the subject they represent but to ourselves as well. A making for a very effective branding and marketing tool.”

It took Durnford about two to three months to make all the pieces, including the structure it was on and getting all the copper applied. To assemble it took a couple of days.

When the Peel Heritage Complex was renamed to The Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives, Shane was asked to come back and retrofit the signs in 2012.  You can see what they look like right now in the photos below.

Shane graduated from Toronto’s George Brown sign-writing program in 1981. With lettering quill in hand and a box of paint, he started from a humble shop in Creemore, Ontario and, within a few short years, had become a highly sought-after Sign crafter. As a Registered Graphic Designer, Shane quickly became known for not only his superb hand crafting skills but also for his novel image consulting and design services, across various mediums: logos, websites, promotional/advertising material, illustration, corporate branding, and showpiece signage. His unique brand is sensory storytelling thru maximum impact, multifaceted visual imagery.

Shane’s work and articles have appeared in international trade publications. National exposure in major Canadian magazines and television. His work, as well as articles, are well respected within the industry. He has hosted design workshops, participants from as far away as Australia. He is retained as key note speaker for branding strategies by municipalities.  Shane Durnford Studios can be found on a variety of platforms, including his new Instagram account.  For more information and other social platforms, check out his website.  Design & Carving workshops are being organized for Summer 2018, more information to come. Email Shane to receive more info and pricing when it becomes available.

Coastal Enterprises offers free samples of Precision Board HDU.  You can also sign up for our monthly blog roundup, which is jam-packed with helpful blogs on people like Shane doing creative and interesting things with Precision Board.  You can also give us a call with your questions at 800-845-0745.  We’d love to hear from you!

Creating an Architectural Gable with Precision Board HDU

When Shane Durnford created an architectural gable for a home, he used Precision Board HDU and hand-carved the incredible detail into it. For him it was a return to sign work & he couldn’t be happier about it. Shane talks about bringing this work of art to life through craftsmanship, skill and the use of Precision Board HDU.

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Durnford was a sign writer in the 80s doing lettering and specialized in handcrafted signs. He taught himself how to carve in 1989 and it took on a life of its own from there.  Over the next 20 years Shane created thousands of premium carved and crafted signs for commercial, municipal and residential commissions.  After taking a break from carving and sign work, Shane recently had the opportunity to create an architectural gable from some PBLT-18 Precision Board HDU and jumped at the chance.

“This was my return to sign work and hand carving. It never left me. As soon as I picked up the tools, it came back to me,” Shane says. “It’s fun. I missed the craft.”

It took him about 100 hours altogether for the design and carving of the gable. He started with a flat piece that had the general shapes in it and then worked from there to carve dimension into the substrate.  “The 18 lb. Precision Board sheet was only about four inches thick, so I used shadow to give it a bigger look,” Shane says. “I start with a low point and high point for reference and then bring the picture into focus by shading with light and undercutting to give the substrate dimension,” he added.

Almost all of Shane’s work has birds in it. “They are poetically beautiful creatures.” he says.  “Almost everything I do is nature oriented and organic in shape and line. I think living in the beautiful countryside where I had my studio for years had a great influence on my work. It’s the place where my muses live.”

Because the bird’s wing on the right side of the gable was only about an inch thick, he drilled a ¼” brass rod through the bird and into the wing to give it strong support.  Durnford then used Benjamin Moore primer and latex paint with an eggshell finish.  He says, “I thought about painting the apples red, but it would visually clutter the sign and be a distraction to the entire architectural nature of the sign. More of a gable architectural feature instead of a sign.”

Pro Tip: “When carving, take it one section at a time. Pick your highest and lowest depths and establish those areas and then carve the remaining elements in relation to those two points. The detail comes at the very end, like a picture coming into focus.  Design and carve by feel and intuition and try not to over think the process. It’s like sketching. Rough it out and establish the over all composition, and then refine the detail. The learning curve is always steep and never ending. That’s what I love about it.”

Shane likes the feeling he gets when hand-carving high-density urethane.  “It’s a meditative and natural process. When I carve, I try to work intuitively. The carving pulls you inside the work and time passes effortlessly. You forget yourself and let the design find you.”

We asked him how he knows when a particular carving is finished.  “It depends on the piece. For exterior pieces I limited the detail, since it will be viewed at a distance. For more interior pieces the extra refinement adds to the intimacy and expression of the piece.”

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Shane prefers to work with Precision Board HDU because there’s no grain or knots and has a nice consistent density.  He says, “no matter where you are on the material, it’s all the same consistency. It helps the carving, so you don’t have to adjust your work for the material.  I’ve used other sign materials and they don’t hold the edge like Precision Board does. The tools get along well with it.”   He adds, “I like the natural color too.  It’s a little thing, but it affects the mindset when carving.”

Durnford elaborates a bit more on his style.  “I approach the work as a designer rather than just a carver. The sign design criteria easily translates to interior architectural pieces like entranceways,  newel posts, mantels.  I think the key is to feel it when designing and carving. It makes for an authentic and honest piece that engages and connects with people.”

A great selling point for commercial signage.

gable

Shane graduated from Toronto’s George Brown Signwriting program in 1981. With lettering quill in hand and a box of paint, he started from a humble shop in Creemore, Ontario and, within a few short years, had become a highly sought after Signcrafter. As a Registered Graphic Designer, Shane quickly became known for not only his superb hand crafting skills but also for his novel image consulting and design services, across various mediums: logos, websites, promotional/advertising material, illustration, corporate branding, and showpiece signage. His unique brand is sensory storytelling thru maximum impact, multifaceted visual imagery.

Shane’s work and articles have appeared in international trade publications. National exposure in major Canadian magazines and television. His work, as well as articles, are well respected within the industry. He has hosted design workshops, participants from as far away as Australia. He is retained as key note speaker for branding strategies by municipalities.  Shane Durnford Studios can be found on a variety of platforms, including his new Instagram account.  For more information and other social platforms, check out his website.  Design & Carving workshops are being organized for Summer 2018, more information to come. Email Shane to receive more info and pricing when it becomes available.

Coastal Enterprises offers free samples of Precision Board HDU.  You can also sign up for our monthly blog roundup, which is jam-packed with helpful blogs on people like Shane doing creative and interesting things with Precision Board.  You can also give us a call with your questions at 800-845-0745.  We’d love to hear from you!