When Shane Durnford was asked to design & fabricate signs for the Peel Heritage Complex fifteen years ago, he had to make them look like they had always been there. To accomplish that, he had to do his research and use materials and design techniques that matched the aesthetics of the historic buildings. The signs were designed within the historical time period and form of the building’s architecture, resulting in a seamless & authentic look. Shane tells us how he used Precision Board HDU, a copper roof, Wiarton stone base and bronze & gilded lettering to handcraft new “old” signs.
The building owners 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.
“The principal criteria was that the signs had to look like they had always been there,” Shane tells us. “We had to match the architecture, the building and historic vernacular.”
He adds, “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.”
“I tell clients they are hiring me for my expertise as well as supplying the product.”
“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.”
“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.
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.
Shane says too many signs these days are new interpretations of old pieces and they fall short- there’s no story. Something he says is 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.”
It took Durnford about two to three months to make all the pieces, including the structure it was on and getting all the copper on. To assemble it took a couple of days.
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.
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.
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