Get a Sneak Peek at Sawatzky’s 2019 Sign Invitational Entry

Coastal Enterprises, manufacturers of Precision Board HDU, is proud to announce a series of guest blogs written by Dan Sawatzky of Imagination Corporation, which will be posted on the Precision Board Blog each month. This month Dan Sawatzky tells us why he has already started building not only his entry for the 2019 Sign Invitational, held at the ISA EXPO, but the Sawatzky special creation that will be on display in the Coastal Enterprises booth.  As the defending champion of the 2018 Sign Invitational, Dan knows he needs to bring his best game to compete, but at the same time he wants to encourage healthy competition.  Sawatzky uses a variety of materials to build his entries, including PBLT-30 Precision Board HDU.

In Dan Sawatzky’s own words….

As the defending champion (two times over) of the Sign Invitational at the ISA EXPO I feel I will really have to play my ‘A’ game to be a serious contender in the 2019, Las Vegas edition of the show to be held April 24-26 . It’s my plan to give all comers a serious run for their money!

There are two categories this coming year. One will feature entries of the same dimensions as previous Invitational pieces. 2’ x 2’ x 6’ tall. The theme is ‘TIME’.  The second category is a tabletop or wall mount version measuring 3’ x 3’ x ?. The theme is the same as the big category.

I’m hard at work on an entry for both categories (of course).  The big piece will be shown in the Signs of the Times booth along with all of the other entries. My smaller entry will be shown in the Precision Board (Coastal Enterprises) booth. Coastal Enterprises has been a wonderful sponsor from the beginning of the contest which started four years ago.

While most of the competitors are keeping a tight wrap on their designs and build, I like to share my progress from the start in the hope that it will encourage others to build a showpiece of their own. While winning the trophy is cool, the primary purpose of the contest is to showcase the fun projects we can build in our studios. Samples sell great work.

The large piece I am building is called Timekeeper’s factory. Its a tall (and slightly wonky) factory, complete with a steam plant, delivery vehicles and a host of other small details which abound on the piece. While I’ve made great progress so far, there is a host of details yet to add to ensure the story is told well.

The smaller piece will be called ‘Turning back time’. It is a detailed look at the inner workings of a steam powered clock. I’ve made good progress on the basic clockworks but there are many details and surprises yet to come.

Both pieces will have a whole lot to look at, with many visual puns throughout.

The Sign Invitational entries showcase how we use various materials, including Precision Board and companion products. I can hardly wait to see how the attendees of the ISA show react to these two and the other entries as well. It promises to be a great show.

There is still room for more entries but the deadline for the Sign Invitational is quickly approaching. For more information go to www.signinvitational.com.

Sawatzky’s Imagination Corporation is a small family company that specializes in the design and creation of dimensional signs and environments. They tackle projects of any size from small signs to entire theme parks. Their work has garnered numerous national and international awards.

Dan Sawatzky is best described as a creative force and visual storyteller extraordinaire. His art career spans almost fifty years of magic. Dan’s passion is to design and create imaginative places that take people from the normal world to a setting of delight and wonder.

Coastal Enterprises manufactures Precision Board HDU, a versatile, cost-effective and eco-friendly urethane sign material that is particularly effective for making professional-looking indoor and outdoor dimensional signs.  It is a closed-cell rigid substrate that does not rot, warp or crack.  You can request free samplesget a quote or sign up for periodic newsletters packed with helpful information.