When it comes the outdoor signage, the general attitude is “the bigger the better”. While large signs certainly attract attention, they need the proper design if they’re going to have any effect.
Many people begin designing their outdoor signage by calculating their desired distance corner to corner, but we like to take a different approach here at Alexander’s.
Reverse Engineering
First, we calculate how big the letters should be. Readability is the goal for outdoor signage. After all, people don’t read BIG signs, they read what’s on the sign.
Taking into account the shape and color of the letters is vital to the success of your sign. Certain fonts are easier to read at great distances, and some colors aren’t as visible during certain times of day.
Colors and fonts are important, but we’re not ready to lock in the font size until we calculate two important factors.
Speed
Most signs are stationary, but your audience is not. They may be strolling by your sign at a mile per hour, or blazing by at 60 mph. How quickly your audience will be passing your sign will factor in to how big the font should be, and how big the overall sign will be.
Distance
Distance is just as important as speed. Will your sign be on the roadside? On a billboard? Or being towed behind a plane? Calculating the average distance between your audience and your sign will determine the success of your sign.
Once we’ve considered all of these factors we are ready to lock in the font size, and then adjust the banner size accordingly. It may not be the way most people do it, but it works.
Our design approach to outdoor signage will ensure that your message is clear, and your sign is as big as it needs to be.
