Handmade Signs Part 1:
Dina's Signs and Suggestions





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SIMPLE SLOGANS
Large, bold signs with simple slogans will be noticed by passing drivers, pedestrians, and photographers. These are more likely to end up displayed in the media.

 

Short messages in bold colors, easily read from across the street. Large letters can be outlined and filled in with waterproof jumbo markers.

NECK SIGNS
A small sign hung around the neck, front or back, leaves hands free to manage another sign, flag, camera, or child.

 


VARYING COLOR & SIZE
of lettering separates phrases and imparts emphasis, so punctuation is unnecessary.


A BORDER directs attention to the message.
MOVING FRINGE
attracts the eye.
CLOTHING (above) is part of the presentation. Clear (but not clashing) colors frame and enhance the sign; they photograph better than busy patterns, or the dull browns and grays that seem to be favorites in my beloved Seattle.
See Costume.

GRAPHIC NOVELTIES
SYMBOLS mixed with standard lettering are a device that creates visual interest. EXPRESSIONISM
A "splattered" letter in a contrasting color needs no explanation.

Although the letter is distorted, the word is still easily readable.

CUT-OUT SHAPES
Different colors of posterboard can be cut into shapes with scissors or a mat knife, and then assembled on a backing board.
Left: The flames and the yellow and black shapes are cut and glued. The black board's wavy shape at the bottom suggests dripping oil.

REVERSE LETTERING
Letters are cut out of dark-colored board, then layered over a light-colored board.
Left: The flame shapes are cut from neon board. Holographic strips enhance the letters.
Right: Sign for the proposed Seattle "Green Line" (defeated, alas). I traced letters from a suitable font, cut and glued them, added wavy holographic borders.

DECORATIVE LETTERING
In this case, the theme was expressed by curving lines, holographic decals, and coin fringe. The font is a playful style, but still easily readable.

Lettering in different colors and and novelty styles enhances the message.

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REPRODUCTIONS
A readymade graphic design or photo can be scanned, enlarged, printed and used as a poster, or part of one. I add a water-resistant coating, and glue them to a board; but eventually they may degrade and need replacement.
Be careful; copyrighted images cannot be reproduced for commercial use (or sometimes otherwise) without permission. The Rolling Stone is an ad for the rag, however...
I greatly increased the size and resolution of this web photo, then filtered it to appear posterized, not pixilated. I faded the edges and added a border. I scanned & enlarged the original cover, divided it into four parts, printed, and assembled them onto a backing board. I added the line at the bottom.

The picture is from a vintage ad that I enlarged. Pink and light blue continue the "baby" theme.

 I converted the color pictures to grayscale, then adjusted the contrast. I glued each picture onto the board and added the red fringes and painted lettering.


On these two signs, each large head is assembled from two printed halves. Heads are combined with other printed images, cut paper shapes, and painted or inked-in details.

REPRODUCTIONS PLUS ILLUSTRATIONS

I found the photos online, enlarged each one, and put it through several Photoshop filters to get rid of any pixelated look.

Then I pasted the photos into the layout, and inked in the illustrations and lettering around them.

REFERENCE
 I rarely copy another's concept, but here I did my version of Picasso's famous "Guernica." Bush's phrase "hard work" to describe his job was widely derided. I've seen other versions which included evil pigs in tanks representing the U.S., or photos of bloody body parts, but like Picasso, I felt the illustration of traumatized, suffering townspeople made the antiwar statement on its own.  
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