Evening star., 1939-09-23
Sign Making Calls
For Talent as Well
As Paint
CoIors and Type
Must Fit in With
Surroundings


Signs of the times are always i'm
portant--especiaily where adver-
Using is concerned. A neat, we'll
painted sign is indicative of we'll
ordered business, just as originality
in the design and its execution re-
veals an up-to-the-minute grasp of
affairs by the firm or individual
represented.
In sign painting it Is important to
use only highest quality materials
and colors that are both light-fast
and weather-resistant. Remember
they will be exposed to the constant
alienation of blazing sun and beat
ing storm. And color selection from
the point Of view of visibility is an
element of prime significance.
A recent survey has shown that,
out of 13 combinations tested, black
letters on yellow is the combination
which can be read farther away
than any other. After that comes
green on white, red on white, blue
on white, white on blue, black on
white, yellow on black, white on
red. white on green, white on black,
red on yellow, green on red and,
last of all, red on green. Visibility,
however, should not be the only con-
sideration. The color of the build
ing against which the sign is dis
played must be regarded to avoid
discordant effect.
Calls for knowledge.
Too many advertising signs, prom
inently displayed, have a distinctly
homemade look. The well-grounded
commercial sign painter should per-
feet himself in layout work, color
harmony and design. In addition, he
should possess an extensive knoWl-
edge of all types of lettering and
should know how to adapt each par
ticular type of lettering to its par
ticular purpose. Accordingly, signs
should not only be neatly made and
painted, but the letters should be
well-spaced and well-proportioned
to the size of the sign. Further
more, a touch of originality will
serve to capture the eye of the
passer-by, where more mediocre
production will pass as just one
more sign.
Directions to coffee shop that
are we'll presented and tasteful, both
in wording and color, for example,
will have much happier effect
upon the appetite Of the tourist than
one carelessly constructed with in
different materials. The nature of
the sign, of course, depends on the
type of advertising you want to do.
If it is for an inn, residence or a
roadside stand, individual differ
ences must be considered, and styles
in signs may bear out the archi-
tectural background. covering a wide
range through Oriental, Colonial.
modernistic, rustic and so on.
While most signs are made of
wood, metals and synthetic materials
are also employed. Although some
signs are cut with raised letters and
some with sunken ones, paint is ap-
piled to either variety and finished
with a protective coating of lacquer.
TlHc anu demlOck u. n.
For small wooden signs, white pine
or hemlock are satisfactory, being
light in weight and taking paint and
oil we'll. You can also use bass
wood, cottonwood. maple and red
wood. Dealers in sign wood and
supplies carry the wood, or you may
procure it from manufacturers of
display boards. Though many signs
are OF so inexpensive quality as to
be merely cheap, plain wood with
out border and consequently sub
Ject to cracking and warping, others
are properly framed and generally
well made.
Perhaps the signs are to be painted
on glass. In this case, ready bound,
coach painters colors, thinned with
turpentine, should be used. This
dries in few hours to fiat finish
Which-under normal circumstances
is reasonably durable. Additional
wear may be obtained by giving the
letters a second coat to which about
one-fourth (by volume) of elastic
carriage varnish has been added,
Before applying the letters to the
glass, first clean the glass with tur-
pentlne and methylated spirit. Two
guide lines should be snapped onto
the outside Of the glass and the let
ters outlined with a piece of soap
sharpened to an edge.
Occasionally a painter is required
to paint a sign on a galvanized iron
roof. This requires a rather differ
ent mode of treatment. If the iron
roof is new, it should first be treated
with a solution made by dissolving
8 ounces of copper acetate to a GAL
Ion OF water. This is applied to the
surface of the roof with a wide
brush and allowed to dry, then rinsed
on with water. One of the high
grade metal primers is applied next.
When this has dried, follow it with
the finishing coat of good exterior
OIL paint. Some dealers carry a
special type of primer which is said
to be sufficiently adherent without
previous chemical treatment of the
roofs surface.