signs

Signazon.com Sponsors Charity Event For Ian Somerhalder Foundation

02 Nov
by Samantha, posted in Fun Stuff   |  No Comments

Empoweresque

If you’ve visited the Signazon.com Facebook page lately, you’ve noticed that things looked a bit macabre. We recently-partnered with the Ian Somerhalder Foundation as a sponsor for their first fundraiser event, a Halloween costume party entitled Empoweresque! Ian Somerhalder is the star of the CW’s “The Vampire Diaries” and also appeared on “Lost.” The purpose of Ian’s charity is to educate women and youth about the importance of standing up as a leader for change. The IS Foundation seeks to protect the environment, increase energy conservation and reduce animal cruelty.

Step and Repeat

In addition to producing the step and repeat backdrop for this high-profile event, we were able to award 10 Platinum-level tickets to 5 of our Facebook fans! Each winner received a ticket for themselves and a guest, which included an intimate Q&A with Ian, a personalized autographed picture, an open vodka bar, and “mystery gifts.” Winners included Shahina Butler, Tamarin Gullett-Tyrrell, Morgan Jenkins, Stacy Geiger and Renee Carter. Congratulations, ladies!

Step and Repeat BackdropIan Somerhalder

Check out some of the great pictures from Empoweresque. Celebrity guests included many of Ian’s “Vampire Diaries” cast members, including Nina Dobrev and Joseph Morgan.

Joseph Morgan and Nina DobrevCourtesy of CW69tv

The Vampire Diaries Cast

Read more about this exciting event in our Empoweresque press release. To learn more about the Ian Somerhalder Foundation, go to www.isfoundation.com.

Solar Car Project Powered By Signazon.com’s Car Decals

13 Oct
by Samantha, posted in Fun Stuff, Materials Expert   |  1 Comments

Recently Signazon.com had the opportunity to work with a group of college students from the University of California Berkeley Solar Vehicle Team, called CalSol. These talented students create solar-powered vehicles to raise awareness about renewable energy.

Car DecalsCourtesy of Flickr

To be able to build their $150,000 vehicle, CalSol needed financial assistance from sponsors. One of the best ways to feature these sponsors would be through the use of car decals placed on the body of the vehicle. Enter Signazon.com, who was happy to assist with the production of die-cut decals of each of the sponsor’s logos (ranging from Volkswagen to Panasonic) as well as the vehicle’s name, Impulse.

Die-Cut DecalsCourtesy of Flickr

Starting Sunday October 16th, Impulse will participate in the 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge in Australia. This is an 1800-mile, cross-country trek across the Australian Outback. Without the assistance of Signazon.com and the generous sponsors who purchased Impulse’s decals, CalSol’s participation in the race would not have been possible. Best of luck, CalSol!

Solar Car DecalsCourtesy of Flickr

Read more about CalSol and Impulse, as well as Signazon.com’s assistance, in our CalSol press release. To follow Impulse’s progress in the World Solar Challenge, go to www.worldsolarchallenge.org.

Signazon.com Sponsors 2011 jQuery Boston Conference

10 Oct
by Samantha, posted in Fun Stuff, Materials Expert   |  No Comments

Some of you may have noticed some new changes on our site. Recently, we incorporated new drop-down menus into the top navigation of our site. The goal with this change was to make our site easier to navigate and our products easier to find.

Signazon.com

To facilitate this change, we incorporated the use of a script library called jQuery. jQuery simplifies the coding process for Web developers and also enables features that are more user-friendly, like the drop-down menus here. It’s a win-win for all parties involved!

Recently, we were able to sponsor jQuery’s annual Boston Conference, at which the latest version of jQuery was released, jQuery 1.7 Beta. Since jQuery has been so useful on our site, we were happy to provide jQuery with vinyl banners and foam boards to list its conference schedule!

jQuery Conference BannerCourtesy of Luke Brookhart.

To read more about jQuery 1.7 Beta as well as Signazon.com’s sponsorship of the 2011 jQuery Boston Conference, check out our jQuery press release. Stay tuned for more exciting features on Signazon.com using jQuery!

 

Clear Printing 101

06 Oct
by Samantha, posted in Design Tips, Materials Expert   |  No Comments

Clear Static Cling and Clear Vinyl are two of our most-popular materials for store window graphics. A clear background allows potential customers to see into your store, and current shoppers to see out and not feel trapped.

If you’re looking to order a clear window graphic, it is important that you know the options for printing that are available. The more information you provide us at the time your order is placed as to how to print on the clear material, the better the result. Here’s what you need to know:

What’s clear?

The first thing we need to know is what parts of your design you’d like clear. Most of the time, this is the white background that is in your file for easy viewing on the computer, but it’s important that you tell us exactly what you expect to be completely see-through.

What’s solid?

Signazon.com is a pioneer in the printing industry in that we can actually print white ink onto a clear material. This is perfect for white lettering on a window with a clear background, and we also use the white ink to back the colors of your file to make them completely-solid on the clear background, as you can see in the above picture. It’s important that you tell us exactly what should be solid so we can make sure to use this white-ink backing.

What’s see-through color?

Another great choice is to print color directly onto the clear material without the white-ink backing. This results in a look like the above picture. As you can see, the yellow has a look that is similar to stained glass. The design is in color but light passes through it. Again, tell us exactly what you’d like to have this “stained glass look” so that we can produce it correctly.

For more information about printing options on clear material, please consult Signazon.com’s Design Guide for Clear Decals with White Ink Printing.

Variations On a Theme: Customizing Templates, Part 2

04 Oct
by Samantha, posted in Design Tips, Marketing Ideas, Spa & Salon   |  No Comments

Here’s our next installment in our series “Variations On a Theme,” which shows you the possibilities that are available with our fully-customizable templates. Hopefully this will inspire you to get creative using our online design tool!

Today’s template is another of our fully-customizable salon signs. This template features a wave background texture and also two white circle spotlights to feature 1) a sales message and 2) compelling images.

Say you like this template but it doesn’t quite fit the aesthetic of your salon. Simply edit the text, swap out the image, and change the color scheme, and now you have a totally different look.

Maybe you’re not a salon at all, but you like the elements of this template. That small white circle, for instance, can be used to create a fun birthday sign, like this one.

The background texture looks kind of like waves of grass. Change the background color to green, and add in a soccer ball image and you’ve got the perfect banner to promote a soccer tournament.

One thing to note in this last design is the usage of the transparency feature built into our design tool. To use the transparency feature, click on your image, and then in the left sidebar under Image Options will be a box which says “Transparent.” Checking this box will remove the white background from the image.

Keep in mind that this will not work on all images—PNGs are the best file type to use as they are designed without a background. If you’re using something other than a PNG, in some cases other white portions of the image may be removed as well (depending on how the file was created). You may have to try a few different images until you find one that works.

Like this template? Get started designing now!

Signazon Designer Tutorial: Adding a Shadow

30 Sep
by Samantha, posted in Design Tips   |  1 Comments

Here’s a great design tip that you can use when creating your perfect sign using our online design tool. Customizing our templates is fun, and we try hard to make it as easy and user-friendly as possible. One problem some of our customers have is that their text that doesn’t stand out on the design. We always suggest using as much color-contrast as possible (i.e. light backgrounds, dark text and vice versa), but sometimes, depending on the design you choose, you can’t achieve this look.

Here’s a great example. The classic American flag template is one of our best-sellers, especially for rear window graphics. Adding text to this template can be challenging, as the background is so color-saturated. Often, customer designs look something like this:

As you can see, the text is hard to read and just doesn’t stand out against the background. So, how do you fix this? A simple shadow will do the trick!

First, select the text you have already typed. Then, click the Add Text button at the top of the designer. A new text box is added using the same styling (size, font, color, etc.) as your current text.

Next, type your text over again, exactly as it is written. Change the text to a contrasting color. Since the text here is white, we’ll choose black for the new text.

Select the new text and drag it over your original text, leaving it to the side slightly (like a shadow).

Finally, with the new text still selected, click the Send Back button located in the lower left-hand corner of the designer.

Voila! Your text now has a shadow, stands out from the background, and is ready-for-print!

 

Top 5 Rules for Political Sign Campaigns

19 Sep
by Samantha, posted in Featured, Political   |  No Comments
Courtesy of The Washington Times

When preparing to implement a political signs campaign, it’s important to have all your bases covered. This will likely be a large expense for your campaign, and you want it to be effective, so make sure you’ve dotted all your i’s and crossed all your t’s. Here are 5 important things to remember when ordering political signs.

  1. Be prepared—A sign campaign is a major endeavor, so make sure you’re ready to do it. This means allocating a budget, designing your signs, planning out your installation, planning the sign removal, etc. There are more steps than you’d think.
  2. Check for legality—You can’t place political yard signs in every location. Check with city officials, homeowner’s associations, business groups, etc., to determine where you can and can’t display a sign. Many of these groups even limit sizes, colors, etc., so to ensure you don’t waste money, check these things beforehand. For more information on sign legality, check out the Top 5 Legal Concerns for Political Signs.
  3. Design carefully—Hire a graphic designer if you have the resources, or at least research a bit of color theory and design. There will be no shortage of political signs around town, so it’s crucial that you stand out. Check out our post on political signs design for more information.
  4. Right size, right price, right material—Ordering the right kind of sign will make your campaign considerably more-effective. Research your materials and sizes to determine which one will get noticed and be right for your budget. You don’t want your signs to look cheap, but at the same time, over-extravagance sends the wrong message.
  5. Less is more—How you implement political signs will reflect on your campaign’s reputation. Above all, remember that less is more, when it comes to design, the number of signs you order, etc. Place fewer signs in strategic high-traffic locations rather than a more signs all over town in less-busy locations. This is less wasteful and produces a better return on investment.

Top 5 Legal Concerns for Political Signs

16 Sep
by Samantha, posted in Featured, Political   |  2 Comments
Courtesy of The Spot by The Denver Post

Although ordering political signs is a quick-and-easy process, it is important that you do some research ahead of time to make sure displaying your signs is legal in your area. Political signs regulations vary by state and community, so it’s always best to check with the authorities rather than waste money ordering signs you can’t use. Here are the most-important things to determine beforehand.

  1. Placement—The biggest concern is whether or not you’re even allowed to display political signs which promote your campaign or a candidate whom you support. As a business owner, check with your property management. As a personal supporter, check with your homeowner’s or neighborhood association. As a candidate, check with city officials to learn which areas allow signage. Rules are especially strict around polling locations, so make sure to clarify this ahead—of-time to avoid a fine, citation, or removal of your signs.
  2. Size—Many homeowner’s associations and city officials, if they allow campaign signs in the first place, limit the size of signs that can be displayed. This helps eliminate a cluttered look and ensures that the signs are readable but not overpowering. It’s another great question to ask, and look for a sign company that can accommodate custom sizes just in case.
  3. Duration—Some states require that signs be removed the day after the election has ended, whereas others allow 7-10 days. In case you’d like to reuse your signs, make sure you’re prepared to remove them so that they are not disposed of by the city or state.
  4. Disclaimer—Many campaigns order political yard signs using funds from campaign contributions. In these cases, it’s usually-necessary that you disclose who paid for (or at least contributed to the purchase of) the signs. Full-disclosure is always the safest choice.
  5. Safety—It’s important that your signs are noticeable but not distracting to passing motorists. Don’t place your signs in locations that could cause a safety issue, whether it’s a political sign that blocks an important street sign or lane marker, or even a sign in the median of a road which could be dangerous to install or remove.

It’s always best to be proactive and address these concerns before installing your signs. Here is an example of a state’s rules for campaign signs (in this case, Texas).

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/public_involvement/campaign_signs.htm

Top 5 Tips for Designing Political Signs

14 Sep
by Samantha, posted in Design Tips, Featured, Political   |  No Comments
Courtesy of Evansville Courier & Press

Political signs, much like real estate signs, are commonplace in the industry. As an aspiring political candidate, it’s important to use campaign signs just to stay even with your competition. All political signs are not created equal, however—there are some definite strategies to use when designing your sign to make it more-effective.

  1. Create a “brand”—Think like a businessman (or woman). The point of your campaign is “selling” yourself (or, if you are a campaign manager, your candidate). As with any business, creating a brand is crucial for your campaign. This means creating a color scheme, slogan, logo, and any other brand elements necessary to make your campaign memorable.
  2. Make it personal—The message of politics is that every vote counts, so make sure your political signs connect with voters individually. Although you want your signs to look professional, they should also be personal. Include a picture of yourself, or some other clue that shows voters that you’re a real person who wants to represent them.
  3. Less is more—Political signs aren’t going to win the election for you; rather, they’re mainly-used to build name recognition. Thus, you don’t have to include your entire platform on the signs. They’re viewed quickly, so edit your content to only what’s completely-necessary.
  4. Encourage action—After viewing your sign, your reader should be motivated to take action by researching your campaign or even going to vote. Thus, include a call to action, which could be your website, the date of the election, etc.
  5. Stand out from the crowd—Every one of your competitors, plus candidates running for other offices, will be using political signs as well. Simply having signs isn’t enough. Make them interesting, creative, and personal.

Monday Fun-day: Hilarious Political Yard Signs

12 Sep
by Samantha, posted in Featured, Fun Stuff, Political   |  No Comments

Politics, for the most part, is a serious topic. If you’re having light conversation with a friend or acquaintance, it’s generally best to steer clear of a political debate. Nevertheless, at Signazon.com, we never tire of finding funny yard signs to brighten your day, so today’s spotlight is on political signs. Who knows? Maybe humor is just what you need to make your campaign signs stand out from the crowd.

Courtesy of Minnesota Public Radio

Kudos to this political candidate for thinking outside the box. She included her picture, which makes the sign personal, and played up a touchy subject to connect with voters on an emotional level.

Courtesy of About.com Political Humor

Sometimes, the opposite of what’s expected can make a big impact. In this case, the sign pokes fun at the popular trend of using a short, catchy slogan on a sign to express political views.

Courtesy of About.com Political Humor

This sign from the Obama campaign is quite humorous, but it brings up a good point. As an aspiring political candidate, using political yard signs is a great way to raise money for your campaign.

Courtesy of Graphics Hunt

A little honesty goes a long way, especially in this case. Political feelings regarding former President Clinton aside, the shocking bluntness of this sign rider (the smaller sign below) certainly gets attention.

Courtesy of Nero HQ

Note to anyone who wants to display a sign to express your political opinion: Spell check is your friend. It makes you look a lot more credible.

Courtesy of Tootsie Jean

I guess this is the only exception. Again, get a friend to help if necessary to make sure you have everything spelled correctly. Your sign will be much more effective.

Courtesy of Ventura County Star

Humorous and clever, this political sign shows that a catchy slogan or saying can make your campaign memorable. The goal is to be in the mind of voters come Election Day, so don’t be afraid to get creative.

Last but not least…

Courtesy of About.com Political Humor

Because, well, let’s be honest, it needs to happen.

Happy Monday, everyone!

 

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