We’ve all seen poorly designed signs, banners and vehicle wraps. Usually, they’re busy, unattractive and packed with too much information. Sadly, they serve as a reminder that simply having a vinyl cutter doesn’t qualify one as a professional sign maker.
As professionals, we strive to help our customers put their best foot forward. Further, we believe their success is our success. Today, after 40 years in the sign business, we can honestly guarantee beautifully designed signs and vehicle graphics. Simply put, good sign design starts here.
The fundamentals of good design
We utilize basic “rules” of design to create attractive and effective communication art. Here’s how we do it:
Together, contrast, color and font are three fundamentally basic and important elements of effective sign design. Usually, signs and vehicle graphics are seen by people driving by. So, it’s important that they’re easy to read at a glance. Therefore, by keeping all sign elements simple, organized, and using contrast, a sign will stand out. Below, the black and white “contrast” example, shows how effective this is.
High-contrast – grabs attention. White on black or any intense color works well to create interest and draw attention.
Good design – makes use of both positive and negative space. Basically, positive space includes letters and images. Alternately, negative space includes everything around and in between. Unfortunately, the most common mistake is cramming too much information into a design, leaving no room for contrast, let alone organization.
Font selection – can make or break a sign design. We use different fonts that look good together. For example, we use one font for the main message and another for a secondary message. However, never more than three fonts on a sign.
Kerning – the space between letters – is an important design element. All letters are not the same design. Therefore, they need to be organized, sized and spaced appropriately.
Below – a well-designed Paxton sign that achieves all aspects of good design: Contrast, color, fonts, and kerning. It’s finished off with an overall pleasing shape, a faux leather background, interesting art elements, set inside a faux stone monument wall.
Good sign design makes a difference

Unreadable fonts, poor spacing and poor use of contrast, or white/black balance.
Well-designed signs should have good balance between white space and other sign elements. Overly cluttered signs are difficult to read, as in the green example, pictured. Too much information causes viewers to miss the message entirely. The poor use of font styles, white space and messy grouping of related elements makes this sign difficult to read.
Signs that mean business
Paxton Signs can create professional signs, banners, vehicle graphics and more. Let us help you design better, more effective, professional signs that mean business…and compliments!
We specialize in communication art
Paxton Signs’ more than 41 year history includes hundreds of signs. Some are major monument signs, some small business signs. We’ve created ranch signs, lighted signs and signs made from recycled wood. We specialize in hand-painted and carved signs. We also offer vehicle and fleet graphics. Paxton Signs provides a continuous variety of communication art for Fort Collins, northern Colorado and the surrounding mountain areas.
See more Paxton Signs handiwork on Pinterest at, https://www.pinterest.com/boliver0474/boards/
View Paxton Signs’ galleries at www.paxtonsigns.com, or by using the menu bar, above. Contact us at 970-221-5519