Metal Artist Forum

I would like to have a sign made out of ornamental iron and have it made so you could see it from both sides of the Hwy. I need help in what to ask for. Any ideas out there? Amargosa Conservancy.
Tami

1st question is to ask yourself, how large do you want it to be? 4'x8',6'x10' ect.
2nd question is to have it read from both sides of the sign, you need to have a surface between the two sets of wording.
3rd question is the style of lettering or the fonts you are choosing. Stand alone ornamental lettering leaves a limited number of styles that. A] look good at speed,the speed of the road the sign is along. And thats the normal speed people drive on it. Not the speed limit.
B] And you can read at speed to convey the message you want.
4th is NO CURSIVE ! made from 3/8" or thin stock It is almost impossible to read other than standing still!
5th is KISS! keep it simple stupid, minimum amount of wording and decoration to get your message across.
6th is keep what is called white area or open area around the main body of the sign so it can be read at a glance. If you have to have picto graphics's keep them simple and on each side or ends of the message body.
6th is if it the heavy metal image you are going for you may consider plasma computer cut sign faces placed off a background with stand offs. With the background surface a contrasting color lighter then the lettering for ease of reading.
Anything more my sign consulting/design fees start to kick in 20 years in the sign painting biz is hard to kick

Just from experience anything smaller than 12" tall letters can not be read at highway speeds.

Most bill boards are at least 8 feet tall some are 12' tall. Glen is right in keeping it simple. Excessive detail makes a sign confusing. Designs other than square or rectangle tend to get noticed a little better.

The location of the sign is the controlling factor for size and design. You also have to consider the budget available. A quality sign is not going to dirt cheap.

Hi Tami,
If you could answer a couple of questions it might make things a little clearer for me. Are you looking for an ornamental metal sign, or a bracket to hold or support a board of sorts with lettering on it? Is the highway 2 or 4 lanes? If you want something with lettering on it, I would suggest to do a large bracket or stand with a signboard either hung from it or supporting it.
Thanks,
Mark