November 2006 Archives

We would be delighted to create a truly unique and one of a kind holiday gift for you, your friends and family. Here we share a few of the steps and techniques used to create these wonderful signs.

We begin the process of creating the signs right here on our computerized router. In this photo, we're carving the lettering into a sign (a blank of high density urethane) that has had the background painted and a protective mask applied.

When the router has completed the carving toolpath, the sign begins to take shape.

Here, we have painted the lettering and the base coat for the border. The shiny stuff you see on the border is the "glue" that holds the 23k gold leaf. Its real name is "size." We paint yellow underneath the gold size to add to the brilliance of the finish. Gold leafing is a centuries old art form that produces stunningly brilliant sign elements.

A completed holiday gift sign with a dark blue background.

And a link to the hiigh resolution PDF information is here.

If you would like to see a few "in person" we have samples in both the Ship Bottom and Manahawkin stores. We're also capable of handling your custom gift sign requests including custom colors, shapes and sizes.

Welcome League Show attendees–we're glad you've found us. As you take a look around here and the main site , you'll notice probably notice we really enjoy what we do. And we'd like you to enjoy one of our finely crafted gift house signs this holiday season. Not only are we offering an exceptional value on a custom sign like the one pictured below, we're giving one away at the show. If you missed getting your business card in the barrel at the show, just Email me and I'll put you in the pot to win. We'll pick a winner this Friday and you can be sure I'll post the results right here!

Trade show booth at the New Jersey State League of Municipalities Show. Special thanks to Reynolds Landscaping for the use of the plants that really make our display pop.

We have the ability to create custom all murals, and over the years we have produced some really interesting projects. From mall wall store barricades to reception areas to bedroom walls, we can create a custom wall mural that suits your marketing or decor needs. Here's a mural we (finally) did for ourselves! It's door closed (cold) season—I wanted to brighten up the shop and inspire the gang even on the coldest of winter days. Here's a before and after shot. If you're considering a custom wall or door graphic, we can create one from scratch or use your supplied photo or graphics—with myriad material options from suede to pebble to basic satin or gloss material—all with washability and durability levels to fit your needs.

I'm typically blogging about all of the "glamorous" signs we make here at Typestries. Yes, most of the signs we make are carefully tailored to be excellent business promotion tools. But, we also make signs that serve a specific, often very limited purpose. Case in point with this project. You're looking at an order for reflective parking lot regulation signs. Not much fancy stuff here-just reflective vinyl faces on .080 aluminum sign blanks. Even though this is a relatively simple job, we still take the time with the design and layout to ensure the design is balanced and effective. Careful use of font weights, line breaks and copy color can make even a simple sign like this more effective—and we take the time to do so even on a job as seemingly simple as this.

Looking for a unique holiday Gift? .

The shop is brimming with many different types of sign projects. We're actually really versatile when it comes to signmaking. We have the capability in house to produce all types of signs and visual identity products. Short run decals, specialty truck and vehicle lettering, custom static cling, window posters, and our favorite, carved, gold-leaf prismatic cut out letters.

These are the first of a few signs that have been ordered as holiday gifts. We've got an excellent display of carved house signs that make great gifts in our Ship Bottom store, and this year I'm adding a twist to the holiday gift signs that should make a carved house sign a gift anyone can enjoy. Most of our custom house signs start in the $300 price range. This year we'll be offering a $95 holiday gift sign. I wanted to make a nice sign at a price point appropriate for all gift giving opportunities. Like their more expensive counterparts they'll have gold leaf, be carved, and will be designed to provide many years of enjoyment. If you know of someone looking for a unique gift or are looking for a gift yourself, please pass along the details of our special offer. Email me if you need details or to place an order, or you can download a PDF info sheet here. .

Prismatic letters in the production process. They're for Debbie Whitcraft's Museum of New Jersey Maritime History in Beach Haven. When complete, they'll be bright, shiny gold leaf letters, and for a twist, will mount on a curved wall. Once we get the leaf on these, I'll post a few more photos detailing the extensive finishing process we go through on this type of work.

The full color printed image for a static cling window sign

A portion of the graphics required for the M & L Marine service truck. After printing, we will cut these in a special plotter with an electronic eye that aligns the cut to the print.

Admitted weakness at Typestries: Keeping brushes clean. As a kid when I helped my Dad paint, he trained me better than this!