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help with font and redrawing advice

Mikes5178

New Member
I need advice on handle this situation. I have to print this sign 244x100. Clearly i can't use this file. First of all, If anyone could tell me the name of these fonts, that would be usefull. second of all, this picture is not in the correct proportions, so i'm not sure how to handle that. lastly, does anyone have any good advice about color matching in this situation?
 

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jiarby

New Member
two rectangles and three lines of text... what is it that has you stumped?

font looks like utopia to me
 

The Vector Doctor

Chief Bezier Manipulator
fonts used are Ellington and Eurostile. You will need vector software in order to typeset and rebuild this. You will have to suggest a new layout to make these proportions work, otherwise you will have more blank space on either side
 

Mikes5178

New Member
What has me stumped is how recreate it EXACTLY without going around all that fuzzy text with a bezier tool mostly. I could not find a font to match, but i have over 2000 fonts to look at.
 

SignManiac

New Member
I would suggest you hire an architect to create an original vector based file, then you can make it bigger or smaller without any loss in quality. This makes the artwork very valuable. Make sure he is IADA certified.
 

Vinylman

New Member
Well Newbee:
This is what your asking to have happen IF you follow the instructions you have provided.

I would require you to totally distort the lettering and thereby destroy the customers identity [e.i. logo] if that is what they have been using as their corporate identity.
As to the letter styles??

How long have you been in this business?
Do you have ANY design background/ Skills?
How did you land a sign project of this proportion if you don't know even the basics of sign layout?

Could it be you are out of your element, and asking the people here at Signs 101 to once again cut their own throats, and bleed knowledge and potential profit from someone in your area that has spent many years trying to feed his family by providing this type of PROFESSIONAL sign design, so you can make some "extra income" while you are currently laid off from the local Taco Bell?

Just asking.
 

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The Vector Doctor

Chief Bezier Manipulator
What is your time worth? Send it to me and I can have it fully vectored by tomorrow sometime. As for the layout, that is something you need to discuss with your client as to what is acceptable. Distort to fit, or make changes or suggest a proper size. Often customers don't have a clue when it comes to proportions
 

Mikes5178

New Member
What has me stumped is how recreate it EXACTLY without going around all that fuzzy text with a bezier tool mostly. I could not find a font to match, but i have over 2000 fonts to look at.
 

Fred Weiss

Merchant Member
What has me stumped is how recreate it EXACTLY without going around all that fuzzy text with a bezier tool mostly. I could not find a font to match, but i have over 2000 fonts to look at.

The fonts were already named for you. Your first step is to acquire the fonts. Next you type them out using the image as a template. Next size and position them to fit the template. Finally convert the text to outlines in your vector program, delete the image template and save the file.

If that's beyond you capability, then have The Vector Doctor recreate it for you. Very reasonable and fast service.

Assigning the colors is done in whatever application you're using. If your client is concerned about color matching then he should supply you with PMS colors to match. Otherwise, you will be left to proof them and submit them to him for approval.

BTW, if you tell the customer that there will be an art prep fee of $250 because he has not supplied you with a vector version of his "logo", you will witness the magical appearance of such a file ready to use with all the colors already assigned.
 

Ian Stewart-Koster

Older Greyer Brushie
Fred, I sort-of thought this type of question & new member was not allowed here; unless it is put up as a joke. His questions suggest anything but 'professional' in a business sense.
The only thing not said is someone suggesting he do it in M$ Word...
I'm not against helping someone, nor trying to short-cut the Vector Doctor his income, but this is too basic a query to not be hurting some other nearby signwriter who could do the job in a flash.
(IMHO, that is)
 

JR's

New Member
BTW, if you tell the customer that there will be an art prep fee of $250 because he has not supplied you with a vector version of his "logo", you will witness the magical appearance of such a file ready to use with all the colors already assigned.

its will amaze you the stuff thy could fine.

JR
 

Fred Weiss

Merchant Member
Fred, I sort-of thought this type of question & new member was not allowed here; unless it is put up as a joke. His questions suggest anything but 'professional' in a business sense.
The only thing not said is someone suggesting he do it in M$ Word...
I'm not against helping someone, nor trying to short-cut the Vector Doctor his income, but this is too basic a query to not be hurting some other nearby signwriter who could do the job in a flash.
(IMHO, that is)

I see your point and in a perfect world with a stronger base membership, a stricter set of qualifications might be a better way of handling things. Our longstanding criteria:

If you are, were or want to be a professional sign maker, or if you work in a related graphic field, are a manufacturer or supplier to the sign trade, or a teacher or student interested in the craft, you are invited to join.

Whether the individual is simply bad at expressing his thoughts or better to seek a different career, I leave up to time to tell.
 

Mosh

New Member
All I gots is these here blueprints...can you tell me how to build this house???
I think you might need to learn your job, or do something else! That is about as simple as it gets. Not to bash you, but COME ON, if you can't re-create that you shouldn't be in the sign biz...let me guess someone charged you too much for a sign and you got a cri-cut and went into the sign biz on your own. Right? If one of my guys took longer than 5 minutes to re-draw than I would be drug testing them!
 

MikePro

New Member
+1 to charging your client to re-create the file...

it shows up, which is highly likely considering it had to have been created somewhere along the way... then GREAT! less time wasted, and happy client spending less money.

... If not but they approved the cost of re-design, then GREAT! More money coming your way!... and if you can't do it yourself, have Vector Doctor set it up for you and charge +10% to pocket for your time.
(or more, so you can afford that font management software i'm sure is on your shopping list)
 

Mikes5178

New Member
Thank you Fred, and Vector Doctor. But everyone else, damn, wtf. If you have to know, i am in a strange situation. I'm a rookie at a starting up sign shop that operates out of a used car lot. I am the sole employee for a boss that doesn't know signs at all. He saw opprotunity in it and started buying equipment. I already had experience at a sign shop doing basic, non-design work. So, yeah, i need some help with some basic stuff. Now, i'm not sure what i missed about the premise of this site. I mean, it's called 'Signs 101.' Seems kind of appropriate for some people to ask day 1 questions. Kinda the point so far as i could tell. And if you don't feel like being helpful, don't help. But you people are putting more effort into trash talking than it would have been to simply answer the question. Why the hell would you even bother to post if the question is as rediculous as you make seem?
 

Mosh

New Member
I am the sole employee for a boss that doesn't know signs at all. He saw opprotunity in it and started buying equipment.

Who would have thought? I gots me some cars fur sale, so I guess I too am in the used car game!!! Tell your boss to stick to his plaid suit wearing, Herb Tarlick car lot and leave sign making to the professionals!!! You tell him the MOSH said that!
 

Fred Weiss

Merchant Member
Thank you Fred, and Vector Doctor. But everyone else, damn, wtf. If you have to know, i am in a strange situation. I'm a rookie at a starting up sign shop that operates out of a used car lot. I am the sole employee for a boss that doesn't know signs at all. He saw opprotunity in it and started buying equipment. I already had experience at a sign shop doing basic, non-design work. So, yeah, i need some help with some basic stuff. Now, i'm not sure what i missed about the premise of this site. I mean, it's called 'Signs 101.' Seems kind of appropriate for some people to ask day 1 questions. Kinda the point so far as i could tell. And if you don't feel like being helpful, don't help. But you people are putting more effort into trash talking than it would have been to simply answer the question. Why the hell would you even bother to post if the question is as rediculous as you make seem?

The point is that you were told the name of the fonts. You were also told how to get it made into a usable vector if you didn't have the fonts and didn't choose to buy them. You were also advised of a common issue with clients supplying artwork and what the best solution often turns out to be.

None of that seemed to register and you just kept saying you didn't understand how to make the Bezier tool work with fuzzy artwork.

That's frustrating for anyone trying to assist you and gives every appearance that you are in over your head. But to be clear, while we are willing to help teach others it helps if you give us enough info such as what program you're trying to work with and what experience you may have had. Just because we use a school metaphor doesn't make us mind readers or able to solve problems for those who have not put in some effort first.

What program are you using? Do you understand the difference between a vector and a raster image? Do you understand that fonts are made from vectors and all that is needed is to type out the text of the art work and size and position it and you have what you need? There is no need to even apply a Bezier drawing tool to the job. It is nothing more than three lines of text and a couple of rectangles.

Finally, have you and your boss considered that your new enterprise may result in:

  • A lot of lost time and wasted materials
  • The depriving of a job to someone who actually does this for a living
  • An unhappy customer who may end up not buying a car from you ... or is you boss also in the real estate business?
After eight years of doing this, we've seen a lot of newbies. You appear to be in over your head and probably don't have a clue as to what Signs 101 is actually about. So don't take us to task when you are the one seeking help in a community of people who design and manufacture signs for a living.
 

Pat Whatley

New Member
And if you don't feel like being helpful, don't help.

Apparently you've never read ANY of the posts on this board. I think Fred should put a new rule nobody will read on the sign up page....IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE SMARTASSED ANSWERS YOU MIGHT BE IN THE WRONG PLACE.

Listen to Fred....if you don't have enough knowledge to even be able to ask the questions you're gonna have to deal with a painful part of the learning curve. You'll get the answers eventually.
 

Ian Stewart-Koster

Older Greyer Brushie
Thanks, Fred, I must have misunderstood or missed a change in one of the rules over the last year or so...

However, as you say, he has been given the answers he needs. More than once.
There's a saying that goes, 'you can't help those who won;'t help themselves'. Sounds to me like this is one of those times...

I will add that we were all newbies once, and full of questions in a world where the answers were not as readily found in advance as today; but the answers to the questions he is asking are in my mind the sort of thing that one needs to figure out for oneself-it's experience on the first rung of the ladder. A test of grit, as it were. Really basic stuff.
If you can't get onto that first rung on your own, then you'll fall a lot further next time you try without someone who is able to give you the helping hand.

Just my opinion, that's all. I feel I help far more people than I don't, on a 500:1 basis... ;)
 
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