There is much more to the design of both indoor and outdoor signage that often meets the eye. During the design process, there are many questions and factors that need to be taken into consideration, to ensure that your signage project has the best impact, as well as knowing which mistakes to avoid making.

We’ve listed five factors that are the key elements that are always taken in to account for creating signage design.

A good graphic designer will be able to translate a great design across many different types of media and communications channels. Whether it’s vehicle wraps, signage for your property or store, or printed media and the web, each one of these communication channels has different viewing properties, capabilities, design requirements, and audience.

1. Know the environment

Knowing the environment in which your sign will be sited will help a designer know which colours to use, and how to use design elements and contrasting colours to avoid blending into the background. How close will people be to the design or message? Will the sign be used in a single environment, or seen across a range of places?

These are just some of the questions that need to be asked to achieve the maximum impact for your business.

2. Contrasting Colours

What might seem obvious to some people can often go over the head for others. The use of contrasting colours in signage design accentuates parts of the message that might have more importance. As noted in the first point, it’s essential for signage to use colours that contrast with the environment in which the sign is located.

3. Keep it simple

Eliminating clutter from signage design is important to ensure the design is seen. On the majority of signage, there isn’t the same luxury as a magazine, flyer, or website to pack in more information. Keeping the sign simple by listing key services rather than every service provided helps keep the message prominent, and easier for your audience to quickly grasp what it is you do.

An example of these two points would be if a fictional landscaping company who places signs on completed work, so prospective customers know who to contact. If this sign is on the roadside, it needs to be clear and concise for all passing traffic.

The landscaper would be wise not to use a lot of green in his sign, as it would blend in with the landscape they have just completed, the environment in which it was sited. Adding a list of all the offered services too would be too much to read. A sign using contrasting colours, and has the company name, and ‘landscaping’, as well as contact details, is all that’s required in such an instance.

4. Use Typography to Your Advantage

There is a reason why almost all professional fonts have varying weights, ranging from regular to bold, black, extended etc. We use these properties by giving priority or preference to certain parts of your message.

A sign with all the information in the same font and styles will just not look interesting, and will not catch the eye. Using varying weights of the font will give more priority and visibility to certain parts of the message.

5. The importance of Blank Space

Imagine driving down a road that has many billboards along the side. Each one is trying to give you as much information as possible, all wanting your custom, and all trying to sell and promote products or services. If any catch your eye, it’s likely that it’s the ones with the best use of blank space, with contrasting colours, and has clear and concise wording.

Rather than packing everything into your design, it’s best to simplify it and use the space efficiently around the design to allow it to stand out. This technique achieves the best results in an area that has a lot of competing signage, such as advertising hoardings, billboards, construction signage, trade show booths, etc.

Good signage design will increase your brand exposure, help differentiate your brand from the competition, will provide cost-effective 24/7 advertising all year round, and entice customers. It can also help customers identify your premises in busy areas such as in retail parks and shopping centres.

If you’re looking for eye-catching, beautifully designed interior and exterior signs for your Cambridge brand, then get in touch today, and our designers will be here to assist.