DIY Sign Printing: Types of Signs and Posters You Can Make Yourself
Printing Ideas
for your wide-format projects
DIY Sign Printing: Types of Signs and Posters You Can Make Yourself
This DIY Sign Printing post is the first in a series that can help you get more from the wide-format inkjet printer you have in your office or studio. It explains how to make simple short-term signs or banners on printers that uses aqueous dye or pigmented inks (such as HP DesignJet, Canon imagePROGRAF, and Epson Stylus Pro printers).
Let’s start this series on DIY sign printing with a closer look at the many types of banners, posters, point-of-purchase signs, window graphics, and yard signs you can make with your wide-format printer (and readily available finishing accessories and display systems).
Banners
In general, a banner is defined as an unframed or hanging sign made of fabric, vinyl or other non-rigid material. Banners come in many different sizes and format and can be used for a wide variety of applications. Below are a few examples of the different types of banners and why they require different types of materials.
Hanging Banners: Banners can be hung in freestanding or ceiling-mounted displays above trade-show booths, in retail stores, and at company events. Banners can also be displayed on the walls or grounds of schools, churches, and local businesses.
Parade Banners: These horizontal pole-mounted banners are designed to be carried by two marchers along a parade route to identify the group marching behind the banner.
Podium Banners: Banners attached to the front of a podium identify the event or the organization hosting the event.
Banner Stand Graphics: These banners are specifically designed to fit portable display stands, Many of these banners are printed on polypropylene materials that stay flat and are durable enough to withstand repeated rolling and unrolling.
Praise Banners: Churches use religious-themed banners for seasonal decor (such as Easter or Christmas), to upgrade an auditorium, to create worship spaces in non-traditional settings, and to celebrate church dedications and other special occasions. Pastors can create banners to reinforce sermons or church-school lessons.
Step-and-Repeat Banners: These large, logo-filled banners form backdrops for photographing celebrities or dignitaries at charity galas, press conferences, award ceremonies, and other events. The step-and-repeat printing pattern ensures that event-organizer and sponsor logos remain visible even when the celebrity is being photographed from many angles.
If you don’t have a superwide printer, no problem. You can make a step-and-repeat banner backdrop with multiple banner stands.
Table Banner: These banners are hung from the front of tabletops at events and trade shows. Fabric table banners can be draped over the table like a tablecloth that goes all the way to the ground.
Posters
A poster is a visually compelling graphic, photo, or decorative artwork that is usually printed on paper. Posters can be framed, mounted on rigid substrates, or hung on a wall with mounting tapes, putty, or hook-and-loop tapes.
Some posters today are printed on inkjet-receptive fabrics with repositionable adhesives. These posters can be easily installed in meeting rooms, dorm rooms, or offices and removed without leaving any unsightly residue.
Advertising and promotional posters call attention to new products, special offers, and upcoming events. Indoor posters can be printed on inexpensive heavyweight coated bond papers or inkjet photo papers. Outdoor posters for short-term advertising can be printed on wet-strength, blueback poster papers that aren’t susceptible to weather damage and can be pasted over an older poster.
Collage posters contain a collection of smaller photos on a single sheet. These types of posters can recognize group accomplishments, company milestones, or special moments in the lives of individual retirees or graduates.
Commemorative posters help us remember special occasions, events, or people. They can be produced as gifts for event attendees, speakers, or honorees.
Stock photo agencies offer easy-to-edit templates for making posters for use in churches, schools, and offices.
Decorative posters provide an inexpensive way to update room or office décor. Decorative posters can be calming or energizing, depending on whether the graphic depicts nature scenes or favorite sports and activities.
Devotional posters provide visual reminders of topics related to the Christian faith and life.
Infographic posters visually present facts and statistics for fast comprehension.
Informational posters summarize a lot of complex information in a single, easy-to-view page.
Maps converted into poster-sized prints can either be decorative or functional.
Motivational posters can encourage participation in sales competitions, charity drives, or weight-loss contests. Or posters can inspire employees to adopt attitudes conducive to teamwork, leadership, and success.
Safety posters can remind employees of instructions for equipment operation, materials handling, recycling, or food-handling. Or, a safety poster can ensure that proper first-aid procedures are easily accessible during workplace emergencies.
Team posters provide a great way to recognize groups of individuals. When a group shot is enlarged to poster size, each employee’s face is more visible. Plus, you can add a headline and a few lines of text about the team’s accomplishments.
At technical conferences, informational posters summarize the findings of experiments and research projects. Photo: Shutterstock
Point-of-Purchase (POP) Signs
This broad category of signs, banners, and displays includes graphics designed to capture a buyer’s attention when they are ready to make a buying decision. These types of displays are also known as Point-of-Sale (POS) signs.
A point-of-purchase sign doesn’t have to be elaborate to attract customers to discounted merchandise.
You can mount POP banners, posters, and decals on walls, windows, counters, display cases, or sidewalk sign boards. Or, you can hang POP signs from ceilings or insert them in tabletop displays or free-standing or wall-mounted sign-frames.
Below are some types of POP graphics you can create with a wide-format inkjet printer:
Backlit Signs: A sign that is illuminated from a light source behind the printed surface of the sign. Backlit signs created with translucent backlit films are typically mounted in a lightbox. Backlit signs created with translucent fabrics can be window mounted or stretched on specialty sign frames with built-in lighting.
Decals: Text or graphics printed on adhesive-backed vinyl and cut to a specified shape. Decals look like large stickers and can easily be applied to almost any smooth surface that is flat or slightly rounded. Some decals require specific types of vinyl and/or laminating films. For example, floor decals must meet safety standards for slip-resistance. Some window decals are printed on optically clear films so they don’t obscure the products on display.
Pennant: A triangular-shaped flag is called a pennant. Pennants are often hung on a string to add a festive, colorful flair to promotional graphics.
Wraps: Like a decal, a wrap is made with adhesive backed vinyl or fabric. But a wrap is generally much larger than a decal and is often used to completely cover the surface of objects with graphics. The graphics can be decorative or promotional. Specialized skills are required to design and wrap larger objects such as cars and trucks. But with high-quality cast vinyl, almost every object can be custom-decorated with a wrap. For example, wraps can be applied to the surfaces of tables or chairs or items such as books, lunch boxes, or beverage coolers.
With the right display and sign-hanging accessories, POP signs can be hung from the ceiling or displayed on shelves, tables, or countertops.
Window Signs
Window signs are a popular form of branding and advertising because you don’t have to deal with many of the codes and restrictions placed on outdoor signage in public spaces. Signs can be displayed in storefront windows or mounted to the interior of the window surfaces. Signs mounted on the exteriors of windows are susceptible to damage from weather, vandals, abrasion, or pollutants.
This sales promotion window graphic will only be posted for a few days. The clear film doesn’t obstruct the merchandise on display.
Opaque window graphics can cover up the windows of buildings being remodeled. Use a “coming soon” headline with an image of what the space will look like when the remodeling is finished.
One-way see-through window graphics allow occupants of a building or vehicle to see through the graphics that are visible to people on the exterior of the window. These graphics are made with specially designed perforated vinyls.
Temporary window graphics can be made with adhesive-free “cling vinyls.” Window clings are popular for seasonal decorations and POP graphics.
Decorative window graphics can emulate the look of stained glass, frosted glass, or etched glass.
The primary caveat for making window signs with aqueous printers is that you should use a printer with pigment-inks. Dye inks can fade quickly when exposed to UV light.
Yard Signs
In most communities, you don’t need a special permit to install the signs on property your company owns. However, you might want to check if your community has restrictions on the size and number of yard signs that can be displayed on your property or the length of time they can be displayed.
http://blog.freedompaper.com/inkjet-printing-applications/diy-signmaking-signs-you-can-make-with-a-wide-format-inkjet-printer/
Comments
Post a Comment