Sign Design Tips
Signs can serve many functions – sell, educate, guide, identify – but to be effective, they must be readable and in some cases, memorable. The following information will help your signs be effective communicators.
Add Pop
- Adding a border to your sign helps focus your customers’ attention so they can read it 26% faster.
- By presenting special information in a second color, you can increase your customers’ retention by 78%.
- Ads with photos have 300% greater recall than ads without photos.
- Full-color graphics have the highest effectiveness across all sign categories.
Visibility
Make sure your sign’s message is visible from the typical viewing distance — and that the sign is easily distinguishable from its surroundings. When you don't have room for large enough letters, try using light-colored letters on a dark background. The contrast will make the lettering appear larger, and viewers will find the sign easier to read.
Readability
Make it easier for customers to read your message by choosing a design that distinguishes individual letters. Studies have shown that black letters on a yellow background or yellow letters on a black background are the easiest color combinations to read, especially at a distance.
Resolution
Pixels determine the final file size for processing and image quality. For large-format printing, a good rule of thumb is to plan for 100 to 150 pixels per inch (ppi) at the final printed size for images that will be viewed at close range. However, not all signs are viewed at a close range. The distance from which your graphic will be viewed determines the DPI required:
Viewing Distance | Resolution |
1-5 feet | 150 ppi |
5-10 feet | 100 ppi |
10+ feet | 50-72 ppi |
Noticeability
Draw your customers’ attention to your sign by changing its message, color, size or shape frequently.