Secrets of the signage trade

Every business has trade secrets that ensure the business has an advantage over its competitors. In the design and signage industry, these secrets can become the key to perfecting the craft.
Marc Levy, Director of Signs360, has spent years getting to know the skills and techniques that can make a sign-maker successful. Below are some the secrets of his trade:

Practical Tips

· Master technique.
· Develop knowledge, style and flair.
· Understand creative processes.
· Combine practice with experience and experimentation.
· Have an ingrained knowledge of the materials used to make signs.
· Develop an individual style.
· Use imagination.
· Visualise a product before it is made.
· Design with commercial considerations in mind.
· Enhance your business skills.

Creative Tips

·Get ideas from the natural environment.
· Get ideas from different design objects.
· Get ideas from different cultures and people.
· Experiment.
· Introduce enough variety to make a product interesting.
· Work creatively with various material combinations.
· Blend the traditional and the modern.
· Create hand-made products.
· Allow different materials and colours to speak to each other.
· Avoid clutter by allowing the signs to speak for themselves.

Inspirational Tips

· Work with creative people in different fields.
· Work across various media, like film and TV.
· Read books about the fine arts, design and architecture.
· Visit museums.
· Visit construction sites.
· Live in a creative environment.
· Work with creative people.

In closing, Marc offers one secret that he holds most dear: “Never compromise on quality. Understand that working with the finest presentation materials is the best investment you can make in a project.”
Adhering to these secrets can bring success to a signage business and much valued perfection to the craft.