Sign Design: From Your Brief to an Approved Proof

Step one: the brief

A useful brief answers four questions. What must the sign say? Who needs to read it, and from where? When does it need to work — daytime only or after dark? And what must it sit alongside — an existing building, other signs, a landlord's rules?

You do not need to arrive with a finished design. Many of our customers bring a logo and a photo of the building; others have a full brand guide. Either is fine. What helps most is knowing which part of the message matters most, because that is what gets the most space.

Step two: measurements and site

A design drawn without accurate measurements is a guess. The survey before manufacture records the space, the fixing surface, obstructions and viewing distances, and it is where we spot problems a photograph hides, such as a fascia that is not level or a window frame that cuts across the ideal letter height.

Step three: the first visual

Our in-house designers then produce a proof: a drawing of the sign, to scale, and usually shown on a photo of your actual premises. It states the materials, the finishes, the colours and, if the sign is lit, how. Seeing the design on the building is what makes it possible to judge scale honestly.

Expect the first visual to be a starting point rather than the answer. The most productive feedback is specific — 'the phone number is fighting the name', 'the green looks too bright next to the brickwork' — rather than a general sense that something is off.

What to check before you approve

• Spelling, phone numbers, web addresses and opening times, character by character.
• Letter height against the viewing distance: can the name be read from where customers actually stand?
• Colour references, especially if your brand uses a specific shade.
• Material and finish: matt or gloss, brushed or polished, painted or vinyl.
• Lighting method and colour temperature, if the sign is illuminated.
• Fixing method and position on the building.

It is worth showing the proof to someone who has not seen it before. They will read it the way a passer-by does, which is the only test that matters.

Revisions and sign-off

Changes at proof stage are simple; changes after manufacture are not. That is why we ask for a clear approval before anything is cut, printed or fabricated. Once the proof is signed off, it becomes the specification the workshop builds to, so what you approve is what you receive.

Designing for more than one sign

If your project includes several items — a fascia, a projecting sign, window graphics and interior signs — ask for them to be designed together. A single set of proofs keeps the fonts, colours and proportions consistent, and it avoids the patchwork look that comes from ordering signs one at a time over several years.

Files and artwork

Vector artwork of your logo makes the process quicker and the result sharper. If you only have a low-resolution image, our designers can usually redraw it. The blog has a separate guide on artwork formats if you want to prepare files yourself.

Common questions