Picking the perfect Lettering for an outdoors sign is less about aesthetics and more about making sure everyone can read your message – come hail or sunshine.
Thinking Beyond Pretty Fonts: You wouldn’t wear fancy shoes unprepared to walk through a muddy field! Choosing decorative serif fonts might look great in Instagram filters, but they’re a nightmare when your sun glare kicks in or someone catches their glance past the curb. Sans serif fonts tend to stand out even with blurry vision and strong shadows. “Avenir” or “Helvetica Neue,” while simple, achieve stunning legibility in outdoor conditions, something the delicate curling of a font like “Brush Script” just can’t pull off when viewers are zipping by on a sidewalk
Size Truly Matters: Go big or go home is especially relevant for signage that faces traffic or busy sidewalks. We scroll through phones constantly; our eyes subconsciously scan for words they recognize—quick and easy! Don’t make folks rack up extra minutes in eye-squint city searching your “fine artisan gelato.” Remember, people generally read signs from a distance.
**Color is Your Communication Buddy (and a Subtle Master): ** Vibrant hues will grab attention from afar, but choose strategically lest it hurt the eyes or turn illegible upon contact with midday sunlight. Contrast your lettering for ultimate impact! For example: black letters on white panels pop everywhere except under neon streetlights. When you’re thinking color palettes, consider: – what colors stand out the best against whatever back drop will dominate your location? (think walls of a brick building?) – how well do those colors match your logo and overall brand aesthetic?”
**Don’t Just Letter It Be; Material Matters!: ***
Just as you wouldn’t wear silk when mountain hiking, a simple acrylic panel might fare poorly against years of harsh sun, freezing temperatures, or an uncaring local with a fondness for graffiti.
– Lightboxes or translucent materials are incredible against backgrounds that would make letters pop and be visible at night. Materials should match the durability needed and your budget. For an establishment like a bakery known by passersby only on busy days before breakfast rolls into midday — think classic, weathered signage in wood tones!
The right letters can elevate brand awareness or subtly signal what kind of experience people will have inside a vintage bookstore. It’s more than decoration; It’s your window-dressing strategy brought to life by the street signs themselves.