[airborne152]

I have seen a lot of sign making websites that offer a proof of what your sign will look like before they start making it. The pictures are very realistic looking for the customers custom signs. Does anyone know what program they use to design those signs? I am just looking for a simple vector based program that is easy to use. Thanks.

 

[allthunbs]

I have seen a lot of sign making websites that offer a proof of what your sign will look like before they start making it. The pictures are very realistic looking for the customers custom signs. Does anyone know what program they use to design those signs? I am just looking for a simple vector based program that is easy to use. Thanks.

Hi Airborne:

I would suggest a word processor called WordPerfect. Almost anything will do that does kerning: i.e. graphic programs that do text, or photographic image manipulators etc. Print it out and glue it to the surface of your sign and hand route it. That's the formula followed by most of the signmakers that I've seen.

 

[mpbc48]

There are a number of free and shareware programs on the net that will produce vector graphics.

Take a look at tucows.com and search for "vector graphics". You could also just do a google search, but I like to see peoples opinions (ratings) before I download random software.

Mike

 

[msgtjdolan]

Best one I have found FREE.... INKSCAPE

 

[allthunbs]

Best one I have found FREE.... INKSCAPE

That looks like a good program. I'm not sure about the web page stuff but I like the graphics capability. Gonna try it!

Thanks

 

[Jean-Marc]

Best one I have found FREE.... INKSCAPE

Thanks a lot, I dowmloaded the Inkscape, fine stuff. I amm looking after outline letters only, just to save ink . Does anybody have aa idea about it. I am on the point to do my first hand routing.

 

[allthunbs]

Thanks a lot, I dowmloaded the Inkscape, fine stuff. I amm looking after outline letters only, just to save ink . Does anybody have aa idea about it. I am on the point to do my first hand routing.

Hi Jean-Marc:

Sorry, I went through my font catalogue looking for a method to prepare an outline There are none. You can have an open face font or a closed face font. An example is Caslon Old Face and Caslon Open Face. You will notice that each of these is an independent font with characteristics similar to it's brother but not identical.

I think your only option is to print out your font in full face. You'll also find that when you're routing the sign, it will help to see the edge rather than just a line.

Freehand signmaking takes a lot of practice so good luck and we'd love to hear the "steps" you go through to achieve your goals.

Ron

 

[Metalhead781]

In inkscape you can choose to fill the entity, in this case being text. If you change the fill color to white and thicken the line a bit. Once that's done, export bitmap. You can find more tutorials online at the inkscape website and youtube.

 

[tvman44]

metalhead hit it on the head, that is how I make my scroll saw patterns.

 

[RAJD]

Conserve Ink

Thanks a lot, I dowmloaded the Inkscape, fine stuff. I amm looking after outline letters only, just to save ink . Does anybody have aa idea about it. I am on the point to do my first hand routing.

I change the font color to a light gray, I can still see the pattern or font well enough to rout it and I save some ink in the process.

Bob

 

[OutoftheWoodwork]

Robert I do all my signs free hand and I use Publisher. You can look at my "whatchacallit" - oh dangit...PROFILE! That's it! lol my profile and see my work. In Publisher, you may be able to do the lettering the way you want, but I use a laser printer, which is better than inkjet anyway, (in my opinion), and if you're trying to save on ink, remember you can go into your printer settings and put it on "draft" which will use a whole lot less ink than the standard printing. (15 year secretary... I know how to save on ink, paper, etc etc lol. Also called the "Queen of Improvising" by my husband when he's not getting mad at how I strive to save on things :lol