Outdoor Color Provided by Nature

And by SpeedPro Denver’s Great. Big. Graphics.

Have you gotten comments about how easy it is to find your business? If not, it’s time for an update along with the spring cleaning. We want to share some well-researched tips on how to visualize and design the right signage for your business.

Make it Noticeable

Three out of four shoppers will visit a new store for the first time based on its signage, while many shoppers say a store’s signage is a direct reflection on its product and service quality. Numerous studies from both industry institutions to public research universities drive this point home--your organization’s outdoor signs have the power to increase store traffic.

The International Sign Association states that a successful outdoor sign holds four qualities:

1. Detectable
2. Conspicuous
3. Legible
4. Comprehensible

With these four key traits in mind, start visualizing your new signage.

Pick an Emotionally Relevant Color Scheme

Decades of research have gone into understanding color psychology; the science of how certain colors elicit specific reactions within viewers. Businesses harness color psychology to pick branded color schemes, selecting colors and shades that trigger a set of emotions they want to be instantaneously and even subconsciously associated with. From playful to authoritative, contemporary to classic, youthful to mature, luxe to price-conscious, colors help convey your company’s “personality.”

Signs that are designed using one of three established color-theory methodologies can boost professionalism, legibility and their overall appearance:

·       Biadic or triadic color schemes:  Biadic or triadic color schemes pair colors based on their position on the color wheel. As the root of their names suggest, biadic schemes use two opposing colors, such as yellow and purple, whereas triadic colors use three colors equally spaced on the color wheel, such as light orange, purple and green. The results are high-intensity imagery with natural light and dark components.

·         Gradient schemes:  Also called monochrome schemes, gradient schemes select one dominant color, then accent it with various shades of that same color. Signs with gradient schemes may lack the high-contrast intensity of biadic or triadic color schemes, but they can appear more polished and luxe.

·         Split complementary schemes:  Split complementary schemes pair one dominant color with two other colors that sit to either side of the dominant color’s direct opposite. For example, if the dominant color is red, the split-complement colors are light green and teal since those are the colors on either side of the red’s direct opposite, green. Split complementary schemes lend signs a brighter and more complex color palette while maintaining high levels of contrast but can take extra work to balance attractively.

Prioritize Readability

Is your font easy to read and are you thinking big enough? A good industry rule of thumb is the 10-by-1 rule, which states one inch of letter height can generally be read at a maximum of ten feet away.

Consider Using Texture or Depth

Texture provides contrast for outdoor signage, which increases both its readability and general appearance. Signs that include these visual elements also have an easier time distinguishing themselves from the crowd, their detailing allowing them to pop on the street.

·         Shading:  Shading increases letter readability. Signs can incorporate shading into the design itself through fonts and prints or by placing lights around the sign to cast strategic shadows.

·     Tone and hue contrast:  Contrasting colors give letters and graphics a natural pop. Signs with contrasting colors using the methodologies described earlier will naturally increase depth and textures.

·     Pop-out material or textiles: Signs are often tied to the appearance of the 2D materials they are fashioned from. While this most often includes base substrates like vinyl and canvas, it can also incorporate elements that look more 3D, such as contour-cut signage.

Go Digital

Digital signage shakes up the conventional, static signs spotted along the street. Since these signs use screens instead of printed substrates, they are innately brighter and flashier, plus are more readily customizable. Businesses can easily swap and replace the text and images on its digital signs without having to install something new every time branding efforts change.

Digital signs are especially beneficial if your operation changes its products and services frequently. For example, an ice cream parlor could advertise its flavor of the day, a restaurant its weekly menu and a gas station its daily fuel prices and snack specials.

Light It Up

Adding a light source to your signs will turn your outdoor signage into a 24/7, weatherproof advertising canvas.

The most common backlit signs use LED lights and frames surrounded by a fabric overlay that serves as your sign’s front face. When switched on, your sign illuminates text and graphics from the inside out. The results are enhanced sign aesthetics, clarity and readability, plus one of the easiest ways to stand out from other signs on the street.

Include a Graphic

More than half of consumers prefer signs containing both text and graphics, as opposed to only eight percent who prefer text-only signage. With over 85 percent of consumers saying they glean a company’s character or personality based on its outdoor signs, including graphics becomes that much more important.

Researchers believe this success comes down to heuristic cues. Signs with graphics can relay additional branded information about a business or service. Compared to text-only signs, graphics are language-less and have the potential to be instantly recognizable.

Outdoor signage represents your business. It conveys a tone and a personality, as well as what customers can expect when they step foot inside your space.

With these tips in mind, contact SpeedPro Denver

today and we’ll get started on your new outdoor signage!

denver@speedpro.com 303.426.4199 www.speedpro.com/denver

Do Large-Scale Graphics Really Boost Sales?

Survey says YES. We don’t even have to imagine the value, researchers have done the hard work. According to a 2012 study published by the Sign Research Foundation, sign changes generally had significant, positive impacts on sales, number of transactions and profits. Roughly 60 percent of businesses across industries surveyed reported sales increases averaging about 10 percent.

Let SpeedPro Denver create colorful, bold large-scale wall signs for your lobby, factory, hallway, retail outlet, windowless conference room, lunch room, casino, or movie theater. Anywhere there’s a blank wall there’s opportunities to reinforce your brand and key messages.

And, no expensive framed artwork is needed in our fast-changing world. Custom large scale wall signs, canvas prints and floor graphics are all affordable and can serve as part of any cohesive interior design. Research conducted as recently as June 2018 indicates a positive correlation between employee satisfaction and their work engagement. Take it a step further and include employees in the plans and decisions around wall murals in their workspace.

SpeedPro Denver has lots of vivid portfolio examples of great big wall graphics we've handled to give you some ideas for your location. We’ve worked with hospitals, schools, corporations, advertising agencies, casinos, real estate companies, lawyers, and shopping centers among many others to visually add interest to lobbies, conference rooms, retail outlets, hallways and cafeterias.

Contact Us for a Free Quote

We're happy to check out any site and give recommendations!

303.426.4199 denver@speedpro.com www.speedpro.com/denver

To Vent or Not Vent Your Outdoor Banners, That is the Question

And the Answer is: Do Not Vent

The working theory for many years was that wind vents would reduce the wind load on any given banner. In other words, wind would blow threw instead of pulling on and possibly tearing the banner. This theory was so widely accepted that some governments made vents mandatory for banners installed in certain locations. Springville, Utah went as far as to regulate that at least 20% of the area of a banner must be made up of holes.

But, wind tunnel tests conducted by aerodynamic specialists not only disproved the theory that slits, flaps or holes will reduce wind resistance but have scientifically proven they can be a detriment due to vibration and fabric stress within the banner. They tended to increase the wind load rather than reduce it. "The holes allow the fabric to ripple and catch more wind increasing the drag factor.” [i]

The aerodynamic specialists concluded (somewhat tongue in cheek) that “if you have a banner tied in such a way that it will remain flat in the wind, then it seems that the benefits of adding vents are minimal unless you want to make your banner into Swiss cheese.”

Here in the city and county of Denver, while permits are required for some outdoor signage, the city doesn’t dictate vents or no vents. That stated, to recommend the best substrate we always ask our clients about the install location of the banner and how long it will be up. Based on the research and our professional experience, SpeedPro Denver suggests a few materials that work with the wind without marring your design with holes. Here are a few examples:

Scrim:  Commonly used for outdoor signage since it is scratch- and water-resistant but can be penetrated for grommets for easy hanging. Scrim banners are made of vinyl and reinforced with polyester cording. The material construction is what gives it strength and durability. Its smooth, flat finish makes this surface ideal for large-format inkjet printing.

Heavy duty:  Ideal for fluttering flags that will go with the wind instead of fighting it, this vinyl substrate has high tear resistance due to the multi-layer design. Typically hemmed and with grommets, it is also ideal for prints that will be inserted into re-usable stands to announce the current sale or holiday specials.

To read more about the research referenced in this story, click the link below.

For a quote or to talk about your job, give us a call at 303.426.4199, email denver@speedprodenver.com or visit www.SpeedProDenver.net

To see and read about more banner jobs we’ve done,

check out our Studio News and view our extensive portfolio!

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[i] “Do wind vent holes in banners make a difference? We used a wind tunnel to find out” article published by Novella April 2016, Matthew Mason, The University of Queensland and Jonathan Roberts, Queensland University of Technology https://blogs.qut.edu.au/science-engineering-education-research/2016/04/25/do-wind-vent-holes-in-banners-make-a-difference-we-used-a-wind-tunnel-to-find-out/

Have a Banner Day!

In our studio, every day is a banner day! The familiar term "banner day" refers to a day being noteworthy or of hanging a banner of announcement, usually of good news.*

This is Part 3 of 3 on substrates:  Context is Everything 

We print banners for a range of settings including trade shows, to direct school traffic, announce auto sales, tout a blue-ribbon award, herald a Bronco’s win, for concerts and fairs, to hang in bars and on light poles and sign posts, and to publicly thank sponsors or participants. Again, it’s all about context. Do you want to hang a banner outdoors that will weather the elements for a year or even longer? Is there a one-time conference that commands custom pieces? We’ve got your solution!

The wide range of substrate options for banners includes:

Scrim:  Commonly used for outdoor signage since it is scratch- and water-resistant but can be penetrated for grommets for easy hanging. Scrim banners are made of vinyl and reinforced with polyester cording. The design is what gives it strength and durability. Its smooth, flat finish makes this surface ideal for large-format inkjet printing.

SoFlat®:   Described as scrim-less since this PVC substrate doesn’t have a scrim/base fabric. It is a non-curl substrate with a smooth, flat finish. It is typically used indoors because it is not scratch- or water-resistant. Commonly used for trade show, event and conference displays, it rolls up well. You see it use for many retractable banners.

Mesh:  Designed to let air blow through instead of flapping in the wind or tearing, this synthetic substrate can also be hemmed for a clean look and pierced to hold grommets. You see these on construction fences and at parks touting sporting and other events.

Canvas:  With a texture similar to a painting canvas, this substrates has a softer feel and is “natural” on the non-print side and painted white on the print side. While not as glossy as some other options, canvas is a common choice for setting that demand a more classic look; your bank or inside hotels.

Heavy Duty:   Ideal for fluttering flags that will go with the wind instead of fighting it, this vinyl substrate has high tear resistance due to the multi-layer design. Typically hemmed and with grommets, it is also ideal for prints that will be inserted into re-usable frames to announce the current sale or holiday specials.

Smooth:   Designed for indoor use, smooth banners are defined by their levelness that allows for pressure consistency in printing. That leads to crisp images—even when viewed very close up. Available in a matte finish and can be printed on both sides.

SpeedPro Denver designed, printed and installed this special recognition banner and building wrap at St. Mary's Academy in Littleton

SpeedPro Denver printed 400 banners for Coors!

We hope you have enjoyed our substrates series

Topic suggestions are always welcome!

303.426.4199

denver@speedprodenver.com

www.speedprodenver.net

*source: answers.com

SoFlat is a registered trademark of Soyang

Context is Everything Continues with Window, Wall and Floor Graphic Substrates

Enjoy Part 2 of our substrates series and as always, 
feedback is welcome and appreciated!

Window Graphics 

You see this substrate used in every size imaginable. It might be a basic circle a few inches in diameter or a large sheet covering an entire floor-to-ceiling glass window. You see it everywhere on retail windows and at entertainment venues promoting seasonal and even daily specials, the latest acts or movies, announcing new sales, closeouts, and as logos on any glass surface.

Glass Adhere™ is a choice option for window graphics. This newer product uses a technology more advanced than the familiar static clings. Glass Adhere has micro-suction cups on one side and can be used over and over since it is removable and reusable. It is also water resistant, fade resistant, cleanable (even with glass cleaners), and 99% bubble free. This evolution in window graphics also allows for full bleed printing--no need to design in that white border to save trimming costs. It is available in 1st (outside looking in) and 2nd (inside looking out) surface options. While it is a peel-and-place product, professional installation is typically suggested. Other window graphic materials include static clings in both clear and solid backed options, and static clings with perforated window film. 

Wall Graphics

You've see wall murals used extensively for decorative purposes (Thanks for your patronage) or to inform or distract (does the view from your dreaded dentist chair offer calming graphics on the ceiling?) but they also work to create advertising space that can engage and entertain (it’s impossible to ignore those ads on the sides of brick buildings isn't it?).

When considering a wall mural, the texture of the surface is the most important component to evaluate. Is it a smooth office hallway wall, a mall barrier or the outside of a brick building? Depending on the placement, you may have options for the finish to consider too:  do you want a low-glare matte, a high luster for maximum shine, or a fabric canvas-type rugged finish to add texture to a flat surface? Think of wall graphics as custom wallpaper. Your artwork can be printed on this substrate that goes edge-to-edge and floor-to-ceiling. Here are some of the material options:

Vinyl Film is the choice workhorse of many a print shop and can be produced as either a cast or calendered film. The basic ingredients are the same, but the manufacturing process and type of plasticizers used result in significant differences. Cast films are considered the industry premium whereas calendered film may be chosen for cost rather than durability. If you want your long-term signage to stand up to the elements, choose cast films. For the monthly special, calendared film will do the job.

Photo Tex™ is an indoor adhesive-backed fabric that sticks to any non-porous flat surface

creating seamless images. Available in rolls up to 54” wide x 100’, it is reusable and repositionable. Photo Tex works indoors or out, it will not

shrink, wrinkle or rip in any temperature or climate change. It easily wraps around corners and poles. You see it often in restaurants, retail settings and offices.

RoughRAP™ is a durable vinyl ideal for covering textured walls like brick, concrete, wood, wood paneling, and cinderblock. Textured walls, while more challenging to install graphics onto, often come across looking painted but are installed without the hassle of trying to evenly saturate a brick or cinderblock surface. And, the graphics are easier to remove than paint! RoughRAP can provide full coverage or be contour cut into any custom shape you want. It can also be used to add a special event announcement or logo to an existing mural.

Floor Graphics

Materials for floor graphics have evolved along with advances in print technology. Installation and removal times have sped up and demand has grown for this inexpensive but interesting branding option. “Floor” in this context includes concrete, asphalt, commercial grade carpets, laminated vinyl, wood, brick, and even some tile. Surfaces that can grip and maintain graphics are nearly endless.

Floor graphics are also popular as welcome mats (that no one will trip on) greeting customers with a logo and cheery message, at convention centers and event venues to provide directions and steer the flow of traffic, with retailers and restaurants to showcase seasonal specials, and they can entertain elevator riders by adding an interesting distraction or key messaging during the wait. Affordable for weddings and other special events, floor graphics are also popular with car dealerships. Shopping mall managers can use floor graphics to encourage and entertain their customers who are walking up a flight a stairs by telling a short story to keep them going! Every surface is an opportunity. 

Drytac Interlam™ is a high tac vinyl laminate and ideal for short-term outdoor applications. If you participate in any of the countless foot races around the country, you’ve seen graphics that went down that morning and were pulled up that night. The material used to print on was likely provided by Drytac. They offer a complete line of pressure-sensitive over-laminating films coated with an aqueous (water-based) adhesive--ideal for short-term outdoor applications. 

LexJet® offers a line of adhesive vinyl products designed for wide format printers to produce over-sized floor graphics that go down cleanly (with the right tools and training, of course) and come up without leaving a trace. 

G-Floor Graphics from Better Life Technology LLC offers custom-printable vinyl sheet materials including long-term flooring (visualize a high school gym or a dance studio floor that can take a pounding without showing wear—it may be a G-Floor Ultraflex graphic) and repositionable floors that can be custom-cut for your logo or promotional messages (imagine a trade show booth floor in place for the short-term but it’s reusable!).

Our next blog will cover the many options to consider when ordering BANNERS!

Don’t hesitate to contact us anytime with questions about these or other substrates you are considering at denver@speedprodenver.com, 303.426.4199 or www.speedprodenver.net. 

We always welcome your suggestions for topics and specific materials

to cover in future blogs as well.

Glass Adhere is a trademark of Pro-Graphics Network, LLC

Photo Tex is a trademark of the Photo Tex Group, Inc. 

RoughRAP is a trademark of Mactac

Interlam is a trademark of Drytac

Context is Everything

When we talk to our customers and future customers about print jobs, we tend to ask a lot of questions that sometimes may seem taxing but they all serve a purpose: to recommend the most appropriate substrate for the job.

As you probably know, the substrate is the underlying material, for example, foam core or metal, to be selected based on how a given printed piece will be used and where it will be placed.

So describe the context for us:  Will it be installed on the side of building, on a construction zone fence, on a box truck or in a small conference room, trade show booth or adhered to a jar or bottle? Do you want it to weather Colorado’s four seasons or will be it be used for one short event? Then we can talk about your substrate options.

We will be covering substrates over a couple of blogs; there are so many--and so many uses--we can’t do this topic justice in just one! This first blog will focus on some of the most widely used indoor and outdoor substrates:

Indoor:  Foam Core, ULTRA BOARD, Styrene and PVC

Foam Core (aka foam board) is a very strong, lightweight and easily cut material. It consists of three layers — an inner layer of polystyrene clad with outer facing of either a white clay coated paper or brown Kraft paper.* Available in approx. 1/8” and 3/16” thicknesses, a variety of colors and sizes up to 96" x 48", is it choice material for signage that will be used for a short time only such as periodic meetings, trade shows and special events.

ULTRA BOARD is idea for indoors. ULTRA BOARD is a lightweight structural panel consisting of a rigid polystyrene foam core faced on both sides by a smooth, moisture resistant sheet of solid polystyrene.** Available in a variety of thicknesses from 3/16” to 1”, it can be cut with a standard table saw into any custom shape and is an excellent choice for signage, photo mounting, exhibits, and point-of-purchase displays.

Styrene is plastic and suitable for indoor and outdoor short-term applications. It is sometimes called poster board and is considered one of the best surfaces for large format photography prints. This product is resistant to weather (but not long-term UV exposure), bumps, drops and scratches while being lightweight and flexible. It is delivered in large flat sheets and then custom cut into any shape. Available in a variety of thickness and sizes it can be printed on both sides. 

PVC (PolyVinyl Chloride) is a plastic durable and lightweight material available in a variety of colors, sizes and in rigid and flexible formats. This workhorse material can be shaped from 4’ x 8’ sheets into custom designs and is a good choice for short-term exterior uses. You see it everywhere as directional signage, at retail, in meeting rooms, and in grocery stores as shelf signs.

Outdoor:  Max-metal/Dibond and Coroplast

Max-metal and Dibond are used often for rugged environments (building and road construction sites) and for signs that will stay up and out for years (Don’t Feed the Animals, Joe's Bistro). Max-metal is two paper-thin sheets of aluminum with a black plastic core. Dibond is an aluminum composite material (ACM) of two pre-painted sheets of 0.012” aluminum with a solid polyethylene core. Indoor applications include retail cabinet signs, menu boards and an endless number of posters. You can get metal or aluminum signs printed in full color and in any size and shape you want!

Coroplast is a corrugated plastic similar in structure to corrugated cardboard and available in sheets up to 5’ x 10’. Produced to print on flatbed printers, coroplast is widely used for political signs, real estate signs, sport-themed cutouts, event signs and other shaped signs.





Our next blog will cover materials for walls, windows and floors. Don’t hesitate to contact us anytime with questions about these or other substrates you are considering at denver@speedprodenver.com, 303.426.4199 or www.speedprodenver.net. We also welcome your suggestions for topics and materials to cover.

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foamcore

**http://www.ultraboard.com/ultraboard/specs
Coroplast is a registered trademark of Coroplast, LLC
Dibond is a registered trademark of 3A Composites USA

Question: How to Confidently Manage Your Event Planning Long-Distance?

Answer: Hire a local company that’s been there and done that countless times!

You’re an event planner and you love it. As the conductor waving your wand over suppliers, you thrive on the pressure of managing your event that’s going to take place in Denver from your East Coast location. So on the checklist with all your large format printing needs listed, choose a locally based, proven printer, and keep your focus on putting bodies in the seats.

In the early stages of your event planning, taking a virtual walk-through of any venue without flying out is a great option to increase your comfort level. Plan and address those details of the visual path your attendees will take using a variety of apps like Google Duo, Tango and ooVoo Video Call. These walk-throughs from your out-of-state location are a breeze with a local printer! And, a local printer will know the venues rule and regs for hanging signs, options for wayfinding signs, podium signage, oversized agendas, oversized speaker promo boards and trade show booths. 

Hiring local also gives you the benefit their familiarity with the in’s and out’s of delivering to all the big venues and hotels around the metro area. For example, at the Colorado Convention Center, deliveries for trade show booths without being an attendee must go to a specific security gate to ensure the delivery gets to the booth in very short order. Conversely, at The Denver Mart, print vendors can hand-carry deliveries right to your meeting room or booth.

Choose SpeedPro Imaging of Denver and you’ll experience the same high-level of service as our two clients’ quoted on this blog!  Reach us at 303.426.4199, denver@denverspeedpro.com or www.speedprodenver.net