LAYOUT

The proportion of positive space to negative space is of primary importance in the creation of signage for effective communication.  The time honored standard philosophy regarding this relationship is scientific in nature, unifying and integrating individual dominant and subordinate design elements in such a way as to maximize function.

IMAGERY

Who, what, where, when and why are obvious issues in determining the central point of any message.  Not so obvious but just as important are concerns about legibility relating to distance and reading time.  While contrast of light, medium and bold line values add depth and clarity to any sign, creating a definite sense of background and foreground, the incorporation of an illustration or cartoon into a design can involve the viewer directly on an emotional level, conveying a concept without words, thereby adding flexibility to the amount and type of language used in the overall design.

FORMAT

The shape and area of the sign face or space which holds the design is just one of the elements that determine the quality and effectiveness of your sign.  Vertical and horizontal axes (central lines) as well as placement of  the optical center or heart of the composition, are crucial in evaluating the symmetry of the overall picture.