Issue Preview: Interior Architectural Signage, Childrenswear, and GP+ START HERE

In the June issue of GRAPHICS PRO, set to mail on May 24 and hit a screen near you on May 25, print and graphics professionals cover building an interior sign system, trends and laws for childrenswear, and choosing the right blasting and engraving mask.

Plus, don’t miss GP+ START HERE, which offers entry-level information to help make your first steps in the graphics business successful ones.

Interior Architectural Signage

JD Hamilton

• “Today, creating an interior architectural signage system is an important way to create cohesive branding for a business. Architectural styled interior branding is a great way to make an impression on a client, establish your business as an authority in its industry and make an overall welcome and motivating place for employees to come to work.”
• “In recent years, there have been several trends in interior architectural signage. To help explain these trends in real-world terms, I reached out to Lauren Stern, owner of Studio 618 in Charlotte, North Carolina: ‘I do a lot with multifamily projects,’ says Stern. ‘In these types of projects, I like to get information like the naming (typography) and branding (logos and colors). I also spend a good deal of time reviewing the interior design … I compile all this information and create a set of assets to use as inspiration.’”
• “To get up to date on this important element, I spoke with Christina Powell with TouchSource in Layfette, Colorado: ‘Simply put, digital signage solutions deliver visitor entertainment and support ongoing activities and changes not found in traditional signs,’ states Powell. ‘This is all done while ensuring brand integrity and synching in seamlessly with the rest of the signage program. It’s very important to note to our customer that we are not in the business of selling hardware.’”

For the Kids

Kristine Shreve, Kristine Shreve Consulting

• “Decorating children’s clothing and creating designs for that decoration can be about more than simply making something adorable, though adorable will always be a perennial favorite and shouldn’t be discounted.”
• “Copyright is a big issue when it comes to designs. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) can have a big impact on what’s used to decorate kids’ clothing and even the manufacture and make of the clothing itself.”
• “Chances are, not every parent is going to pay attention to color or style trends and what’s fashionable, but it’s still something of which designers and decorators should be aware. Whatever is trending in stores or fashion magazines or blogs may filter down to your customers, so having a heads-up and a head start on being trendy is always a good thing.”

Blasting and Engraving Mask Selection

Ruth Dobbins, Etchmaster

• “For a lot of people, the decision on which mask they are going to use is actually done backward. What do I mean by that? Well, for the greater number of those getting started, they usually end up with a masking material they received with the purchase of their blasting or engraving system.”
• “Most of you are familiar with the brands available and probably have a product of your choice. It would be useful to investigate the different materials on the market. Why? Because you may not use the best choice for what you are going to do.”
• “Some photoresists are more flexible than others, which may play a role if you are working on curved surfaces and or, heaven forbid, having to deal with compound curves. In these cases, you definitely want a more pliable resist that will conform.”

Planting the Seeds of Success

Aaron Montgomery, Our Success Group

• “As part of the START HERE Academy happening in Indianapolis on June 14, I know laying a strong foundation for your business as early as possible is like planting a seed to grow your very own money tree.”
• “It’s easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day tasks of keeping the business afloat and lose sight of the bigger picture. The key to avoiding this trap is to create a business that you love, rather than just another job that steals all your time and is overwhelming.”
• “These foundations will make it so much easier, more exciting, and more joyful to be a small business owner, especially when combined with great education, support, and mentorship.”

Find these articles and much more in GRAPHICS PRO June.