subject: Caution: Do Not Design or Install Your Outdoor Signage Before Consulting This Article [print this page] Caution: Do Not Design or Install Your Outdoor Signage Before Consulting This Article
As any university student with a pocket protector can tell you, the mathematical center of a sign lies half way down from its top at the exact middle of its 50% level. But surprising to consumers, the mathematical center in an outdoor sign is in fact NOT the same as its optical center. This anomaly unique to outdoor signs can cause problems in both a sign's design and placement.
The Optical Center
By the 'optical center' of an outdoor sign, I am referring to the area within the sign where the human eye tends initially to focus. In outdoor signage, this optical center is slightly higher (by 4%!) than its mathematical center. This oddity causes confusion since the sign design may appear to be sitting low although mathematically centered.
The Design Solution
It's for this reason that professional sign designers adjust design elements upwards by about 4% within the vertical space of a design. Raising these elements to a point slightly higher than the absolute center counteracts the visual imbalance we see if the design is mathematically centered. I've seen in practice just how noticeable the difference is from such a simple adjustment! I was skeptical when I first learned of this technique--way back in 1987! I am now convinced of its effectiveness, though, over my 20+ years of experience.
The Placement of Outdoor Signs
It isn't just a sign's design elements that are susceptible to this optical oddity! It also effects the placement of outdoor signs centered on walls and buildings. (If the sign is supposed to be vertically centered on a wall, for example, the same '4% rule' we discussed earlier applies.)
Why This Matters
Having an outdoor sign that appears to be off center is more than just a matter of cosmetics. A sign that appears "off-center" has the power also to affect your customer's perception of a business.
A sign that appears to have been installed too low, for example, might convey to a potential customer a company's lack of concern for attention to detail. This might lead the public to wonder, "Why is their sign installed off center?" and 'Why haven't they had it corrected?" These silent objections might flash through the consumer's mind so quickly that they might not be consciously aware of them.
It's for this reason that taking advantage this simple, subtle centering technique is so important! Observing the '4% rule' in both the design and placement of your outdoor signage secures a level of professionalism in a business's signage that theyas well as their customers--can be proud of.
Highly Successful Business Signs
A modest 4% improvement in your design quality isn't all that much by itself. But when you use this 13-point checklist, your signage can improve dramatically! You can now discover other professional design techniques in our special free report, "The Baker's Dozen."
For custom quotes and personal design assistance, be sure to visit us at TheSignChef.com! We'd love to assist you with all your outdoor signage needs. Request your own free copy of our design guide, 'The Bakers Dozen.'
