San Francisco Peninsula

If Walls Could Talk (or Swim)

Fri, 11 May 2012 22:22:15 EST

Wall graphics are hot. There are huge opportunities lying hidden in alcoves or "hiding in plain sight" along vast stretches of interior wall space. Maybe it’s time to get rid of that handful of meaningless framed things dotting a hallway and create a wall mural to tell your story.

We recently completed a project for Shamiko Design on behalf of the Redwood Shores Public Library branch. A little used alcove area was turned from a forgotten space into an undersea wonder world. With its location along the tidal waterways of Redwood Shores, the library carries an aquatic theme throughout its architecture, interior design and displays for children or adults. The new wallscape features larger than life clownfish and other underwater life prompting one of the first young admirers to point and exclaim: “look, Mommy, it’s Nemo!!” For this project we used an Avery wall vinyl with permanent adhesive and a gloss liquid laminate to provide the surface a wet, shiny look.

There are many different materials and approaches that can be taken for custom wallcovering, depending on size, permanence and desired finish. We’ve all seen the commercial murals that decorate airports, malls and civic structures. Most of these are designed for short term use, and are printed on adhesive backed vinyl for quick installation and removal. We’ve even created event signage that was directly applied to the walls and elevator doors of the conference venue instead of using posters. With low tack adhesive, these were safely removed after a few days without pulling off paint or leaving a sticky residue. There's also several printable, adhesive backed fabrics with a subtle weave and elegant look. They print beautifully, can be applied and left in place for years or easily removed and even re-used in certain cases.

For more permanent wall treatments, papering with custom digitally printed wallpaper is a dynamic way to carry atmospheric or brand messaging to employees and customers. There are a wide range of textured and smooth papers that meet building safety codes and are applied like other commercial wallcoverings the traditional, old fashioned way – with paste applied to the back and hung by some skilled, professional wallpaper people!

So if you’re feeling daring and want to work on a big canvas, let the walls talk – or swim as the case may be.

tags: Wall, Mural, Wraps, Fabric

Get Back: Substrate Options for Mounted Posters

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 22:45:45 EST

At Speedpro Imaging, we create a lot of mounted posters! Single sided and two sided; indoor or outdoor; easel-backed, wall mounted and free standing “meter boards.” There are many options for mounting material, or rigid substrate, that can back a poster. As would be expected, each substrate generally has a “sweet spot” for purpose and cost; so we thought it would be useful to review the most common poster/sign substrates and discuss how and where they fit.

The “usual suspects” around our studio on a day-to-day basis are:

foamcore,
Ultraboard (similar to Gatorfoam board),
Expanded PVC sheets (often referred to by the brand name Sintra TM)
Falconboard and other “green” thick substrates
corrugated plastic (or Coroplast, for short)

Foamcore--

Everyone in the display graphics, advertising and event business is familiar with foamcore. The most common thickness is 3/16” (although it’s sometimes referred to as 1/4”). It’s usually white, although we also stock and use a lot of black foamcore at Speedpro, depending on the coloring of the face print.

Foamcore is great for short term, indoor use -- directional signs at conferences & trade shows, event signs, or temporary indoor signage. The disadvantage of foamcore is that it isn’t weatherproof or durable. It will warp over time and is susceptible to crushed edges, dinged corners and finger divits. For use-and-toss purposes, its smooth finish and low price point are perfect, but for a multi-use or longer term scenario, it comes up short.

Ultraboard--

The next step up in lightweight, foam sandwich construction is often generically referred to as Gatorboard, although that is actually a brand name. We prefer a product called Ultraboard which is 100% recyclable, and like Gator, has a denser foam between strong sheets. Ultraboard won’t easily dent, crease or crush like foamcore, so it is better suited for point of purchase use, or for posters that will be used multiple times. Although it won’t warp like foamcore, Ultraboard and Gatorfoam board are intended for indoor use only.

Expanded PVC--

Expanded PVC, sometimes referred to by the brand Sintra, is a dense, but flexible material that generally is used in 3mm or 6mm thicknesses, but sometimes in thinner weights as a more durable alternative to Styrene in 1mm thickness. Sintra is a good material for indoor or outdoor use, and is more dent resistant than Ultraboard. It is also less rigid than Ultraboard which allows it to bend (for example, in a trade show channel system or on a curved podium), if that’s desired. We stock Sintra panels in white and black, and also have its biodegradable cousin, Foamacell, available in 3mm and 6mm thicknesses if requested.

Falconboard, BioBoard, etc.

There are a number of “green” substrates that are manufactured with a center made of corrugated or honeycomb cardboard instead of foam. When cut, the sides reveal a view to the uneven innards, but some people like the look. They are strong and lightweight, but the edges are more susceptible to pinching than Ultraboard since the inside is not uniformly filled.

Coroplast

Corrugated plastic, or coroplast, is a favorite for lawn signs, real estate signs, outdoor directional markers and other short term uses. It is inexpensive, durable and weatherproof, but its downside is the “corduroy” look that comes from the flutes in the material. But the flutes also provide an added benefit, since “H” stake sign holders can slide into them for the quickie lawn signs that are especially popular during political campaigns.

There are many more substrates that can be used for signs and specialty display graphics including aluminum, styrene, chipboard and plenty more. If you’ve got any questions about poster mount options, just give us a call and we’ll start by listening.

tags: Posters, Lamination, Signs

Amusing Signage - Toilet signs from Around the World

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 21:19:20 EST

As Monty Python's John Cleese would say: "and now for something completely different." Let's take a short break for a bit of potty humor.

We’ve all probably found ourselves trying to choose which door to go in at a restaurant or bar where the owner (or their designer) has gotten a bit too “unique” or symbolic representing the Men’s and Women’s rooms. Creativity taken too far can lead to obscurity and confusion – not a good thing when you barge into the wrong bathroom. We found a few amusing examples on the web of non-traditional toilet signs – some very clever and some downright awful. Enjoy!

http://www.fishki.net/comment.php?id=24118

http://www.offbeatearth.com/unusual-bathroom-signs/

tags: Signs, Design,

Looking Down on Wraps?

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:52:14 EST

Most of the vehicle graphics we do are focused on branding the car, truck or bus at the eye level -- for pedestrians and other drivers to see. When it comes to wrapping the roof, the question naturally comes up: “who’s going to see THAT?”

For Specialty’s Bakery and Cafe, the answer is: “lots of potential customers, that’s who!” Specialty’s, a San Francisco based chain with over 40 restaurants in California, Washington and Illinois does a brisk business with online ordering and on site delivery. When serving business customers with catered breakfasts and lunches for group meetings, Specialty’s fleet of small vans are often “looked down upon” from the windows of buildings in Silicon Valley, Chicago or Bellevue.

When someone on the third floor happens to see that van pull into the parking lot with the delicious looking cookies and sandwiches on the roof, it may be hard to resist the urge to jump online and go to www.specialtys.com as the graphic suggests.

Many of the Scion xB’s that we’ve wrapped for Specialty’s featured a bold, espresso brown stripe on the roof with white URL reversed out. Their exciting new look that debuted this month on Ford Transit Connect vans at bakery/cafes in Sunnyvale and Seattle, features photos and graphics, including a full roof wrap.

Roof wraps aren’t necessarily for everyone, but if your vehicle may be often viewed from above, or if the lines of the car favor it (like our Speedpro Imaging minivan which has a sloping roof that begs for full coverage) -- don’t hesitate. It’s a great way to top off an integrated design and let your look be appreciated from more vantage points.

tags: Vehicle Wraps

Here's to the Humble, Versatile, A-Frame Sign

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:42:58 EST

It's not glamorous, trendy or cutting-edge. But for straight forward street signage, the trusty A-frame stand--sometimes known as a sandwich board-- is still an economical and practical choice. Whether you're trying to draw attention to a retail shop or direct traffic flow at an event, this display does the job. It's durable, foldable, stackable, portable, self-supporting and weatherproof...but wait, there's more!!!

Speedpro offers A-frames in a wide variety of sizes in plastic and metal, from tall skinny ones, to low wide models. We print full color, custom sign faces (front, back or both) on corrugated plastic (coroplast) or Sintra PVC depending on budget and longevity requirements. Some of the frames are designed to have the sign face slide into existing grooves for quick changes, other are attached with screws or double stick tape. Many demands, many solutions.

Even though we've made our name from our extreme resolution graphics and unique display offerings, we at Speedpro Imaging still have a special affection for the sandwich board. Be it ever so humble...

tags: Signs, A-frame, Portable, Lightweight