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Neon inscription on the wall with your own hands. How to Create Neon Sign Text in Photoshop Modern lighting materials for illuminated signs and boxes

Outdoor signage is one of the most effective tools attracting customers who are in close proximity to the advertised object. Unfortunately, this method has disadvantages that appear at the moment when the "goes out" daylight streets. So that after sunset the object of trade, entertainment or the provision of services can continue to work efficiently, signs made of neon tubes are used.

Owners of restaurants, pharmacies or shops whose opening hours fall in the evening or at night, in order not to lose a significant part of their customers, are forced to purchase and install this type of lighting equipment. Considering the fact that such facilities open almost every day, the business of making neon signs to order can bring significant dividends in the first months of production. This article will cover the main aspects this business, indicating the size of the initial financial costs and the expected profit.

Our business valuation:

Starting investment - 400,000 rubles.

Market saturation is average.

The complexity of starting a business is 4/10.

Equipment for the production of neon advertising

In order for the production of advertising neon signs to be effective and not stop due to the failure of any elements and parts, you need to know how to choose high-quality equipment for a neon mini-factory.

For the production of neon signs, you will need to purchase:

Table made of heat-resistant material.
Gas-burners.
Gas equipment.
Vacuum pumping post.

A table with a good quality heat-resistant coating can be purchased for 10 thousand rubles. and despite the significant dimensions, this product will be one of the cheapest in the kit for the production of neon signs. For work, you will also need several burners, with a total cost of about 100 thousand rubles. When organizing a workflow, one cannot do without a tape burner, which is used to heat a long piece of tube. The cross burner is used for making sharp corners and for efficient spot heating. For the production of signs, you will also need to purchase cylinders for inert gases and propane, the total cost of which will be at least 12 thousand rubles. If it is possible to connect the workshop to the central gas supply, then this option for operating the equipment will allow you to work more comfortably.

An evacuation post is necessary for the safe saturation of the cavity of glass tubes with mercury vapor and an inert gas. You can buy foreign-made equipment for at least 500 thousand rubles, but you can save a lot cash if you pay attention to the products domestic manufacturers. An exhaust post, which is not inferior in its characteristics to the best imported samples, can be purchased at half the price. When buying a domestic pumping station, there will also be no problems with the purchase of spare parts and the repair of this equipment.

The minimum total cost of purchasing equipment will be about 400 thousand rubles, but for organizing this type of business, financial expenses will not be limited to this amount.

Renting or building a workshop space

For the workshop, you will need to rent or build a room with an area of at least 120 m2. Considering a large number orders for the manufacture of bulk products, such an area is necessary for the placement of materials and finished signs, as well as equipment for the production of neon products. Renting a room will cost about 50 thousand rubles. per month, and when building a building for a mini-factory, you will need to spend at least 1.5 million rubles. The advantage of the latter option is that, despite the significant initial investment, you will not need to pay rent every month, which will allow you to fully recoup such investments within the first 3 years. Also, in the event of termination entrepreneurial activity it will be possible to profitably sell the workshop for the production of neon advertising.

Thus, the amount of the initial investment, taking into account the necessary expenses for renting the premises, will increase by at least 50 thousand rubles.

Workshop staff

To start making neon wall inscriptions, you will need to hire highly qualified personnel. 2 people are enough to work in a small workshop. You will need to hire a glass blower and a pumper, whose work experience should be at least 1 year. An inexperienced specialist will need to spend several times more time doing the same amount of work compared to a master who has been manufacturing neon signs for several years. If the search for qualified workers is unsuccessful, then you can train the staff at your own expense. For example, a full glass blower training course will cost only 100 thousand rubles. You can pay for work with this approach to hiring staff on a progressive scale. First time wage glass blower can be no more than 20 thousand rubles. per month, but when the productivity of work increases significantly, you can raise the salary to 50 thousand rubles.

Significant savings in labor costs can be achieved with a small volume of orders. If the glass blower combines the duties of a pumper, then such work can be paid in the amount of 60 - 70 thousand rubles. per month.

Before you start hiring workers, it is recommended to study the literature on how to make a neon sign with your own hands. After getting acquainted with the theory, it will be possible to more effectively assess the qualifications of employees.

Purchase of consumables

To begin manufacturing process it is impossible without consumables, so it is necessary to include an expense item in the business plan for the purchase of everything you need. It will be possible to engage in the manufacture of neon inscriptions only if the following are purchased:

Neon tubes.
Electrodes.
inert gas.
Accessories.

Neon tubes are quite expensive material. One meter of such a product will cost at least 100 rubles. Initially, you will need to purchase neon tubes with a total length of at least 500 meters. Such large volumes of consumables are explained by the fact that in order to manufacture an element of a certain color, it is necessary to use a tube with a phosphor for a certain color.

Electrodes for the manufacture of neon signs will require a large number.

The average price of this element is 150 rubles, but to start the production process, you will need to purchase electrodes in the amount of at least 10 thousand rubles.

To consumable also includes an inert gas, the cost of which is also high. The approximate price of 1 liter of neon is 300 rubles. To get started, it is recommended to purchase a cylinder with a volume of 40 liters. Various hoses, gaskets, adapters and other parts necessary for connecting burners and equipment will also need to be purchased at the stage of organizing a business. The price of such products is not very high, so the total cost of opening a workshop for the production of neon signs will increase slightly.

Profit calculation

The price of a neon sign cannot be less than 3,000 rubles, so even taking into account the high cost of production, you can count on profitability, with a sufficient number of orders. From each order, the net profit will be about 60%, and if you complete at least 30 orders per month, the monthly income will be at least 50 thousand rubles. Upon receipt of orders for the production of volumetric signs, the cost of an advertising object may increase by an order of magnitude, therefore, when organizing a workflow involving several glassblowers, the monthly profit is usually at least 1 million rubles.

With properly organized advertising on television and radio, it is possible to significantly expand the range of manufactured products by receiving orders from individuals. Neon signs for a loft-style house can be made according to the wishes of the client, and the cost is calculated at the preliminary design stage of the object.

The production of neon devices can be performed not only for outdoor advertising objects, but also for indoor spaces. Some customers want to buy a neon sign for the room, so when making advertisements this type of production of neon products should also be indicated.

For ease of implementation finished products it is recommended to open a small store of ready-made neon signs. Despite the additional costs of renting premises and paying wages, such an object will allow moving production outside the city limits, where renting a room for a workshop can be several times cheaper. Also in the store you can calculate the cost of advertising objects and place orders.

Summary

To open a business for the manufacture of neon signs, you will need to spend at least 500 thousand rubles. At proper organization advertising campaign and hiring qualified specialists, these investments will be returned in full and the business will generate a stable income throughout the calendar year. To make it as easy as possible for potential customers to order a neon sign, it is recommended to create your own website. On such an Internet resource, you can place not only product descriptions and contact information, but also provide the buyer with the opportunity to calculate the approximate cost of the order using an online calculator.

Every business owner wants to stand out from their competitors. At present, the technologies for the production of illuminated advertising have stepped far forward and offer the widest choice of materials and technologies for the manufacture of signs for every taste and budget.

Let's consider duralight and LED-neon as an affordable material for the manufacture of not only signs, but also decorative and lighting design of the entrance group, the facade of your building, or even the interior (both reception and interior design elements). Why duralight, or LED-neon? The fact is that these materials do not require any special knowledge of the sign manufacturing technology, which requires taking into account many nuances. In addition, modern duralight is made on the basis of the same LEDs, due to which its light output will be maximum, applicable to its manufacturing technology.

WHAT IS USED IN LIGHT BOXES AND SIGNS?

Let's figure out why LED duralight, light modules, strips and LED neon are better than good old neon tubes, morally and technologically obsolete incandescent lamps and fluorescent lamps. I think that incandescent lamps are immediately swept aside. AT outdoor advertising such lamps were used about 40 years ago, and even then because of the lack of other alternatives. The only case is duralight (more recently it was assembled on the basis of miniature incandescent bulbs).

OBSOLETE MATERIALS FOR BOXES AND SIGNS.

Incandescent lamps- high heat transfer is not applicable for our conditions. In winter, such a lamp, during operation, melts the snow and ice around it, the plastic elements of the sign, fills it with water, when it turns off and cools down, it overgrows with ice, which eventually melts again and safely burns out along with the electrical wiring elements. Extremely low efficiency - high power consumption, low light output. Let's forget about them.
Luminescent electrics- it is impossible to create complex elements from fluorescent lamps. Such an electrician turns on for a long time and poorly when low temperatures. Small selection of lamp color options. Recently, it has been used only in light boxes, or for illuminating shop windows. It is successfully superseded by LED technologies, which have a higher light output efficiency, many times longer time between failures and are less demanding on temperature. environment. In isolated cases, energy-saving lamps are found in small signs made by a handicraft method. I consider such use unacceptable, if not from an aesthetic point of view, then at least because of the low IP class, which can be very fraught for those who like to "save".
Neon (gas light) tubes- Being one of the oldest technologies at the moment, it has not so many disadvantages compared to LED neon and even LED duralight. But there are also significant drawbacks - for gas-light tubes, workers temperature regime a relatively narrow range from -25 to +50 C is considered. At lower temperatures, higher currents are required for the operation of the tube, which drastically reduces the life of the tube itself. Under real operating conditions, it has been noticed that a temperature of -15 and below leads to a significant drop in the brightness of the neon tube, as a result of which the key inscription of the name of your store, made in neon, is inferior in luminosity to the lower box on fluorescent lamps. Also, neon advertising requires a very high supply voltage, which is dangerous for interior use, and you have to think about where to place bulky and heavy power transformers. Another significant disadvantage - the glass is fragile! Well, besides, we are considering the possibility of making advertising with our own hands, and neon tubes cannot be dispensed with without the help of competent specialists and expensive equipment.

MODERN LIGHTING MATERIALS FOR Illuminated Signs and Boxes.

As a result, it turns out that for the manufacture of illuminated advertising, or its elements with our own hands, neither luminescent nor gas-light technologies are suitable for us. This is where we return to using for our purposes LED duralight, LED neon, LED strip and light modules as to the most accessible and profitable materials for us .

Round duralight.
LED modules.
Flexible LED neon.

PLUSES AND MINUSES OF USING NEON AND DYURALIGHT.

Pluses (+).

Durability- LEDs mean up to 100,000 hours of continuous operation. I have not seen the MTBF declared below 30,000 hours even from Chinese manufacturers.
Extremely low power consumption- LED-neon flex consumes 4-8 watts per linear meter (neon tube is about 20 W-meter). In general, as practice shows, with the same luminous intensity, LEDs consume 4 times less energy than fluorescent ones, and about 10 times less than incandescent lamps.
Operating temperatures- The range recommended by LED manufacturers ranges from -70 at the lower end of the range to +85 (cautious manufacturers limit this threshold to +50) - at the top. At the same time, the brightness of the glow is preserved, as well as the instant start.
Flexibility- both duralight and LED neon are essentially flexible plastic tubes with LEDs and electrical circuit elements laid out inside. I would like to note that duralight bends easier, with a smaller bending radius and along any axis, unlike LED neon. As a result of this factor, it is more convenient to lay out flat and fairly large elements of a signboard with LED neon (for example, the contours of letters), while duralight can easily repeat any contour of a design element.
High IP65 ratio- most of the tubes produced at the moment can work absolutely without problems when completely immersed in water.

Minuses (-).

We have analyzed a lot of advantages of LED neon and duralight, but surely there are also disadvantages? Yes, both LED neon and duralight have their drawbacks.

A common disadvantage is the multiplicity of cut. Due to the fact that elements of the electrical circuit of the device are located inside the tube, both duralight and LED neon have a certain cutting step (multiplicity) that varies from 0.15 to 3.0 meters for duralight and from 0.91 or 1, 52 meters for LED neon. In this regard, some restrictions are imposed on the design performance, since you have to hide the excess length of the light cord somewhere.
It is believed that the disadvantage of duralight compared to LED neon is discreteness of the glow of duralight. Those. it is possible to save money and make contour lighting of the sign from a cheaper, compared to LED-neon, duralight, but in the end we will get either uneven light with pronounced points of illumination (when the illuminated surface is close to the sign), or too weak and inexpressive glow (when increasing the distance from the sign to the illuminated surface). Naturally, this point can be considered a disadvantage only when performing certain tasks, but when choosing a design solution, you should still always take into account that the step between the LEDs in duralight is very noticeable and amounts to 0.5 - 2.5 cm, while LED- neon has a smooth, indistinguishable from neon, glow along its entire length.

And finally, I want to note once again that LED neon bends well only in one plane, and in other planes the bending radius is much inferior to duralight, which cannot be ignored if you want to highlight a complex small-sized shape.

USEFUL LINKS ABOUT DURALIGHT.

Glow and glitter effects help create beautiful and glossy objects. In this tutorial, I'll show you how to create a background from a brick texture and then using layer styles and the tool Feather(Pen Tool), we will create a bright neon effect, which we will apply to the text, in addition, we will add electrical wires to the text. So let's get started!

Final result:

1. Create the background

Step 1

Create new document 1500 x 950 px, install Permission(Resolution) 300.

So go ahead File - Place inline(File > Place Embedded) and in the window that appears, select the original image with a brick wall texture. Apply scaling to your liking. Press the (Enter) key to apply the changes.

Step 2

At the bottom of the layers panel, click the icon (Create new fill or adjustment layer) and in the menu that appears, select the option Levels Levels(Levels).

Step 3

Convert this adjustment layer Levels(Levels) to a clipping mask for the brick wall texture layer by clicking the corresponding icon at the bottom of the Properties panel ( properties). Next, in the settings of the adjustment layer Levels(Levels), set the value for Shadows(Shadows) 85.

Step 4

Next, click the icon again Create a New Adjustment or Fill Layer(Create new fill or adjustment layer) and add an adjustment layer Hue / Saturation(Hue/Saturation) as clipping mask. Next, in the settings of this adjustment layer, set the value Saturation(Saturation) 11, and the value Brightness(Lightness) -83.

2. Create the text

Step 1

Create text, all capital letters. Font ‘Beon Medium’. Text color #a33e88, font size 103 pt.

Step 2

Duplicate the text layer. Turn off the visibility of the original text layer by clicking on the eye next to the layer thumbnail. Next, right-click on the duplicate layer and in the window that appears, select the option Rasterizetext(Rasterization).

Step 3

Choose a tool Rectangular area(Rectangular Marquee Tool) (or choose any selection tool you like) in the settings this instrument, select the mode Add to selection(Add to selection), and using this tool, select horizontal text fragments.

Step 4

Next, let's go Editing - Cut(Edit > Cut) and then go Editing - Paste Special - Paste in Place(Edit > Paste Special > Paste in Place). Thus, the horizontal fragments will be selected on a separate layer. Name the layer with vertical slices vertical(Vertical), and a layer with horizontal fragments Horizontal(horizontal).

Step 5

Decrease the value fills(Fill) to 0 for both layers vertical(Vertical) and Horizontal(horizontal).

Step 6

Duplicate each layer twice vertical(Vertical) and Horizontal(Horizontal), next, group the layers into appropriate groups. Name new bands vertical/ Horizontal(Vertical/Horizontal).

Translator's note: Each group should have 3 layers.

Step 7

Position the layer with the group Horizontal(Horizontal) below the layer with the group vertical(Vertical).

3. Add Styling to the original layer with horizontal text fragments

Horizontal

Step 1

Add a layer style Embossing

The size(Size): 10
Uncheck the box global illumination(Use Global Light)
Corner(Angle): 0
Height(Altitude): 70
Check the box Smoothing(anti-aliased)
Backlight mode(highlight mode): Linear light(linear light)
Shadow mode(Shadow Mode)- Opacity(Opacity): 0%

Step 2

Add a layer style Circuit

Check the box Smoothing(anti-aliased)

Step 3

Add a layer style inner shadow(Inner Shadow) with the following settings:

Blend mode(Blend Mode): Lightening(screen)
Color: #e658d4
Corner(Angle): 30
Bias(Distance): 0

Step 4

Add a layer style inner glow

Opacity(Opacity): 85%
Color: #fe66f1
Source(Source): From the center(Center)
The size(Size): 18

Step 5

Add a layer style Shadow

Bias(Distance): 13
The size(Size): 7

4. Add Styling to the First Duplicate Horizontal Text Layer

Double click on the first duplicate layer Horizontal(horizontal) to apply following styles layer:

Step 1

Add a layer style Embossing(Bevel and Emboss). Set the following settings:

The size(Size): 16
Uncheck the box global illumination(Use Global Light)
Corner(Angle): -36
Height(Altitude): 42
Circuitgloss(Contour): Cove - Deep
Check the box Smoothing(anti-aliased)
Backlight mode(highlight mode): Bright light(Vivid light)
Shadow mode(Shadow Mode)- Opacity(Opacity): 0%

Step 2

Add a layer style Circuit(Contour) with the following settings:

Circuitgloss(Contour): Cone - Inverted
Check the box Smoothing(anti-aliased)

5. Add Styling to the Second Duplicate Horizontal Text Layer

Horizontal(Horizontal) to apply the following layer styles:

Step 1

Add a layer style Embossing(Bevel and Emboss). Set the following settings:

The size(Size): 16
Uncheck the box global illumination(Use Global Light)
Corner(Angle): 18
Height(Altitude): 58
gloss outline(Contour): Half Round
Check the box Smoothing(anti-aliased)
Backlight mode(highlight mode): Bright light(Vivid light)
Shadow mode(Shadow Mode)- Opacity(Opacity): 0%

Step 2

Add a layer style Circuit(Contour) with the following settings:

gloss outline(Contour): Sawtooth 2
Check the box Smoothing(anti-aliased)

Step 3

Add a layer style inner glow(Inner Glow) with the following settings:

Blend mode(Blend Mode): Linear light(linear light)
Noise(Noise): 5%
Color: #ffdcfa
Source(Source): From the center(Center)
The size(Size): 38

Step 4

Add a layer style External glow(Outer Glow) with the following settings:

Color: #7f2d65
The size(Size): 15

This is the styling of the final layer. Horizontal(horizontal). We additionally added gloss and glow.

6. Add Styling to the Original Vertical Text Layer

Step 1

Right click on the original layer Horizontal(Horizontal) and in the window that appears, select the option Copy layer style(Copy Layer Style) and then right-click on the original layer vertical(Vertical) and in the window that appears, select the option Paste Layer Style(Paste Layer Style).

Double click on the original layer vertical Corner(Angle) by setting the value to 90 in the layer style Embossing Heights(Altitude) to 74.

Step 2

For layer style inner glow(Inner Glow), just change The size(Size) by 15.

We have corrected the effect according to the vertical and diagonal text fragments.

7. Add Styling to the First Duplicate Vertical Text Layer

Copy the layer styles of the first duplicate layer Horizontal(Horizontal) and then paste the copied layer styles to the first duplicate layer vertical(Vertical).

Double click on the duplicate layer vertical(Vertical) to correct Corner(Angle) by setting the value to -76 in the layer style Embossing(Bevel and Emboss) and also change the values Heights(Altitude) by 53.

The result for the first duplicate layer.

8. Add Styling to the Second Duplicate Vertical Text Layer

Copy the layer styles of the second duplicate layer Horizontal(Horizontal) and then paste the copied layer styles to the second duplicate layer vertical(Vertical).

Double click on the second duplicate layer vertical(Vertical) to correct Corner(Angle) by setting the value to -82 in the layer style Embossing(Bevel and Emboss) and also change the values Heights(Altitude) by 53.

So, we have finished styling both parts of the text.

9. Additionally add a glow and create electrical wires

Step 1

Create a new layer below the text layer whose visibility we turned off earlier. Name this layer ‘Glow in the background’. Change the blending mode for this layer to Linear light(Linear Light).

Set the foreground color to #98338b, select the tool Brush(Brush Tool), set a large soft brush. Just click a few times to add a glow behind the text (don't brush, just add a color spot).

Step 2

Create another new layer below the ‘Glow in the background’ layer. Name this layer ‘Wires’. Choose a tool Feather(Pen Tool), in the settings of this tool, select the mode contours(Path).

What you need to do next is create outlines where you would like to add electrical wires. You can add anchor points and also create curves by dragging the guide anchor points. When creating outlines, remember that the outlines don't have to be perfect. At any time, you can use the tool Arrow(Direct Selection Tool) to correct anchor points or guide lines.

Step 3

To create separate paths, hold down the (Ctrl) key. First draw a path, then press + hold (Ctrl), then click outside the path, thus creating a separate path that will not be attached to the next path that you will create next.

Step 4

Take your time in this step to get an interesting result.

Step 5

Choose a tool Brush(Brush Tool), next, go to the brush settings panel Window - Brushes(Window > Brush), set the Hard Round brush to 7 px, value Interval(Spacing) 1.

Step 6

Set the foreground color to #252525, select the tool Arrow(Direct Selection Tool), right-click on the path and in the window that appears, select the option Stroke the path(StrokePath).

Step 7

In the window that appears, select the tool Brush(Brush), and also uncheck the box Simulate pressure(Simulate pressure).

Step 8

So, we completed the stroke of the contour. Press the (Enter) key to delete the work path.

10. Add Styling to the Wires

Double click on the layer with the drawn wire to apply the following layer styles:

Step 1

Add a layer style Embossing(Bevel and Emboss). Set the following settings:

Check the box Smoothing(anti-aliased)
Backlight mode(highlight mode): Bright light(Vivid light)
Color:#ec6ab7
Opacity(Opacity): 24%

Step 2

Add a layer style Circuit(Contour) with the following settings:

Check the box Smoothing(anti-aliased)

Step 3

Add a layer style Pattern overlay(Pattern Overlay) with the following settings:

Blend mode(Blend Mode): Multiplication(Multiply)
Pattern(Pattern): 8

Step 4

Add a layer style Shadow(Drop Shadow) with the following settings:

Opacity(Opacity): 60%
Bias(Distance): 13
The size(Size): 10

11. Create mounts

Step 1

Choose a tool Rectangle(Rectangle Tool) to create an 11 x 15 px rectangle.

Translator's note: next, I will describe the entire process of creating a fixture: 1. in the settings of this tool, set the mode shape layer(Layer-shape) 2. Add anchor points, move them (using the Arrow tool) 3. Rasterize the shape 4. Create a duplicate. 5. Apply layer styles.

Step 2

Choose a tool Add Anchor Point(Add Anchor Point Tool). Add two anchor points in the center of the rectangle's vertical lines.

Step 3

Now, select a tool Arrow(Direct Selection Tool), using this tool, select the center points that you added, and then press the Left arrow key once to move the points 1 px to the left.

Translator's note: 1. When selecting points with the Arrow key, hold down the (Shift) 2. You won't see the outline selection, don't worry, you've already selected them, because the dots will become active, you will see it now, just press the left arrow key to move the dots 3. Try pressing the left key a few times to notice the shift effect.

Step 4

Duplicate the rectangle layer. Rotate the duplicate rectangle, for this we go Editing - Transform - Rotate 90° clockwise(Edit > Transform > Rotate 90° Clockwise). Name the first rectangle layer ‘H’ (for horizontal(horizontal)) text fragments, and name the second layer ‘V’ (for vertical(vertical)).

12. Apply Styling to the Fixtures

Double click on the 'H' layer to apply the following layer styles:

Step 1

Add a layer style Gradient overlay(Gradient Overlay) with the following settings:

Opacity(Opacity): 42%
Type ofgradient(Style): Linear(linear)
Click on the gradient bar to set the gradient colors to #151515 on the left, #6d6d6d in the center, and #161616 on the right.

Step 2

Add a layer style Shadow(Drop Shadow) with the following settings:

Opacity(Opacity): 60%
Bias(Distance): 13
The size(Size): 10

Step 3

Copy the layer styles by right-clicking on the 'H' layer and in the window that appears, selecting the option Copy layer style(Copy layer style). In the same way, paste the layer style on the 'V' layer. Next, double click on the 'V' layer to change the angle of the layer style. Gradient overlay(Gradient Overlay) to 0.

Step 4

Translator's note: the author added mounts to the brick wall to create the feeling that the wire is attached to the wall, and also added mounts at the entrance and exit of the neon lamps themselves.

13. Add a Color Fill Layer

Create a New Adjustment Layer Color(Solid Color). The fill color is #a34799. Place this adjustment layer below the electric wires layer, change the blending mode for this adjustment layer to Bright light(Vivid Light). In this way, we will add a pink tint to the brick wall behind the text and increase the glow and lighting of the final result.

Congratulations! We have completed the lesson!

In this tutorial, we created a background from a brick wall texture, darkening it a bit. Next, we added text, rasterized the text layer, separated the horizontal, vertical and diagonal text fragments.

Once we have created the text and applied styling to it, we additionally added a glow to the background and using the tool Feather(Pen Tool) created an outline for electrical wires. We've stroked the path and applied layer styles to create a 3D look.

Finally, we applied the tool Rectangle(Rectangle Tool) to create attachments for electrical wires, and then applied layer styles to them. And finally, we added a final adjustment layer to enhance the colors of the final result.

Thank you for being with me until the end of the lesson. Hope you enjoyed this tutorial.

In recent years, people are increasingly trying their hand at opening their own business. Someone can invest heavily in the beginning and take risks, but not everyone has such an opportunity and a large scope is not always needed.

Let's say you want to set up a small repair shop. For a successful implementation, you need knowledge of the matter and a sign that informs people around you about your services. It doesn't have to be expensive, but your customers should notice it.

Now we will share a way how to make a sign with your own hands.

Types of signs

Now created great amount ways to attract consumers. The oldest of them is the sign. Looking at the photos of signs, you can see their diversity not only in the names and design, but also in the types of signs themselves.

So there are signs consisting of one name, and advertising signs, in which, in addition to the name, a brief essence of the services provided is given.

You can also distinguish signs by the method of manufacture:

not light (ordinary);
light (neon signs and LED);
three-dimensional signs (boxes and letters).

Naturally, shop signs are most often used, but businesses never refuse to use this method of advertising themselves.

What you need to create a sign

To make a sign at home, you must first select the type billboard. In our case, an ordinary non-illuminated sign was taken.

It is the easiest and fastest to make, and the workmanship will not be much worse than that of professionals.

What is required for this:

steel sheet two meters (minimum thickness);
self-adhesive in various colors;
rag, wipe glued places;
Double-sided tape
scissors (ordinary and for metal);
simple pencil;
computer, preferably with a printer;
tape measure or ruler (you can do both);
plastic card (bank or discount card is suitable).

Making a sign

Let's prepare the base first. It will be a steel sheet measuring 1 by 2 meters. However, our sign will be 2 meters by 50 cm, and since the width of the self-adhesive film is 45 cm, we will reduce the width of the future sheet to this value and make 2 cuts.

As a result, we get 2 bases for future signs 200 cm by 45 cm. In order not to suffer with accurate and even cutting of metal, we recommend ordering its cutting at the store where it was purchased.

For accuracy, after cutting, you need to sand the edges with sandpaper or a file so that everything is even and smooth.

When the base is ready, we move on to creating templates for the name. They are usually made on a computer, and Photoshop or other graphics editors are used as programs. In them, select the desired font and enter the name of the future sign.

After that, print the letters on the printer and cut them out. You will receive layouts that need to be glued to the film, and then cut out along the contour.

The next step is to stick a background on the sheet. This is more difficult to do than it might seem at first glance.

In order for the self-adhesive film to stick to the metal correctly and without wrinkles, the paper is carefully torn off from the middle. After that, with someone's help, they begin to glue the film to the sheet, from the center to the edges.

Note!

Use plastic for leveling. You should not rush when doing it, it will have a bad effect on quality. The length of the film can be made slightly longer than the length of the sheet. This will allow you to bend its edges and, thus, fix the self-adhesive on the metal even more reliably.

The final step will be the even placement of the name of the sign on the base. To begin with, the letters are laid out on a sheet and roughly placed in the middle of the base.

After that, it is necessary to apply an alignment line so that the letters do not “jump” (only if this is not specifically intended). Then, the paper is torn off the film from the letters and strictly along the resulting line they are pasted onto the background of the sign.

To avoid swelling when sticking, as well as with the background, a plastic card is used. The final touch is the edging of the signboard.

As a rule, film cuts from previous stages of work are used on it. The optimal width is 2 cm. The edging is glued from the edge to the center, and it is located both in plain sight and with reverse side bases, to hide the irregularities of the edges of the sheet. Accordingly, the width of the strip on the edge should be at least 4 cm.

After completing all the steps, you will get a beautiful and inexpensive sign made by you!

Note!

DIY signage photo

Note!

A homemade neon sign can be used not only for its intended purpose, but also as a bright and extraordinary lighting element in the interior of a suitable style. Details of making a neon sign in the form of an inscription with your own hands, below.

materials

For work you will need:

flexible neon for 12 or 24 V and a power supply to it;
2-pin connector for flexible neon;
end caps;
aluminum profile;
flat aluminum tube in width corresponding to flexible neon;
epoxy adhesive for steel products;
sandpaper;
wire;
electrical tape or heat shrink tubing;
primer;
paint;
hacksaw;
vise;
transparent silicone adhesive.

Step 1. You need to make a layout of the inscription, which will become a sign. In fact, it needs to be transferred to big leaf paper, for example, drawing paper, etc. Since neon tubes can end up bending differently than you imagined, it's worth making a rough layout out of round wire. Fix it with pieces of adhesive tape and evaluate whether this is what you want to see. After transferring the layout to paper.

Step 2. Based on the prepared template, bend the flat aluminum tube to form a frame. At bends and intersections, it will need to be welded.

Step 3. On the back of the frame, weld two metal fasteners that will be needed to hang the inscription on the wall.

Step 4. Cut the prepared aluminum profile into small pieces, 1 - 2 cm long. They need to be fixed along the entire length of the prepared frame. Be careful when attaching them, as the profile pieces should be installed strictly on the side where the flexible neon will pass. The twists and turns will make them appear to be on either side of the tube, but they are not.

Step 5. Before fastening the profile, sand the metal frame along the entire length, paying special attention to the places where welding was used.

Step 6. Attach the profile pieces to the frame at the predetermined points using epoxy glue. Leave everything until the adhesive is completely dry.

Step 7. Apply a primer to the surface of the resulting frame. Leave everything again until the material is completely dry.