Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/827403
S I G N & D I G I T A L G R A P H I C S • June 2017 • 29 Squinting—the Free Visual Balancing App What does squinting have to do with visual balance? It's a handy built-in app that our brains give to us for free. All we have to do is remember to use it. Here is how squinting works. When you view a sign design, your eyes take in all of the graphics, all at once, giving everything an equal impact upon your brain. Squinting at the design makes the less dominant elements fuzz-out and they fall into the background, allowing the dominance of the graphic to shine through. (Image 6). You can use this tool everywhere and anywhere you go, and it works on every application of graphic design and layout. Try it for yourself. Once you identify the dominant graphic elements of the design, it's much easier to know how to visually balance it. LRIR Opinion vs. Formula As it goes with most aspects of the sign industry, opinion plays a huge role in the final design of a sign. Some design- ers prefer a tight fit for the text or logo on the sign and some prefer more space around it. I'm not going to say that making the logo fit the space provided is incorrect, its' just that sometimes big- ger is not always better and if the logo or text is too big, it's actually harder to read at a distance. So how do you know, truly, how a logo should or shouldn't fit onto a sign face? There are a few formulas out there, but to utilize a template or formula can be tedious at best. Looks right is right is really all about exactly what it says… if it looks right, it is right. Your opinion, your viewpoint and your reasons for placing the logo a bit higher on the sign face all come down to you. Are you confident enough to insist that your LRIR design is the correct way to layout the sign? Have you practiced your five-minute elevator pitch on exactly what you will tell your salesperson if they question you about your design? Practice makes perfect. Look at your current sign designs and put them to the LRIR test. You might be pleasantly surprised… and so will you when you drive down the street and see your LRIR designed sign from a distance. SDG By squinting your eyes, you will be able to see the dominant elements of the logo. This provides you a unique view of the dominant elements that make up the logo. With this information, you can layout the logo on the face so that it looks right, and is right. 6 Looks right is right is really all about exactly what it says… if it looks right, it is right. VISIT standoffsystems.com/signdg CALL 775.829.7272 L E D S TA N D O F F S Available in White, Red, Green & Blue