As a forty-year veteran of the sign industry, my career began before computers, when layout was created with pencil or charcoal, and the finished product was produced with lettering brushes. Computer-assisted design has been both a blessing and a curse. But good design principles never change.

I no longer climb ladders with ease, but my desire and energy to promote excellence in sign design has never flagged. I believe that, in spite of the potent power that the computer as a design tool has given us, the sign industry is awash in mediocre and ineffective design work. Sign companies, all too typically, hire designers that are proficient in software manipulation but who have not been given basic knowledge of good design principles.

It’s my desire to be a small voice in a wilderness, sharing knowledge that I hope will enable others to help lift the bar for effective sign work.