Sylvan Signs
Glossary - S
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sandblasting:
A method for decorating glass
or wood. A rubberized stencil
of the artwork is either
hand- or computer-cut and
applied to the substrate,
which is then sprayed with
a pressurized stream of sand
or synthetic particles to
texture the unprotected area.
Once the desired depth has
been achieved on the item
being blasted, the stencil
is removed, and if on wood,
the surfaces may be painted.
sandwich sign:
A moveable sign not secured
or attached to the ground
or surface upon which it
is located, but supported
by its own frame and most
often forming the cross-sectional
shape of an A. (Also known
as sidewalk sign.)
sans serif:
Any typeface that lacks serifs.
In most sans serif fonts,
there is little differentiation
between the width of strokes
within the letter. Helvetica
and Futura are familiar sans
serif fonts.
schematic design:
A conceptual design developed
at the beginning of a project
which demonstrates a design
approach or strategy. (Also
known as schematics.)
scoring:
Cutting or notching a material
prior to bending it. Sufficient
scoring of some substrates
will also allow them to be
broken cleanly without cutting
them all the way through.
screen:
A frame over which fabric
is stretched for use in screen
printing. The screen supports
the stencil or emulsion through
which the ink is forced by
the squeegee, created the
print.
screen printing:
Graphic application method
capable of printing great
detail and color on a variety
of substrates such as paper,
plastics, aluminum, vinyl
and banner materials.
seam:
A line formed by the joining
together of two separate
pieces of the same or different
materials at their edges,
as with flexible-face fabric
material or wood, metal or
plastic sheet. (See also
butt joint.)
second-surface:
Refers to a sign made of
a clear substrate, such as
acrylic, where the art is
applied in reverse on what
can be an interior face of
the sign, providing extra
protection from the environment.
Some large exterior signs
are painted that way,as are
many smaller identification,
wayfinding, restroom and
evacuation signs that are
subject to handling on a
regular basis.
serif:
A small line or embellishment
finishing off the strokes
of letters in some fonts
(like this one). Well-known
serif fonts include Souvenir,
Times Roman and Garamond.
service:
The general maintenance of
a sign. It may include cleaning,
repainting, replacement of
bulbs or lamps and repairs,
which may be provided on
a regular basis under contract.
service cover:
In an electric sign cabinet,
a panel that allows ready
access to the bulbs or lamps
and the electrical connections
for their replacement and
maintenance.
setback:
In a sign or development
code, the distance between
the primary face of the sign
and the property line or
right of way. The distance
is measured in a straight
line from the base/bottom
of the sign. Most municipalities
require that signs comply
with specified setbacks or
that a variance from the
regulations be applied for
and secured.
shade:
A color made darker than
the original by adding black
to it.
shadow:
Duplication of an image that
is slightly offset. Drop
shadow is a simple copy and
offset; block shadow joins
the outlines of the original
and duplicate to create a
3D-relief effect; and cast
shadow alters the shape and
size of the duplicate to
imitate shadows cast from
varied placement of light,
as the sun does on a sundial.
sheet metal:
Traditionally, drawings prepared
by specific trades to describe
the quantity, shape, size
and materials and other details
to be manufactured, built,
or constructed. In signage,
it now refers to drawings
prepared by fabricators describing
their intended methods of
construction and sequence
of assembly to be reviewed
by designer and owner for
approval prior to construction
and fabrication. The essential
reason for shop drawings
is to be sure the original
design concept is accurately
carried out in the construction
process. (See also template.)
shop drawings:
Drawings prepared by trades
to describe the quantity,
shape, size, materials and
other details of a product's
construction. In signage,
it refers to drawings prepared
by fabricators describing
their intended methods of
construction and sequence
of assembly to be reviewed
by designer and owner for
approval prior to construction
and fabrication. Shop drawings
help assure that the original
design concept is accurately
carried out in the construction
process.
sidewalk sign:
A moveable sign not secured
or attached to the ground
or surface upon which it
is located, but supported
by its own frame and most
often forming the cross-sectional
shape of an A. (Also known
as sandwich sign.)
sign:
Any device, structure, display
or placard which is affixed
to, placed on or in proximity
to, or displayed from within
a building to attract the
attention of the public for
the purposes fo advertising,
identifying or communicating
information about goods and
services.
sign band:
A horizontal area above a
multi-tenant building entrance,
architecturally designed
to accommodate signage in
a signcentric manner.
sign cabinet:
The enclosure of an electric
sign, not including the components
and mounting structure. (See
also box sign and light box.)
sign can:
An informal term for sign
cabinet.
sign code:
A sign code may be part of
a government body's land
use planning regulations,
or it may be a separate document
designed to interact with
other land use codes. As
part of the police powers
granted to local governments,
a sign code normally seeks
to promote the health, safety
and welfare of the public.
Sign codes may regulate size,
placement, illumination,
structure and aesthetics
of sign content and design.
sign face:
Typically refers to the most
prominent message area of
a sign but may refer generically
to any message area. (Also
called face. See also panel.)
sign location map:
Usually a site plan or floor
plan indicating where signs
will be placed (called "sign
locations").
sign location plan:
See sign location map.
signage:
Interchangeable terms used
to describe signs. Any group
of posted commands, warnigns,
information or directions.
signature building:
Architectural design of a
building or structure that
reinforces signage.
signcentric design:
Building architectural design
which makes the signage the
prominent visual feature.
silhouette:
The overall shape or profile
of a sign, or a block of
copy within a sign.
silkscreening:
One of the oldest and simplest
forms of printing. A print
is made using a squeegee
to force ink through stencil
or emulsion that is supported
by fabric that has been stretched
over a frame to create a
screen. Several synthetic
fabrics have replaced silk
as the fabric of choice for
screen printers. (See also
screen printing.)
single face sign:
A sign consisting of one
face, rather than back-to-back
faces on a common frame or
back-to-back messages on
the same piece of material.
skeleton:
The metal frame on which
a sign is installed.
slip-base:
Foundation consisting of
two bolts fastened between
the foundation plate and
the concrete footer.
snipe sign:
An overlay sign added to
an existing sign layout,
as an additional message
to the main sign, for example
a band across a corner saying "coming
soon." Also a term for illegal
posting of handbills and
posters without permits.
soda-lime glass:
The most common type of glass
manufactured and the type
used in most fluorescent
tubes and incandescent bulbs.
Soda-lime glass is made from
a combination of sand, limestone,
and sodium carbonate, and
can either be clear or colored.
solvent:
A petroleum-based liquid
used to modify oil-based
pains and inks and to remove
them from sign components,
frames and brushes.
spacer:
Any device used in mounting
letters or signs that separates
them from the surface to
which they are being installed.
A spacer allows letters to
be pinned out.
specifications:
May include General Requirements,
Products and Execution sections
for sign specification package.
Similar to architectural
construction format per CSI
(Construction Specifications
Institute) standards.
spectacular:
An extra large outdoor sign
that incorporates special
lighting and/or motion effects,
or an interior sales display
that also includes special
lights and motion elements.
spinner sign:
A sign, either freestanding
or wall-mounted, where the
messages rotate in the wind.
A spinner sign is not considered
an animated sign.
spotlight:
A source of illumination
for an extremely illuminated
sign; a lamp with a strong
focused beam directed toward
a sign.
spun glass:
A strong, lightweight material
created from tiny glass threads
woven into a fabric and then
hardened using a special
polyester resin. Fiberglass
can be used to create sign
faces and cabinets of varying
sizes and shapes. (See also
fiberglass.)
sputtering:
Occurs when the electrode
in a neon tube, because of
the heat and electrical forces,
gradually erodes, blackening
the ends of the tube near
the electrode and decreasing
gas pressure, eventually
making the tube inoperative.
squeegee:
1. In screen printing, a
flexible blade mounted in
a wood or metal handle and
used to force ink through
a stencil mounted on the
screen. 2. In sign making,
a hard plastic or nylon blade
used to apply pressure to
increase surface adhesion
between cutting vinyl and
the transfer tape or between
the vinyl and sign face.
stain:
Wood stain is a type of paint
that is very "thin," that
is, low in viscosity, and
formulated so that the pigment
penetrates the surface rather
than remaining in a film
on top of the surface. Stain
is predominantly pigment
or dye and solvent with little
binder, designed primarily
to add color without providing
a surface coating.
stainless steel:
As the name implies, this
is a special steel alloy
that is made more stainless
than regular steel, due to
higher concentrations of
chromium and nickel.
stand-offs:
Insulators that support a
neon tube,as well as hold
it away from the background
surface and provide some
impact resistance. (See also
supports).
standard frame:
The structural supports found
inside a sign cabinet.
star of life:
The asterisk symbol, indicating
exit level, showing preferred
route for gurney, emergency
egress, etc., required by
ADA next to floor indication
on elevator control panels
and elevator jambs.
stationary sign:
A sign with a power cord
for attachment to a source
of electrical power that
is not readily moveable or
portable.
stencil:
A thin sheet of material
into which a design is cut.
When a stencil is placed
on another substrate and
paint or ink is applied,
the image represented by
the cut-out portion of the
stencil is printed on the
substrate below it. Stencils
range from metal to card
stock to photo emulsions.
stippling:
A method for taking out brush
marks and creating a transparent
look on windows. Paint is
mixed with linseed oil to
slow the drying process,
then brushed on the surface
to be stippled. A stippler
is created by wrapping a
piece of cheesecloth or other
lint-free cotton rag around
a wad of cotton, which is
then either held firmly in
the hand or securely attached
to a short stick, taking
care that the work surface
of the stippler is wrinkle-free.
Stippling is done by daubing
the stippler over the wet,
painted surface.
stochastic screening:
A silkscreening process that
conveys the tone of a screened
image by varying the number
and location of dots rather
than just varying the size
of the dots within the grid.
stone signs:
Typically sandstone, granite,
marble, limestone and other
common decorative stone material.
Letters can be stud-mounted
to stone or they can be carved
or incised into the face
of the stone.
strain:
The measure of the change
in size of shape of a body
under stress, compared to
its original size or shape.
It is usually measured as
the change (in inches) per
inch of length.
streamer:
A long, narrow banner included
in interior or window displays
only.
street furniture:
Advertising displays, many
which provide a public amenity,
positioned at close proximity
to pedestrians for eye-level
viewing or at a curbside
to reach vehicular traffic.
(See also bench sign.)
stretching:
1. The process of securing
mesh to a frame in screen
printing. 2. The stretching
of vinyl face material over
a flex-face sign cabinet.
stroke:
A single movement of the
hand or arm, or of a marking
tool. Stroke refers to a
pass of the squeegee in screen
printing, and a pass of the
brush in painting. (See also
stroke width.)
stroke width:
The width of the major lines
comprising a letterform.
A wider stroke width is used
to make a bolder letter;
a narrower stroke width is
used to make a lighter letter.
structure:
In the sign industry, a fabrication
designed for and capable
of supporting a sign. Can
refer to internal or external
skeleton (exoskeleton) of
sign as well as support pole
or mechanism.
styrene:
Refers to polystyrene, a
usually colorless, rigid
plastic that can be molded
into objects, used in the
manufacture of signs.
substrate:
The material out of which
the face is made. Wood, metal
sheeting, paper and acrylic
are some examples of sign
substrates.
supports:
Insulators that support a
neon tube, as well as hold
it away from the background
surface and provide some
impact resistance. (See also
stand-offs.)
symmetry:
The balance of design elements
in which one side equals
or mirrors the other.
A l B l C l D l E l F l G-H l
I l J-K l L l M l N-O l P l Q-R l S l T l U-V l W l X-Y-Z
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Signs today at 503.430.8072!
