5 Design Tips For An Effective Autograph Banner

Large celebration banners are ideal for graduations, retirements, birthdays, or a variety of work celebrations. One of the easiest ways to personalize a banner is by having event guests autograph different sections of it. It's a great way to capture personal messages and decorate the banner. When planning an autograph banner, there are five different design elements you can use to make it most effective for autographs. This allows you plenty of space to fill up the banner with handwritten messages.

Fonts

When choosing fonts for the banner, you want to select thick letters that have plenty of space on the inside. Sans serif style fonts feature bold letters and thick designs that are easy to read on a banner. When typing out the banner letters, one thing to focus on is the letter kerning. This is the spacing between individual letters. By increasing the kerning, you can evenly space out letters and give plenty of space for autographs without overcrowding the banner.

Blank Letters

Along with evenly spacing out the letters, you can make banner letters blank and open in the middle. The blank space in the letters can leave space for autographs and allow you to fill the rest of the banner with images or symbols.

The easiest way to create a blank letter look is through letter strokes. Once you have the text typed out, you can change the color of it to white. Then you can add an outer black stroke to the letters. This will outline each individual letter and give plenty of space on the inside for autographs and personal messages.

Borders

Help keep the autographs organized within the banner. Instead of allowing guests to just write wherever they want on the banner, you can add a simple border to keep it all contained. A line border is all you need to wrap around the banner. It will act as a nice frame that can encompass all of the text and make a nice visual for the banner.

Adding borders also gives you more opportunities to incorporate different colors and designs to the banner.

Backgrounds & Markers

As you design the banner, you will want to select a solid background color. This will make it easier to read the text and provide a theme across the whole banner. The color you choose should be a brighter option so that the written text can stand out and is easy to read. White is ideal for a background color, but additional color options include yellow, pink, and light blue. Choose a color that helps match the theme for the party and still allows autographs to easily get written. When working with a professional printer, you can request a lighter background and they can help you pick out different shades.

The markers you select for the banner autographs can make a huge difference, too. All of the markers that you choose to write with should be permanent ones, but there are different styles that can help with the look of the autographs. For example, if your background is darker, metallic markers can pop out from the background and appear visible.

Banner Materials

The material that you choose to print your banner on can make a huge difference for how the autographs are applied. No matter where the location is, you want to shop for an indoor banner. These banners are made of a canvas or fabric that makes it easy and natural to autograph with markers.

Outdoor banner materials like mesh and vinyl do not receive the marker as well. A mesh banner feature small holes that may impact the handwriting and smudge words. Vinyl banners have a smooth surface that can cause smearing as words are first written on the banner.

Print out a small copy of the banner before ordering the full design. This will help give you a scope for the available space that you can apply autographs to. A banner company can then move forward with your final printed design. For more information, contact a company like Mission Signs.