"There are 10,000 graphic designers in the Los Angeles and Orange County area, but not many are sign designers."  This is a true statement. Graphic designers design on a 2-dimensional plane mostly for print and web media. Sign designers design for a 3-dimensional plane and are required to know material and fabrication basics.

Most designers believe they can design signs. Nothing could be further from the truth.

To test this truth, submit a sign design to any sign company and ask the fabrication supervisor if the design can be made. More often than not, they will ask you about a dozen questions before they conclude, “We can’t make this!” That is "the statement" to about 90 percent of the designs submitted to contractor sign companies.

The question is why? Actually, it is not a question of why, but a need for clarity.

What most designers do not realize is the prevailing myth that designing signs is easy. And that design, even graphic design, is not sign design. They are altogether different. This is the reason most designers who submit sign designs come away very frustrated with the craft. Most designers believe, I design, therefore, it should be built.

To give more clarity on the subject, here are a few more test questions.

1. “Do you know the number one material most sign companies use to fabricate electrical signs?”

2. “What is the number one basis for allowing electrical components to be installed in channel letters?”

3. “When do you use acrylic and when do you use a polycarbonate?”

4. "What is the different between channel letters and reverse channel letters?"

5. "What does ADA mean?  And what does tactile mean?  What is the standard thickness most ADA signs are made at?"

6. "What are most ADA signs made of: aluminum, acrylic, injection-molded or photopolymer?"

7. "What are the four main pages required on a sign submittal?"

There are about 100 more questions that could be asked to a graphic designer about the nature of proper sign design. If you do not have a good answer to these aforementioned questions,  it is simply because sign design is NOT easy.

It is a myth that designing signs is easy. Once you get past this myth and come to a point where you are teachable, then you will get it.