How Going For The Gusto Can Become Deeply Distressed

Aging Something Brand New

This project reminded me of the technique to age paper items.  Something as simple as dabbing a damp tea bag on a paper surface can suddenly change that sheet of copy paper into a ancient scroll, a treasure map or an antique photo.

We’ve created that distressed look on many of our larger projects through a  specialty paint process.  By rusting some High Density Urethane (otherwise known as HDU or sign foam) letters we were able to create the distressed look the client wanted to achieve.

We created the custom look with an  “instant rust” look created with a Modern Masters  reactive paint that contains flecks of metal in the paint, and then activated the paint with the solution that creates the rust effect.  Within a few hours the project took on the look a reclaimed sign.

The letters were then attached to a hand painted backer, again created to match the look of aged sign.

Next LED lights were inserted behind the letters to create a halo effect around the restaurant name. This added extra dimension to the sign while making it a practical choice for the restaurant’s visibility.  LED lights are economical to run and have a long lifespan.  This makes them a great choice for any type of lit sign.

To finish it off the sign was attached to a custom made welded bracket that also went through the quick rusting process.  All that was left was the assembly and installation of the sign.

When the sign was fully assembled it found it’s final resting place at the Gusto101 restaurant, which can be found at 101 Portland St. Toronto Ont.

We can hardly wait to see the how the Gusto101 sign looks once it’s lit up! If you’re passing by please take a pic & tweet it to us or upload it to our facebook page.