class="tag"Posts Tagged ‘Gold Leaf’
No Comments Gold Leaf Gilding Gilt
Although the above terms are the same by definition according to Wikipedia
The term gilding covers a number of decorative techniques for applying fine gold leaf or powder to solid surfaces such as wood, stone, or metal to give a thin coating of gold. A gilded object is described as “gilt”.
Here at The Sign Depot it meant we would be Gilding a Sign for Gilt Restaurant with Gold Leaf.
Getting Ready To Glisten
The dimensional sign for Gilt Restaurant began with CNC cutting the structure for the custom sign
and then the gilded finish was applied to the sign give it the shine that can only be acheived by 23 karat gold leaf.
Not only does gold leaf attract the attention of passers-by, it is an finish that withstand the elements which makes it a great choice for an outdoor sign.
Additionally the custom sign for Gilt Restaurant was equiped with LEDs to ensure that the sign would glisten both day an night.
Once assembled the exterior sign was prepped for installation
After the sign was affixed to the building exterior, temporary signage was displayed in the window to build buzz about the restaurant for downtown core.
For more examples of the types of signs we make for dining establishements, be sure to visit our Restaurant Signs gallery. If you are looking for gold leaf sign then contact us first! I think you’ll take a shine to us!
Thanks @TheSignDepot we absolutely love our sign! #amazing #kwawesome #openingsoon pic.twitter.com/zxbavv6mVq
— Gilt Restaurant (@giltrestaurant) August 26, 2014
Custom Wood Signs Created To Weather The Outdoors
When The Weather Outside Is Frightful, Your Custom Wood Sign Can Still Be Delightful
Depending on where you live you may see a lot of ice in your community. The wintery scenes we are seeing all over the internet made us pause for a moment to see just how wonderful a winter wonderland can look. Being purveryors of custom wood signs we took a look at how our wood signs stood up to the icy elements over the last few days.
Here’s a close up look at our address sign.
As you can see it the ice ads an extra layer of texture to our dimensional letters on the wood sign. Once the ice is melted the sign will still be in great condition, as it was given an outdoor finish meant to stand up to changing weather conditions. Knowing what your custom sign will look in all kinds of weather is another way for your sign to stand out from its surroundings.
Glisten And Shine
Another outdoor finish the sign making experts here at The Sign Depot like to use is gold leaf. As you can see in the image below, the gold leaf finish on the sandblasted cedar sign still shines through despite the frost buildup and lack of sunshine.
Infact the layer of ice makes the gold leaf glisten. This sign has been outdoors for several years but is still in great shape. Custom cedar signs are made to withstand the elements and are a great choice if you are looking for a sign with longevity. Finding what works best for the conditions your sign will face is our specialty. Feel free to visit our Contact Us page for more information and be sure to leave a comment on how your outdoor space looks during these icy days!
Gold Leaf And Custom Artistic Sign Making
Go For The Gold
One of the custom sign making techniques that we get a lot of inquiries about is the application of gold leaf. There is no substitute for the shine achieved by 23K gold leaf. It is multiple step process which requires a lot of expertise in order to properly apply the gold leaf to a sign or artistic sculpture. The best example of well known gold leaf application recognized worldwide would be the Queen’s Flotilla. To learn more, you can read our post Fit For A Queen, to see how The Royal Barge was sculpted using many of the same techniques that we use right here in The Sign Depot Workshop.
See The Sign Making Steps
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First Gold Size Oil is applied. Gold size is an adhesive that is applied to the surface of where you want the gold leaf to be.
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Next the sheets of Gold Leaf are separated to ensure even application.
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The Gold Leaf is applied with a specialty brush
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The last step is letting it set. In order to ensure the longevity of the finish, you must make sure the Gold Size Oil and Gold Leaf are completely dry before moving the sign.
Below you can see a quick recap of how we apply gold leaf to our custom signs. It adds quite an artistic touch to the finishing process.
Custom Sign Making Techniques
Curious about other custom sign making techniques? We have a fix for that! Be sure to RSVP to the upcoming Sign Depot Demo Day by clicking the image below. There you will get a behind the scenes look at what goes on in our sign manufacturing workshop. Peter Moir and the staff of The Sign Depot will be on hand to answer any questions and you’ll be amongst some of the top marketers in the business industry.
Click The Image Above To Register for The Sign Depot Demo Day
Think Outside The (Cake) Box
Making The Move With A Little HDU – High Density Urethane
When The Cake Box changed locations it was an opportunity to create a look and feel that matched what they do. The Cake Box prides themselves on high standard cakes and their signage needed to reflect that. Being that they are set back from the street with a parking lot in front, the sign needed to be eye-catching to grab the attention of those travelling in that high traffic area. The inspiration for this sign came from decorative picture frames. Framing a sign is a way to make your info noticeable without it looking out of place. The key is to make it reflect the business it represents. In this case a gingerbread style frame fit the bill.
Frame and Fortune
When creating this dimensional sign we chose to work with High Density Urethane otherwise known as HDU. The design was carved on the CNC router table then given a high gloss UV finish. The Cake Box individual letters were pin mounted to a backer and we gave Sweet Indulgences portion of the sign the golden touch by finishing it in 23K gold leaf.
Final Finishing Touches
As you can see, the sign was installed and the project shows very well from a distance.
Creating ways to catch the eye of those already walking through the plaza was also considered. Using window frosting vinyl The Cake Box specialties were displayed and a bright banner brought attention to the corner window.
Finding ways to think out of the box are normal occurrences here at The Sign Depot. We hope they have encouraged you to get inside The Cake Box.
If you’re looking for ways to change the look of your business signage, or if you’re planning an upcoming move to a new establishment, make sure to contact us and we’ll help create something creative for you.
Artistic Signs Finished In Gold Leaf – How To Shine Up Another Brick In The Wall
Letter Love
The workshop at Sign Depot has been filled with various letters and numbers over the last few weeks. So many in fact, that I figured multiple signs were being constructed at once.
Although we had fun with our Word Jumble earlier this year, I figured this time around I would find the word within the word(s) and this is the one I came up with.
But I’m not sure that was what the client had in mind, so I waited patiently for the finished product.
And the finished product had a specialized finish of its own.
Getting To Know More About Gold Leaf
In order for the letters to stand out from the red brick background, they were finished in gold leaf, otherwise known as guilding. Gold leaf guilding is an intricate process. It is a process where small amounts of genuine gold leaf is applied evenly to a surface to create a full coverage and a brilliant shine. We only use 23K gold leaf from Italy when it comes to our artistic signs, as it is top of the line when it comes to gold leaf. This type of sign finish not only creates eye-catching contrast, it also adds shine to the brick backdrop.
As busy intersection requires something that will catch your eye quickly, and that was accomplished with the use of dimensional letters with a gold leaf finish. It is always important for your signs to visible to both vehicle traffic as well those walking by. Your sign is a 24 advertisement of what your business does best. Make sure it is a great representation of you and your company. Find ways to incorporate artistic elements into your business signage and your signs will become landmarks that stand out from the surroundings.
All in all it’s more than just bricks on a wall.
Custom 3 Dimensional Signs – Sole Waterloo
How We Brought The Sunshine Back To Waterloo
These are the beginnings on the cold, dark and dreary days of winter. We decided to add a little sunshine to your life with this post about the 3 dimensional sign required by our client Sole Restaurant. Sole needed to stand out in a very high traffic area so the professional sign makers here at The Sign Depot decided a scuplted 3 dimensional sign would work best in this situation.
Bringing The Design To The Light Of Day
This sculptural sign was designed to be eye-catching and serve as a wayfinding sign with a directional arrow leading the way to Sole Restaurant And Wine Bar. To make sure that golden sun on the establishment’s sign glistened 23K gold leaf guilding was added to this artistic sign and it brought this transformation out of the dark and into the light of day!
The Light At The End Of The Road
After the Sole sign was fully assembled the next step was the installation of custom 3 dimensional sign. Getting the proper permits to install a sign is often quite a task but consulting with a professional sign maker familiar with the city’s sign regulations made this install smooth sailing. Soon the City Of Waterloo was all a buzz over the newly installed Sole Restaurant Sign.
Waterloo became a much sunnier place to be. So much so that the sun was shining all morning.
Reach Out To Us For Your Restaurant Sign Needs
Need assistance with your restaurant sign? Take a look at our Restaurant Sign Portfolio and let us know how we can collaberate on your next restaurant project. We work with restaurant owners, design build specialists and property managers to ensure you receive the sign that best suits your needs and budget. To talk to on of our sign professionals please email sales@sign-depot.on.ca or visit our Contact Us Page.
3 Dimensional Signs – What Will They Be?
Maybe it’s a Question Mark ?Finding Signs Of Mystery
Normally we here at The Sign Depot keep the guess work out signage for you, but for this post we thought we would give you a sneak peak of some of the 3 dimensional signs we are creating for a rather large project. Most of the custom signs shown above look like dimensional props for film, but they all will fit together to make on massive sign display. Can you guess what The Sign Depot is constructing next?
Four Sign Making Technique Features
Here is a quick overview of how these sign components will incorporated into 3 dimensional sign display
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The first photo is wood sign structure that will serve as a base and High Density Urethane panels will be attached to replicate distressed wood.
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The second example show how we can instantly rust an object with a modern masters sign finishing technique
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The third photo demonstrates how professional sign maker create dimension with artistic sculptures
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The fourth picture is a custom carved sign finished in 23 Karat Gold Leaf through a processes known in the sign industry as guilding
Together these custom sign elements will be brought together to make a enormous sign structure solution for a business wanting to catch the attention of those passing by. The use of 3 dimensional signs will make sure this custom business sign stands out from its surroundings and will create a lot of buzz for the company.
Update
Still curious about how this all came together to make one giant custom business sign? We won’t keep you waiting any longer. We have posted pictures of our custom sign display. Take a look at our post 3 Dimensional Signs – Proportion Is Everything to see the final results. Did you guess right? We hope you are impressed by this impressive sign!
