Editor's Note

Sign Contest is a Test of Time

Everything old is new again.

Published

8 months ago

September 20, 2023

Mark Kissling Signs of the Times September 2023 Issue

STEEPED IN TRADITION. That’s one way to describe Signs of the Times, and our longest ongoing tradition remains our annual sign contest. As a record of excellence in sign design and fabrication, our 40-plus-year-old competition is unmatched. Yet our requirement that entries from only the previous year can be submitted maintains a current, contemporary collection of the year’s best signs. Speaking of, it’s no accident that our “Best of Show” winning project by Ace Sign Co. (Springfield, IL) is an homage to Route 66.

Through the years the contest has seen many changes. Space limitations preclude the many, varied classifications of the past (freestanding, wall-mounted, murals, etc.) but every kind of sign imaginable still fits one of our five remaining categories. And we received some very imaginative entries this year. I want to thank everyone who took the time, effort and modicum of expense to enter. FYI, we keep all entries on file for future reference — or immediate reference — as my Prints and Wraps column features a contest entry not among the winners.

But we offer one more item this month in keeping with tradition. Editorial Assistant Mildred Nguyen’s article on three restoration projects by the American Sign Museum once again blends old with new, current sign companies and individuals bringing life — and light — back to some of the best that the museum has to offer.

I hope you enjoy this issue in which the masterpieces of yesteryear intersect with the creativity and ingenuity of today.

5 Smart Tips from This Issue

To design full-fledged signs, one must use specific sign design software. (Tech Products)
Experimentation and persistence can bring solutions to even old or antique signs. (The Museum Restores)
Repeat after me: A tidy shop is a happy shop. A tidy truck is a happy truck… (Eric E. Larsen)
While “project stretching” can work, a shop has got to know its limitations. (Mark Kissling)
Giving yourself an unlimited number of “do-overs” helps your business in myriad ways. (Maggie Harlow)

Introducing the Sign Industry Podcast

The Sign Industry Podcast is a platform for every sign person out there — from the old-timers who bent neon and hand-lettered boats to those venturing into new technologies — we want to get their stories out for everyone to hear. Come join us and listen to stories, learn tricks or techniques, and get insights of what’s to come. We are the world’s second oldest profession. The folks who started the world’s oldest profession needed a sign.