Sign Making Tips

Here are some tips for making signs from freedomworks.org for our upcoming Independence Day Tea Party!

1. Choose large pieces of white poster board or foam board. Colored pieces make text harder to read.
2. Decide on a slogan. Try to stick to short phrases. Avoid obscure references and the funnier the better – those will be memorable.
3. Sketch out the slogan in pencil – make sure the letters are large enough to read, your text should use the entire space.
4. Slogans should be written in a combination of upper and lower case letters – all caps arehard to read. Use them sparingly for emphasis.
5. Using broad-tipped markers, write your slogan in broad letters. Sometimes it helps to write it first and then go over it again to make it thicker. It’s okay if it looks homemade – that’s because it is. I like to use mostly black – it’s easiest to read.
6. Underline, bold, or use another color for words you want to stand out.
7. If you know someone who is good at writing in block letters and if you know you aren’t good at it then leave it to them. They will probably make great signs instinctively and you can focus on signing people up and shouting.
8. Sometimes, if there is a picture or image that helps your argument, you can use it on your sign. Just make sure it is large enough to see from a distance and fairly simple so that it doesn’t obscure your words. But don’t spend a lot of time worrying about it – the words are the most important thing.
9. Make sure that every sign has the name and website of your organization or event so that people walking by know where to get more information and who you are with.
10. Have fun and be creative.