Element 4 Signs & Graphics: Providing Environmental and Custom Signs Near Me in Charlotte
As human beings, we are constantly being flooded with messages (both positive and negative) regarding our world and immediate environment. The messages we receive are relayed to us in one of two ways, either subconsciously or consciously. What exactly does this mean, and how does it tie into the idea of graphic design and environmental signage? To further illustrate the point, consider the following scenarios:
First let’s talk about subconscious messaging. Say you are walking into a business for the very first time. For the sake of this example, let’s go ahead and establish the business as a dental office. You notice immediately that all of the walls are colored white and have been left relatively bare, minus a few pieces of hung generic art (pictures of the beach, flowers, etc.) There are a couple of couches and chairs, all decent quality, and the space is immaculately clean. Now, even though you haven’t been told anything directly by the dentist or their staff, you’ve still inadvertently made judgments based on the visual clues you’ve observed. For instance, the clean state of the office leads you to believe that hygiene is a top priority, and this makes you feel confident about cleanliness behind the scenes. The lack of colors, art, and other personalized touches gives off the impression that the space is intended to be as neutral as possible, appealing to a general audience. This is how people make observations and form beliefs, despite not having received any explicit messaging.
On the contrary, certain messages are received consciously and in a very clear and direct manner. For the sake of simplicity, imagine you’ve walked into a second dentist’s office. While this office is also immaculately clean, it’s far more personalized. You observe a custom vinyl sign that has the name of the office and a picture of a tooth. This dentist’s office is filled with personal touches, most notably, one of the walls is completely covered with words and lettering. The words on the wall are actually a mission statement, explaining the office’s values, work ethic, and philosophy. Reading the statement has, in turn, given you an idea of what to expect from the company.
Both of these examples highlight how our environment directly and indirectly colors our perception and helps us form opinions about people, places, and things. In the world of graphic design and sign curation, we can use these principles to our advantage. Environmental signage is essentially a way to help your customers understand more about your business. Oftentimes, the environment reveals more about a business than what the staff explicitly says.
Explaining the Different Types of Environmental Signage: From Lobby Signage to Window Wraps
Now that we’ve discussed how these messages get relayed, here are the ways in which our team of professionals can help you purposely curate your space and create positive and visually attractive messaging through environmental signage:
Lobby Signs: Of all the signs, art, and graphics that you can choose to put in your office, lobby signs are among the most important. Because of this, you’ll usually find a lobby sign in a highly visible and central location. And while you should always decorate your space in a thoughtful manner, it’s a good idea to put extra attention into your lobby signage because it’s a piece of art that typically has your business name attached. It also tends to send a crucial message to your clients. That message being, that they are in the correct place/location. Furthermore, if you’ve put effort into your lobby sign, clients can infer that you care about how your business looks and how it is represented. A lobby sign will definitely make a lasting impression, and first impressions are paramount in the world of business.
At Element 4 Signs & Graphics, we’ve built an inventory of various materials, making it easy for clients to pick what they like, both from a budget and visual standpoint. However, we often urge our clients to consider acrylic for their signs, especially lobby signs. Here on our website, we have an entire section dedicated to our acrylic sign work, in particular, our acrylic signs for business. Ergo, if you’d like to see a detailed rundown regarding acrylic, we have plenty of information available for you. Why do we encourage our clients to consider acrylic? There are a lot of reasons, but it ultimately boils down to the following.
Acrylic is….
- A lot less expensive than comparable materials.
- Easy to work with.
- Able to be manipulated and changed. I.E- using color, finishes, etc.
- Much lighter in weight than other comparable materials.
- Resistant to certain damages, due to its lightweight nature.
Vinyl Decals/Wall Murals/Wall Wraps: Wall wraps, graphics, decals, and murals, are perhaps some of the easiest ways to add intricate and complex artwork to your walls without having to exert major labor. While most people are inclined to choose paint and wallpaper when overhauling their walls, trying to prepare your walls for paint can be time-consuming and difficult. Whereas wraps and decals can adhere to walls in basically any type of condition, objectively eliminating your need to do major prep work. Another great feature of wraps and decals? The ability to create both imagery and words/lettering. Rather than paint or use other time-consuming methods, wraps, and decals allow you to easily formulate text. Specifically, things like your company’s mission statement. Or maybe you’re looking to add some quotes to your wall. These are the ways that businesses add character and personality to their spaces, which is the overall purpose of environmental signage.
CNC Signs: CNC routing is a manufacturing method and technique that is very popular in the graphic design industry and something that we at Element 4 Signs & Graphics highly endorse and utilize for a multitude of reasons. Essentially, the process involves the use of a cutting machine that is computer-operated. These machines are designed to effectively tackle all types of materials, making them a shoo-in for many signage businesses. The routing machine is linked to sign design software, making it possible to cut and shape materials with astounding precision. Highly customizable and reliable, we use CNC routing for optimal results.
How We Approach Environmental Signage: Wall Wraps, Window Wraps, Murals, CNC, Lobby Signs and More
Element 4 Signs & Graphics, we believe in the power of collaboration, which often involves pooling together our experience with the visions of our clients to create something spectacular. However, our approach with clients is to meet them where they’re at in the process. Some clients come to us with a very specific vision and have already done most of the creative work down to choosing colors, fonts, and everything in between. At the same time, we deal with clients who are still in the brainstorming process or perhaps have only just had their interest piqued after seeing what we’re capable of. Whether you fit into one of these categories or find yourself to be somewhere in between, our goal is to work through the process together, letting clients lead, while we offer our expertise and recommendations in an effort to deliver exemplary outcomes. We want each client to walk away fully satisfied, not just with the end result but with the entirety of our work together. If you’re searching for business signs near me and have found Element 4 Signs & Graphics as a result, we are thrilled to work with and for you both presently and in the future.
