Every year I am given the challenge at work to design the HOS Night Club logo and then build the sign for the club from my logo design. This is what I LOVE to do. This is what I work hard to achieve. I put my heart and soul into these designs and builds.
The sign is always named after the theme of our event. This year the main character is Mr. Karver. He is a creepy doll maker. I thought a marquee type sign would work great for this theme.
Even though this sign is mostly seen at night, I have done a lot of detail work. When it comes to my designs, sometimes I can go a little overboard with the details. I guess that makes me a perfectionist. It's all in the details y'all!
Check out my design process below. I have even added a few videos of the sign lit up.
Finished sign before it is hung up on trusses.
Video of sign with the LEDs on.
Finished sign.
This is my printed pieces before I laminated them. I even sponged on metallic silver and gold paints directly to my print before laminating it.
My print was then mounted into 3/4" plastic and cut out on the CNC router. I need this machine in my life at home! 😍
Video of CNC router cutting my sign pieces.
I had to do a lot of sanding on all of the pieces for my sign.
It's all about the bling! I primed and then painted my letters with gold metallic paint. Then I spayed them with gold glitter for that extra sparkle!
Painting my edges.
This is the channel I designed and had cut on the CNC router. This is what holds all of the wires from the strings of lights.
I then had this 3/4" plexi cut on the CNC router. This helps to hold up my backlit material and gives me something to screw my letters in from the back.
I just love these LED strip lights! They are so cool and just really add to the look of my sign.
Here are the LEDs all lit up. These lights came with a remote so I can change the lighting options. So cool!
Close up of plexi and LEDs .
Here is my backlit print. I printed the letters on here so I could see the placement from the back. I then screwed on my letters from the back.
I am pre drilling the plexiglass so I do not split it with my screws. I'm really good at "screwing things up"
Laying my letting a out on the front.
It's coming together!
Stringing in the lights was quite the challenge!
I ended up going with the clear bulbs instead of the frosted.
Here is my lighting mess from the back! I am no electrictian y'all!
Sometimes I get really tired and do some really dumb stuff! I was trying to cut off the female end of the string of lights and I cut off the plug instead!
I wanted something for edging on my sign. I took some of the thin pvc plastic, painted it with metallic paint and hit it with the heat gun. I then screwed it in all the way around my sign. It looks just like metal!
I then added some of the metallic gold paint with a sponge for that distressed metal look. You would never know this was plastic! I think it really finished off the sign nicely.
Love the edging!
It's almost done!
All the lights on!
This is a small video of the finished sign.