Sign Vinyl & Stencils III

To add more detail and atmosphere to the rooms, several more memorable and/or common border area signs were reproduced using sign vinyl.

Where applicable, fonts were matched or photos were modified using "Live Trace" in AI to produce a workable stencil file. The lines have been thickened for easier viewing. Files must be "clean" (i.e. solid workable lines, without ghosting etc.) to be properly cut with the CAMM-1.

Below are several of the finished stencils which will be place above doorways throughout the exhibit. The effect is quite good.





My personal favourite...


The "Cold War Berlin" logo was also reproduced in this fashion using AI and the Roland CAMM-1. Overall, these pieces will build on the atmosphere of divided Berlin and help to transport visitors to that time and place. I was very pleased with the look of this piece, and after a number of modifications in AI, it was cut out without incident.


Colours must be printed separately and assembled later when using a sign vinyl cutter. More to follow...

Working relationships and sources.

Develop your contacts! Exhibitions require historic photographs, videos, graphics etc. to present the topic in ways that words cannot do. Copyrights require large sums of money so any contacts that you can make along the way will greatly increase your chances of excellence. Contacts are also great for artifact acquisition/loans, material discounts and outsourcing.

Photos

With a few well placed calls,
one can begin a working
relationship that can provide
many excellent sources for images.



Some possible sources are:
- Local museum personnel
- Instructors/professors
- Historians
- Embassies
- International Museums


Videos
If you are looking for sources of digital video, you can try broadcasters, but be prepared to pay up to $20/second! Instead, check out sources like Archive.org where such material can be obtained for little more than proper citation.

Materials
Take advantage of any all possible contacts to obtain materials at the best possible price. Talk to relatives/family in paint/hardware/lumber businesses, friends with scanners and printers etc. You'd be surprised how many people you know can provide help or advice of some kind.

The important thing is to get out into your local museum community and work/volunteer with other professionals. Its not what you know (well, it is to some extent), but its who you know. One leads to many and soon you will have many sources for affordable and/or free rights images, videos etc.