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Custom Signs Spotlight Business Excellence

Chicagoland’s Drivetrain Service & Components, Inc, is expanding. Custom signs provided by Sign Artist at Drivetrain’s new Elk Grove Village building spotlight its business excellence and spirit of collaboration.
Sign Artist created this brushed aluminum “D” exterior sign for Drivetrain. We met with our client and custom-designed and fabricated the LED-backlit sign based on the solid vision Drivetrain brought to the table.
Drivetrain is the largest Midwest supplier of new and remanufactured heavy-duty truck parts – transmissions, differentials, driveshafts and hydraulics. This 5-star business needed exceptional signs to reflect its expertise. The glowing “D” adds a highly visible accent to Drivetrain’s brick façade, making the building a standout along busy Devon Avenue.
Hand “brushing” the aluminum circle, and using mixed-media elements of acrylic with LED lights, all required a deft hand. So did fabricating and installing multiple other signs for Drivetrain.
Seen below are illuminated, dimensional signs for Drivetrain’s East and West porticos. The dimensional text is faced maroon. The returns (sides) of the text allow for LED illumination. This fresh take on design, complements the cutting-edge quality of Drivetrain. The signs take on a different character by night and day.
Drivetrain can opt to leave the LED lights on 24/7, or turn them off, as preferred.
Sign Artist also designed, fabricated and installed Shipping and Receiving and Customer Service signs. Fabricated on aluminum composite panels, these exterior signs will give years of service. For examples of more Sign Artist exterior signs, visit: https://signartistusa.com/outdoor-signs/
Sign Artist has other signs for Drivetrain in the works. We are working to label interior aisles in the warehouse, and more. For a full range of Sign Artist interior and exterior signs, visit our website and our website “Services” tab. We are a one-stop sign shop for businesses seeking to brand or rebrand.
Custom signs spotlight business excellence! Do you have a vision for your business signage that needs highly-customized design, fabrication and install? Call Ed at Sign Artist, 630-815-5473. Signartistusa.com.

3-D Acrylic Brands Rademaker’s Lobby

 
Doug, at Rademaker’s, strikes a happy pose, after Sign Artist installed his new
entry sign at the Lombard, Illinois office of this Dutch-based company.

Rademaker’s logo lends itself perfectly to a 3-d format! Simple lines, but
attractive and well-designed, the striking navy art strip nicely suits this bright
entry space. Sign Artist adhered the art to the wall with studs, for secure and
long-lasting impact.

Our studio also fabricated and installed an aluminum composite doorbell sign,
and bold adhesive vinyl lettering for the back “man door.”

A bonus for the Sign Artist crew? A friendly meeting with “Indiana,”
the Australian Shepherd office mascot (named after adventurous Indiana Jones)!

Interested in how 3-d acrylic or other signage can spruce up your interior or exterior
business space? Give Ed a call at: 630-594-4185.

 

     

wall graphics

Signs for God’s Congregation Create a Vibrant Space

Sign Artist was called on stage and publicly thanked by First Lady Gina and Pastor Carl Mabins, at their Grand Opening event.

 

Murals, window graphics, privacy film, door signs — a new business needs branding throughout, and a new church is no exception. Signs create a vibrant space!

God’s Congregation Worship Center’s “First Lady” Gina Mabins and Pastor Carl Mabins had a vision to share, and turned to Sign Artist to help them visualize it in every corner of their new church home in Lombard, Illinois.  A word cloud mural transformed the plain wall below into a centerpiece, defining the core values of this congregation. Sign Artist is shown here on the initial site visit, that launched the branding of this worship space.

Sign Artist also attended the opening of God’s Congregation Church, and First Lady Gina called Ed (President) and Marianna (Vice-President of Communications) to the stage, to thank Sign Artist for its professional and considerate service. Gina especially praised Ed for leading her through the sign design process, that incorporated Pastor Carl’s and her own vision and art, with Sign Artist prints and installs.

This colorful graphic in the youth room is actually a powerful memory device.

First Lady Gina spoke of the need for a large-scale “Hallelujah” graphic in their initial conversations. Ed suggested, “If you’re going to have a ‘Hallelujah Wall,’ it should have trumpets!” Gina provided the image, and Sign Artist printed and installed it.

The existing art of the world and the Lion of God, above, was enhanced by text that Sign Artist installed around the globe. Signs create a vibrant space!

Privacy film cuts the glare in this office space, and protects Pastor Carl from the gaze of passersby.

Perforated vinyl on the windows welcomes visitors, and also visualizes the church’s identity, website and worship information.

Celebrating their new church home, complete with vibrant signage, Pastor Carl and First Lady Gina officially cut the ribbon at their Grand Opening.

Looking for a creative, custom approach to brand your business or church? Give Ed a call at 630-594-4185.

Sign Artist Installs Jean Koplin Memorial Hall Signs

Jean Koplin Memorial Hall was just inaugurated with a Sign Artist building dedication sign, at Chicagoland’s Elmhurst University! Sign Artist installed a stunning cast bronze plaque, marking a prominent interior space in the Hall.

Our crew also used an articulated lift to install a brushed aluminum, 3-dimensional sign, with each letter averaging 24 inches in height as a building dedication sign. Aloft 50-plus feet, the letters catch the sunlight, and can be seen from blocks away. They stand above the main building’s classical  entrance, adding distinction to a prominent entry to the campus.

In addition,  brushed aluminum building dedication signs were installed by Sign Artist atop both the east and west entryways. Installers created an innovative custom system of triangular brackets and rails, enabling the letters to appear to hover above the roofline.

      

Formerly Circle Hall, the Jean Koplin Memorial Hall was dedicated with its new name in June, 2021, at an event attended by the Koplin family and Elmhurst University trustees. The ceremony was marked by speeches and a string trio.  The newly-dedicated hall and signage was visible nearby throughout the ceremony.

 
 
Trustees noted the beauty of the new sign.  Attendees honored the Koplin family, who are devoted supporters of the University. The occasion memorialized Jean Koplin who, along with her husband, championed the University’s vision through the decades.

Do you have a building you would like memorialized? Sign Artist would be happy to discuss the options! Call Ed at 630-594-4185.

 

outdoor sign

Signs Mark A New Dawn For Sunset Pools & Spas

Home pools offer peace, calm and exercise to people at a time when all those things are in short supply. Sign Artist created both outdoor and indoor business signs to help advertise this local pool and spa builder.

  Custom business sign - Sign Artist

Sunset Pools & Spas provides a great service to Chicago-area  homeowners. Servicing in-ground pools is essential, and pools only provide a benefit to families if they are maintained in a healthy and timely way.  Sign Artist was happy to oversee and install the fabrication of this attractive new 3-D sign for Sunset Pools.

Sign Artist anchored both outdoor and indoor business signs securely.  The outdoor sign was mounted with studs on the brick facade in the Rolling Meadows location (1675 Hicks Road). Sign Artist also installed the attractive sunburst logo indoors, creating an eye-catching lobby sign. Custom business signs will be effective for your business, too. Options include classic silver fittings, and a more budget-friendly high-tech vinyl, that is laid over acrylic.

Lobby sign for pool company - Sign Artist

Some signs exude warmth and welcome, and Sunset Pools & Spas’ sign certainly matches that description! Give Ed a call at 630-594-4185 to see how your business name and logo can be transformed into appealing signage that will attract and keep customers.

Grocery Store Awning is Good Advertising

Sign Artist installed this vivid awning at the new 3N’s Oriental Groceries, Foods & Markets Store in Broadview, Illinois. Awnings help traffic identify businesses.

 

The printed canvas signage makes the business a standout along busy Roosevelt Road. The store celebrates its Grand Opening this Saturday, March 6, 2021! It officially opens to the public at noon, so go check out this great groceries/carry out food destination at 1422 West Roosevelt Road in Broadview!

To install the 25-foot-wide awning, Sign Artist designed a custom carrier. Our crew defied the weather, bringing a bucket truck and braving 1.5-foot-high snowdrifts to remove the old awning, with its faded canvas. After Sign Artist cut the old canvas from the steel frame, we mounted the frame on our truck, and carried it away, to be covered in bright, printed canvas. A fresh-looking storefront makes any shop pop.  3N’s Oriental Groceries will be an appealing destination for all who love oriental cuisine. The awning is a great aid for directing customers to the shop, and for attracting new clients.

With Spring coming, it’s time to put on a bright face and let an awning identify your business! Whether it’s an awning, wayfinding, exterior or lobby sign, give Ed a call: 630-594-4185.

Putting on a Fresh Face – Replacing Aging Signage

post and panel signEvery Day Management called Sign Artist for a new sign to make a good impression and to replace an aging sign. A little investigation and discussion led Sign Artist and their new client to agree, that the old sign was past saving. Our designer, Erin, presented a fresh color scheme and a new graphic, to update the vibe of this residential community’s branding. The new post and panel structure is metal, and won’t deteriorate in the harsh Midwestern climate. Sign Artist fabricated the sign in-house, printing on hi-tech vinyl substrate.Aging and rotting sign

reflective vinyl for signs   building a new signinstalling a new sign

Install day brought biting temperatures and a winter storm, but the install went on as planned. The result? A vivid, durable sign to appreciate, and to attract new residents for this Chicagoland neighborhood. It’s clear that new signs make a good impression.

ISA Award for Sign Artist, USA!

Time to celebrate! Sign Artist USA received a 2020 Illinois Sign Association Award!

The ISA Sign Design Awards Program  is a signature recognition program of Illinois Sign Association. This annual industry competition showcases the best of the best in Illinois. The program provides recognition in nine categories for design and installation, showcasing the expertise of sign companies, designers and technicians in Illinois.
Sign Artist was recognized for refurbishing and rebranding the historic Elmhurst University wrought iron archway, in Elmhurst, west of Chicago.  Sign Artist headed the mammoth process of dissembling, sandblasting and painting the iconic 19th-century arch. Our studio arranged for the fabrication and soldering of new gilt letters. Sign Artist designer Erin, painted the decorative cartouche, topping the arch. We worked with master ironworkers, Chicagoland’s All Metal Group, and contracted two theatrical companies from Chicago, to unveil the renewed arch in a special automated “kabuki drop” ceremony at Elmhurst University, Summer of 2020.
Illinois Sign Association noted the breadth of this project in its Illinois Sign Association (ISA) Annual Meeting and Election of Directors, that convened via zoom Tuesday, December 8. Top leaders in the sign industry discussed the state of the industry in 2020, and projections about 2021. A highlight of the ISA event was the Illinois Sign Industry Awards, presenting the Sign Design Awards and the “Best of the Best Award,” with live polling. Illinois sign industry professionals and allied tradespeople from across the state attended.
Sign Artist joined the live event, and was pleased to be awarded the Third Place Award in the category of “Restored or Rehabilitated Existing Sign.”
The overall vibe was hopeful regarding 2021 operations, technology & industry trends, while acknowledging the deep and difficult impact of 2020, professionally and personally. Sign Artist is honored to be part of the team of talented sign studios across Illinois, who are  helping businesses prepare for better times in 2021.

Monument Sign Update for Arlington Lakes

Sign Artist returned to Orion Arlington Lakes Apartment Homes, Illinois, to enhance the monument sign to guide residents along the drive into the apartment complex. Our studio also designed and installed this sign.

We placed cones to divert traffic from the work site.  Careful measuring and leveling led to the placement of the paper template. We added the 3-dimensional letter strip below the sign’s branding, installed by Sign Artist Spring of 2020. Can you see what important message the client requested to be added?

If you need a monument sign to guide residents, or directional signs to show visitors the way, contact Sign Artist. contact@signartistusa.com

  
 
Voila! Now the two-sided monument bears important contact info, neatly added as the bottom line of script. Inserting the web address is a service to passersby, that will draw new clients. Now information about this attractive residential building is at the tip of people’s fingertips, as they easily find Orion’s site online. This address strip opens a world of floor plans, amenity information and images of actual units within this Arlington Lakes complex.


Sign Artist always welcomes repeat customers, and is happy to add graphics or text to an existing sign, or design a brand new one. This monument is eye-catching, made of the latest technology. The high-density polycarbonate expands and contracts with Chicago’s harsh climate. extending the life of the monument. It’s prominently located, just off of busy Golf Road in Arlington Heights.

Now is a great time to install monument signs, before the ground freezes solid for winter. What are your needs for updating or installing a monument sign for your business? Perhaps you require  a lobby, office or wayfaring sign. Give Ed a call at 630-594-4185 to discuss the options.

Vehicle Graphics Grow Visibility For Local Business


We enjoy spotting our Sign Artist signs out in the community. Here’s one we sighted, rolling north along York Road in front of us! We managed to snap a quick photo from our passenger seat. Sign Artist fabricated and installed this branding and contact information for JPL Property Services, LLC. Clean and simple, the graphics and text transformed their box truck into a rolling advertisement. Wherever JPL landscapers drive to serve clients, they take their advertising with them.

Sign Artist is honored to help spread the good news about this local Elmhurst, Illinois company, that has been cutting lawns, snow shoveling, doing seasonal cleanups and landscaping, around Chicago suburbs since 1969. Founder and operator Jim Lithas (photos below) has put top priority on running a professional, family-oriented business. His goal is to beautify the community, by offering top landscaping services. He wears other important hats in the neighborhood, as a firefighter and an emergency medical technician. Sign Artist wishes the best to Jim and JPL, and is happy to help speed them on their way — with visuals that will help build their business!
 
(Photos courtesy of Jim Lithas, JPL Property Services, LLC, Elmhurst, Illinois)

We can lead you through the process of designing a vehicle wrap that can be a valuable tool in building your business! We are a one-stop shop for vehicle graphics, with our in-house designer, fabrication and install team. Call Ed at: 630-594-4185.

Learn more about vehicle graphics, here.

Directional Signs Show the Way

Directional signs, also called wayfinding signs show us the way. They help us navigate in new situations. There’s an artistry and logic to every wayfinding sign.  Sign Artist often installs these interior and exterior signs, including the ones shown here.

 building directory

directional sign

 

 

Every client looking for directional signage has basic decisions to make, including:

  1. Message
  2. Materials
  3. Colors and design
  4. Optimal placement

Sign Artist will collaborate with you in obtaining impactful directional/wayfinding signs. Your clients will appreciate your professionalism, when they see your attractive and effective signage, guiding them to the correct parking spot, level or suite.

Sign Artist printed these residential unit signs below, for Sandburg Village, in Chicago’s Gold Coast. Our studio applied high-tech vinyl  onto aluminum composite sheets, to withstand the harshest elements. The sign is secured onto the exterior brick face via concrete anchors. Our client attended the install and was pleased by the result.


The “Do Not Enter” sign below at the North Lincoln Parking Garage in Skokie, was manufactured at Sign Artist’s Bensenville studio. We  mounted this sturdy, 8-foot-wide directional using concrete anchors.

Also installed in the Skokie garage and fabricated at Sign Artist Studio, the sign below is a standout, due to its bold font and attractive color. Sign Artist made signs for Levels One through Six. Incorporating a rainbow of colors, helps visitors recall the location of their parked vehicles.


Another look for directional signage, this parking sign below was installed by Sign Artist at  Canal Plaza, a South Archer retail building near Chinatown in Chicago. This digital print on a brushed aluminum substrate makes a refined statement.

This framed evacuation plan, installed at The 1201 North Clark building at Clark and Division in Chicago, is a crucial wayfinding sign. Every directional sign is important, but some provide information that clarifies a life and death decision for the viewer. Sign Artist also erected more than 200 ADA braille, directional signs at this landmark building.

Overall, directional/wayfinding signs ease stress. They guide clients to the correct location efficiently. This results in fewer late arrivals, and a better customer experience. Call Ed to discuss your signage needs: 630-594-4185.

 

Dynamic LED Signs — A Bright Idea!

Dynamic LED signs scroll and/or flash important messages! Easily programmed, they give a business a custom, eye-catching  design element for little fuss. Sign Artist headed to Chicago’s Finest Beef and Brew in the city’s bustling downtown. We installed a dynamic LED strip that flashes multiple messages: “Chicago Beef and Brew,” “Italian Beef, Burgers,” “Hot Dogs, Salads and More,” and “Now Open!”
Pulsing with color, the sign efficiently highlights key attractions that make Chicago’s Finest Beef and Brew stand out among its competitors. Taking up minimal real estate on the front picture window, the dynamic, LED sign choice is a winner for this hangout on 234 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago. The sign provides an immediate point of interest to captivate the attention and stir the appetite of passersby.
Swiftly and cleanly installed by Sign Artist, the sign required no laborious permit applications. The sign may be easily relocated, if needed, and also re-programmed, with whatever messages this restaurant requires.
If you’re looking for a modern, bright signage solution that’s a riff on neon, then consider a dynamic LED sign! They’re sturdy and reliable, fun and functional. Give Sign Artist a call and ask for Ed, 630-594-4185, to explore LED options for your business.  Sign Artist also offers neon-type modular signs and digital menu boards, plus the full range of A-frame, vinyl-application, mural, monument, environmental, wayfinding and 3-dimensional signs that restaurant-owners crave. Looking for traditional neon? We can provide that, too!
Explore exterior sign ideas here:  https://signartistusa.com/outdoor-signs/

Multi-tenant Signs for Westwood Financial

  
This week, Sign Artist completed our largest project for Westwood Financial, a national commercial real estate developer. Our crew fabricated multi-tenant sign panels for a 16-foot pylon sign at Elk Crossing Shopping Center, Elk Grove Village, Illinois. The applied vinyl on polycarbonate panels replaced old signage that was faded, peeling, and with outdated logos.

The reveal of the new sign includes a striking image of an elk, apropos of the shopping center’s theme. Well-known signs and logos from Panera Bread, Jewel-Osco, Great Clips, T-Mobile, Auto Zone, Citibank and Doctors of Physical Therapy, filled our studio this week, until thepanels were successfully installed yesterday. The result is a nice, clean look for Elk Crossing!

Before our Elk Crossing project, Sign Artist was asked to arrange for a Covid-19 curbside pickup base and post sign for Elk Crossing Shopping Center. Sign Artist installed this colorful trio of directional signs Westwood Financial, clearly marking curbside service for the shopping center visitors.

The project was unique, in that the foundations of four signs needed to be filled with 600 pounds of sand, to keep them stable! That put a new twist on the sun and sand concept, for our father-daughter crew that day.


Westwood first contacted Sign Artist pre-Covid era, after finding us online. This management corporation asked us to install a small directional sign for shops at picturesque  Elmhurst City Center in downtown Elmhurst, Illinois.

Our favorite thing to do, is to provide multiple signs of all varieties to our happy repeat customers. Now…how might we serve you?

Sign Artist Draws Repeat Customers, Installing Business Signs With “PACE”


In Sign Artist’s early days, we developed a model of operation we called “PACE.” It’s an efficient and effective strategy to keep clients happy, as we fabricate and install their commercial signage. We’ve stuck by it ever since:

P roductivity: We create and install great signs, that turn heads and generate business
A daptability:  We work flexibly with each unique client and project
C reativity: We blend striking designs with distinctive materials to make signs that inspire
E fficiency: We value clear communication and goals, reliable turn-around, high quality and clean installation

   
Yes, at Sign Artist, we “PACE” ourselves with these values and goals. The end result is loyal customers who turn to us time and again. For example, Drive Train Services in Bensenville, Illinois is a repeat customer, who benefits from a Sign Artist original Covid A-frame sign, vinyl application exterior directional signs, large exterior acrylic business signs mounted on brick, and dock signs.

Latsko Enterprises contracted Sign Artist for 200-plus interior and exterior signs for its Clark and Diversey high-rise residential property, including: ADA Braille directional signs; 3-dimensional, LED-illuminated entryway address numbers; brushed bronze, branded intercom panel; and framed evacuation map.

   

Sandburg Village in Chicago is a repeat Sign Artist customer, asking for several fabrication/install sessions for vinyl directional signs.
   

Chicago Cred asked Sign Artist for a cityscape wall mural, and is now asking for office nameplates.

Granite Transformations is a regional business, that has benefited from Sign Artist retractable signs and vehicle graphics.

retractable banners    logo window perf on work van
The DUMP furniture store in Deerfield, IL, asked Sign Artist to install a large, illuminated channel letter sign for its showroom, and an applied vinyl mission statement that covered a full wall, 20 feet above the floor. Our studio was asked to return, to apply more text to an interior showroom wall.
Cut vinyl at furniture store    Back-Lit sign at the DUMP furniture
Integrity Exteriors has returned time and again, for a Sign Artist banner and to apply company branding to its fleet of vehicles.     integrity graphics
Elmhurst University in Elmhurst and University of Illinois in Chicago are also repeat customers, returning to Sign Artist for an array of sign needs, such as monuments, directories/maps, wall murals, vehicle graphics, 3-dimensional acrylic letters, brushed bronze plaques, and more.

   
Elmhurst Auto Care: After fabricating and installing new sign panels and a message center in an exterior pylon sign for this customer, we designed and provided business gift certificates and business cards.
Pole Sign
Often, customers approach Sign Artist with one or two sign needs. After having a great experience with our team, and seeing the professional, striking results in their newly-installed signs, customers get creative and return with a full basket of branding and signage needs. Signs of all kinds are a great way for businesses to get their message across, and attract new customers! How might we help you?

Making Great Signs To Last

     
What makes signs great? Let’s look at the MTC monument sign Sign Artist just fabricated and installed. Our crew clipped “darts” into the high-tech printed vinyl wrap on this Myers Technology sign back. They also brushed on a translucent sealer. Both tactics resulted in a high quality sign for this Elk Grove, Illinois machine company. Myers Technology started with a bold, eye-catching design in vivid tones. Sign Artist fabrication methods complemented the design, assuring that the sign would be smooth and durable.

With sun, wind, rain and snow beating on monument signs day in, day out, top fabrication values play a key role in making a sign last. A worst-case scenario, would be sign edges curling and fraying in the breeze! But Sign Artist standards make such a disaster highly unlikely.

This well-crafted MTC sign on our Sign Artist fabrication table, struck us as a work of art. The designer who accomplished this precision cutting and application, has her degree in fine arts. She is adept at working with a wide variety of media. She also collaborates with clients to design their own unique logos and branding. We couldn’t resist showcasing her work!

Overall, this striking sign reflects the pride Myers Technology takes in the machines it offers. It also reflects Sign Artist’s pride as creative and competent sign fabricators/installers.

     
The MTC monument sign was affixed onto a classic brick and mortar substrate. Another 21-st century option, is to install monuments made of cutting-edge, synthetic materials, like the Orion sign below. Mixing materials makes signs polished in appearance, and reduces costs. When clients prefer, Sign Artist installs high-density urethane monument signs. The base is a high-tech urethane that contracts and expands with the weather. This keeps cracks and other indicators of age at bay. With no masonry work needed, costs are decreased. Such signs can be adorned by 3-dimensional letters and graphics, or printed vinyl, on an acrylic panel,

Whether classic brick, urethane, acrylic, or applied vinyl, your monument sign can shine! Check out more exterior sign ideas here. Call Ed at 630-594-4185, to discuss your monument options!