INTRODUCTION.
Show cards, to a business man, are a necessity. Everything depends upon the way he advertises, and he cannot advertise judiciously without the aid of signs. Some one must make his signs. If his business is on a small scale, and he cannot afford a regular sign writer, perhaps he would like to do it himself; or, if he hasn’t sufficient time, why not employ a window trimmer who can do both?
A window trimmer who can make his own tickets increases his value to his employer and can demand more money than one who does not; at any rate, sign writing, as a side issue, will do no one any harm, and very often it can be used to great advantage.
The art of show card making can be acquired by any one with very little teaching, a reasonable amount of patience, and plenty of practice.
Do not become discouraged at your first attempt. Your card will look badly, of course, but that is to be expected. You cannot do good work at the first attempt—it is impossible. Improvements will be gradual. Each card will prove better than the last, and with a little practice you will be surprised at the results.
Were it not for the interesting variations and numerous opportunities to display artistic ability, card-writing would be very monotonous; as it is, a person with the least bit of artistic taste will find it a pleasant occupation as well as a convenient and profitable one.
A sign maker must find where the sign is to be used and the sizes of his lettering must be varied according to the distance it is to be placed from the eye of the public.
Don’t attempt over originality in signs. The majority are not familiar with signs. They have seen only a few designs. That which may be conventional to you, because you study signs, will be original to the majority of people.
Inaugurate a system of uniformity in your card-writing, by which all your work (styles of lettering, etc.), have a certain amount of similarity.
If at any time you wish to change your styles of cards or lettering, let the new styles appear all over the store at the same time. It does not look well to use a mixture of types or color; it has a tendency to confuse the public—whereas, a system will teach them to know your particular style of work at a glance, and it will not only be more readable, but will establish for you a personality.