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INSIST on using MS Word for Layout Signs? Do THIS…
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- Опубликовано: 15 авг 2024
- With today’s technology, it is very easy to create signs for your model railroad layout. And even if you're no expert, you can do it too. This video covers how to make interesting, exciting signage using the same tools you'd use to make plain, boring signs.
In this video I share these easy ways to make better signs - even if you only have a word processing program. You don't need to be a designer, and you don't need to be a technical whiz! Just follow these steps!
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
01:14 - Putting the 6 Tips to Use...
08:50 - The Easy Way to Add Logos: NO DRAWING!
14:44 - Making More Complex Signs
23:51 - Fonts and Era
26:01 - Wrapping Up
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Site Links:
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Links:
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Track plan for "The Grunge" Layout: www.chessiemctd...
#modelrailroading #modellayoutsigns #modelrailroad
I typically use PowerPoint to create signage for my scale structures. The software provides a more organic, easier process of piecing together graphic and text elements. Watching you create basic signs in Word tables looks like there is a lot of unnecessary formatting work. I’m not knocking you or your efforts. I enjoy your videos and this one was no exception.
No offense taken. I agree with you, PowerPoint’s ability to have text boxes and move them around would definitely be easier. I just know a lot of people stock with Word because they “know it” so I wanted to show them they could do more. Plus, it used to be (less now with Office 365) that a lot of people didn’t have PPT.
Here is an easy way to get two lines of text justified, even if they are wildly different fonts: Type in your two lines of text and format them as you want them. Then boost the Zoom on your document to, say. 300%. (Be sure you can see the entire line for both lines.) Then use your screen capture tool to copy the image of each line separately. You can then paste the images into your document and resize them to your heart's delight - you can compress text, expand text, change the aspect ratio, and - as I said at the start - make the texts justify any way you like.
Thanks for the videos. One thing you haven't addressed (yet... Part 3?) is how to print it. Many signs can go on regular paper, but you can "weather" an older sign by using resume paper with ivory or sepia tints. You can also just print a subtle background color. For a brand new sign (think glossy white enamel paint) you can go the other direction and use photo paper.
Great tips. I just may have to consider a Part 3!
@@ThePixelDepotLLC Agree, a Part 3 would be great for those of us just starting out making our own signs. This was a great tutorial!
Thanks for the tutorial! Signs really set things off.
Yes they do! And making them is easier than people think.
I am hopelessly spoiled for this sort of thing. Among my other duties before I retired, I published our company’s internal newsletters. I used Adobe, née Aldus, Pagemaker which gives you incredibly flexible, granular control of text and image placement in 3 dimensions. On my first layout I included a scaled down version of the company I worked for. I very carefully cut the company name/logo from one of my business cards and found it to be the perfect size. For image editing I used Paintshop Pro, which does probably 90% of what Photoshop can do for about 20% of the price.
Kindred spirit. I love it!
Very informative. Definitely bookmark this video. Thanks for sharing. Dave
Great 2 part series. Some really great info. I use Canva and photoshop for my signs and background buildings. Being a high school art teacher I can’t say enough good things about Canva. Super simple web based design program. Also Photopea is a free photoshop clone. Having fallen in love with typography during college that Chex sign bothers me so much. It reads as c Hex. Just a reminder that there is bad design everywhere but that’s ok. Thanks again for this series.
There are a lot of options out there. I've also tried GIMP and that worked well too.
And yes, that Chex sign, design-wise, could be better. But I did think it was a good to demonstrate how those who want to stick with their familiar tools could do something beyond a couple of lines of text.
Thanks for watching! Glad you liked it!
I like your layout. It reflects what I’d like to create myself. A “shelf” switching layout. Would you be able to post an overview of your track plan?
If you're talking about the main MCTD layout, you can find the track plan history here: www.chessiemctd.com/latest-track-plan/. I will say, though, I'm going through a bit of a "doubting myself" phase about it, and considering some big changes.
I also have an overview video you can view here: www.chessiemctd.com/latest-track-plan/
Thanks for the tips in this great video. I use PowerPoint to make signs. I find it very easy for me then Word.
That's great! PowerPoint would be the easier choice, but some people only have Word, which is why I went that route. Maybe I should do a quick followup on what some other options would be.
It looked like a variant of whiskey tango foxtrot using military speak to replace the intended words.
Wow. I would use either LibreOffice office suite rather word. Partly because it is free. But for signage, I would probably want inkscape. Also Free. Easier to change things like color and spacing. And it is easy to add a backgroud color an d an outline of the sign. This works for you, but it would be simpler to use the software that words better and is free.
Actually, Word wouldn't be my first choice, or a choice for me at all. I chose it for the video because 1) many people already have it, and are relatively comfortable with it 2) many people already use it to create the horrible plain signs I was trying to get them away from in the video that preceded this one. The point was to show that even with Word, you can get much better looking signs than just going in and typing something using Arial.
Hi Joe, using a wordprocessor this way appears to be unnecessary complicated. I just downloaded a free app, something like 'text on photo' which doesn't use cells or whatever. Android instead of Windows.
Hi Rob! I agree, it wouldn't be the way I would typically go about doing it. But I wanted to demonstrate how those who want to stick with their familiar tools could still make something better than basic text.
I would love to make some signs for my N-scale layout but I know nothing about WORD. I tried but failed miserably. LOL
I’m available for hire. 🙂
@@ThePixelDepotLLC thank you but I have several to make and haven't worked out the designs yet. I'm trying to do this without buying any software. 😆
IF you added another row, on the second column, above HEX, and left it blank, could it have moved the word HEX down.
There are probably a bunch of different ways to achieve the same effect, yes.
@the pixel depot How do know what size document is the correct scale?
That's kind of something you need to eyeball or have a gut feel about. Signs generally are designed to fit a certain location on a structure or signpost. If you need to be more free-form, figure out how many feet are in an inch in your scale (it's roughly 8 in HO), and go from there. Hope that helps.
@@ThePixelDepotLLC thank you. I just recently found your channel. You do a nice job in your explanations and context. I model O scale but the concepts are the same. Keep up the great work!
@Buzz Sawyer Glad you found the channel! Yes, I like the fact that most concepts are applicable to just about any scale. Thanks for the kind words!