Need Help Making a specific Type of Sign

Model Railroader magazine has detailed instruction on how to make those wonderful paint-on-brick signs using your computer and some easy to obtain supplies.  I am putting more effort into scenery these days and I find that Model Railroader is a great resource.  June 2016 issue, page 34.

The issue, which you may or may not care about, is that most printed solutions will not have the brick detail.  You probably want to go with a decal so that the sign appears to be on the brick.  I'm at least gathering this from your example photos.  Most decal paper is clear and printers do not print white...

Evan design has a decal inkjet paper available that dries white. You can us the built in paint program on your computer to design the sign and print it out.

I tried in MS Paint and no joy... however, in MS Word I  had some better luck...

Not sure how to change the black ground back to white though while keeping the sign black...hmmm

J Daddy,

See the attached Word file.  If you print it out on white paper, you should be able to trim it so that it leaves a white border.   Instead of typing directly on the page, I inserted a Text Box and typed inside that.

Got it thanks. I also found away to use the snipping tool as well...

I may play with the fonts a bit too...

J Daddy posted:

I am trying to make a Painted border type sign so that I can print it out and glue to one of my old brick buildings. What is the best way to do this? Is there a resource on the internet for making one or is there a place on the Net where they are print ready?

I would like to create a SIMPLE BLOCK LETTERING boarder sign for the most part.

Below are some examples :

 

Look up the article suggested by POTRBZE.  It is an excellent and innovative approach.

The other option is to make stencils.   Print to cardstock a picture of your sign on the web.  Make 3 copies.   Cut out the large rectangle and paint white along the inside edge.  Cut a the slightly smaller rectangle and paint the whole area black.  The 3rd stencil is more work, cutting out the letters.  Leave bridges for the interiors of the D, R, and A, then touch them up when you are done.  Use a white paint with a stippling brush using a dry brush technique if you want a faded look.  This works well for larger lettering.   It would be a challenge for smaller print.

I would not simply glue on a printed sign, because it always looks like a glued on sign.   Another traditional technique popularized by George Sellios and others is to take a paper sign and sand away at the back surface until it is very thin, then glue it with diluted white glue.  If needed gently emboss the brick lines with a pointed dowel.  Others suggest printing on airmail paper which is much thinner paper.

Here is a thread  of signmaking techniques.

And a huge thread full of vintage signs that you can save and print.

Bob

buy WHITE decal paper for your ink jet or laser printer on amazon, then print them. I found powerpoint to be one of the easiest to use. You can make exact dimensions....

Thanks guys for the tips. I like the link Bob, I saved it for future use. I have never used the decal method, I will have to try it. I usually just print them and sand them down like Bob noted.

I wanted to rename the Atlantic Hotel made by Downtown Deco.

The Trackside Bar was good practice for the "sanding trick"

I believe Jim Policastro once wrote a post about doing this on regular paper.  Try to do a search, but the short story is you print it out on regular paper, use a fine grade sand paper on the back side of the print to make the paper real thin, cut out your sign, apply white glue to the entire back of the sign, it makes the already thin paper softer, apply sign to brick wall and then gently apply pressure with your fingers to work the sign into the mortar joints.  When it dries the sign looks painted on.