Step by Step | How to create a professional real estate sign
If you want to create a professional looking real estate sign, follow the quick 'step by step' instructions to create and print your sign right here! Let's get started!
Step 1) Select the correct product
First let's make sure you select the correct product for your sign. Corrugated Plastic (Corplast) is one of the most popular materials for real estate signs. Corplastic comes in three thickness choices: 4mm, 6mm and 10mm. Select the thickness of your material based on the size of your sign. If you are looking for a small 12" x 12" sign that might go in a window, then the 4mm is a great choice. Our most common 18" x 24" sign is printed on 6mm Corplast. And our 24" x 36" sign is printed on our heavy duty 10mm plastic. If you are unsure of the thickness, but you just want to get started on your design, just click on our 6mm choice and you can easily change the thickness right up until you purchase with just one click.
First let's make sure you select the correct product for your sign. Corrugated Plastic (Corplast) is one of the most popular materials for real estate signs. Corplastic comes in three thickness choices: 4mm, 6mm and 10mm. Select the thickness of your material based on the size of your sign. If you are looking for a small 12" x 12" sign that might go in a window, then the 4mm is a great choice. Our most common 18" x 24" sign is printed on 6mm Corplast. And our 24" x 36" sign is printed on our heavy duty 10mm plastic. If you are unsure of the thickness, but you just want to get started on your design, just click on our 6mm choice and you can easily change the thickness right up until you purchase with just one click.
Step 2) Select the correct size
Once you select the product thickness (4mm, 6mm or 10mm), you can enter your sign size. You can select any custom size you want, but our most common sizes are 18" x 24" and 24" x 36". When entering your preferred size make sure you enter the width in the first (left) box and the height in the second (right) box. You want to make sure your dimensions indicate your preferred orientation (portrait vs landscape).
*While you are here, make sure you select any Special Options like grommets.
Once you select the product thickness (4mm, 6mm or 10mm), you can enter your sign size. You can select any custom size you want, but our most common sizes are 18" x 24" and 24" x 36". When entering your preferred size make sure you enter the width in the first (left) box and the height in the second (right) box. You want to make sure your dimensions indicate your preferred orientation (portrait vs landscape).
*While you are here, make sure you select any Special Options like grommets.
Step 3) Opening the Design Tool
Next click on Create Design (down below the size boxes). This will take you directly to the free online Design Tool. You can also click on the Design Tool at the top of any page, select your product and you will be redirected to the Design Tool to enter your size and Special Options (grommets, etc).
The Design Tool is a place to create your custom design. It offers numerous FREE tools, FREE Stock Images and FREE Templates. You can choose to start from scratch, click on any one of the free Templates or import your own artwork file.
Next click on Create Design (down below the size boxes). This will take you directly to the free online Design Tool. You can also click on the Design Tool at the top of any page, select your product and you will be redirected to the Design Tool to enter your size and Special Options (grommets, etc).
The Design Tool is a place to create your custom design. It offers numerous FREE tools, FREE Stock Images and FREE Templates. You can choose to start from scratch, click on any one of the free Templates or import your own artwork file.
Step 4) The Design Tool Icons
The Design Tool Menu bar at the far left of the screen is very important so let's go over each one quickly:
Products: Click on this icon to view or change the type of product you want.
Size/Options: Click on this icon if you want to change the size of your product or the Special Options (grommets, etc)
Templates: Click on this icon if you want to start your design with a template or change a template.
Stock Images: Clik on this icon if you want to access thousands of FREE Stock Images
Shapes: Click on this icon if you want to add a shape. You can also change the color of any of these free shapes.
Upload: Click on this icon if you want to upload your own image, photo or file.
Add Text: Click on this icon whenever you want to add or edit text. Each text box will be a separate Layer.
Background: Click on this icon if you want to change the color of your background. If you do nothing, your background could remain transparent, depending your your product as well as your other settings.
Layers: Click on this icon whenver you want to access a specific layer (text, photo, shape, etc). Every object that you add will become it's own separate layer, so use this icon to quickly select that object and edit it, move it, resize it or delete it.
You may want to open this blog post in a separate browser tab so that you can quickly refer back to it if you need a reminder.
The Design Tool Menu bar at the far left of the screen is very important so let's go over each one quickly:
Products: Click on this icon to view or change the type of product you want.
Size/Options: Click on this icon if you want to change the size of your product or the Special Options (grommets, etc)
Templates: Click on this icon if you want to start your design with a template or change a template.
Stock Images: Clik on this icon if you want to access thousands of FREE Stock Images
Shapes: Click on this icon if you want to add a shape. You can also change the color of any of these free shapes.
Upload: Click on this icon if you want to upload your own image, photo or file.
Add Text: Click on this icon whenever you want to add or edit text. Each text box will be a separate Layer.
Background: Click on this icon if you want to change the color of your background. If you do nothing, your background could remain transparent, depending your your product as well as your other settings.
Layers: Click on this icon whenver you want to access a specific layer (text, photo, shape, etc). Every object that you add will become it's own separate layer, so use this icon to quickly select that object and edit it, move it, resize it or delete it.
You may want to open this blog post in a separate browser tab so that you can quickly refer back to it if you need a reminder.
Step 5) Let's create your sign!
The quickest way to create your sign is to just jump right in and try things out. One thing you may want to do first is to change the background color, so let's do it!
* Click on the Background icon (see Step 4 if you need a reminder)
* Click on Remove Transparency (or deselect the 'transparent' box at the upper left) to get to the color palette
* Click on any color in the small boxes or color wheel
* You can adjust the shade of the background or select another color at any time just by clicking on the Background icon
The quickest way to create your sign is to just jump right in and try things out. One thing you may want to do first is to change the background color, so let's do it!
* Click on the Background icon (see Step 4 if you need a reminder)
* Click on Remove Transparency (or deselect the 'transparent' box at the upper left) to get to the color palette
* Click on any color in the small boxes or color wheel
* You can adjust the shade of the background or select another color at any time just by clicking on the Background icon
Step 6) Let's add shapes and change their color!
* Click on the Shapes icon in the menu bar to the left.
* Select a Shape by clicking on it. If you are making a real estate sign, the square shape in the upper left is a very popular one and you will see why shortly!
* Once you select a shape and click on it, it will pop up on your canvas (product) and it will have small anchor points all around it.
* Select any one of the anchor points to adjust your shape. Clicking on a corner anchor point while dragging it will enlarge or shrink the shape but still keep it in its original shape. If you select a top/bottom or left/right anchor that is the middle part (not a corner) you can stretch the shape and make it wider or taller by dragging it up, down or to the left or right.
* If the anchor points are still selected, you can change the color of the shape by clicking on the color in the upper left of the screen (see photo on the left below).
* If there are no anchor points on the shape, click on the Layers icon (to the left) and select the layer box that has the shape in it.
Text is entered in the same way, just click on Add Text and type in your text into the box that appears (see middle photo below).
* Click on the Shapes icon in the menu bar to the left.
* Select a Shape by clicking on it. If you are making a real estate sign, the square shape in the upper left is a very popular one and you will see why shortly!
* Once you select a shape and click on it, it will pop up on your canvas (product) and it will have small anchor points all around it.
* Select any one of the anchor points to adjust your shape. Clicking on a corner anchor point while dragging it will enlarge or shrink the shape but still keep it in its original shape. If you select a top/bottom or left/right anchor that is the middle part (not a corner) you can stretch the shape and make it wider or taller by dragging it up, down or to the left or right.
* If the anchor points are still selected, you can change the color of the shape by clicking on the color in the upper left of the screen (see photo on the left below).
* If there are no anchor points on the shape, click on the Layers icon (to the left) and select the layer box that has the shape in it.
Text is entered in the same way, just click on Add Text and type in your text into the box that appears (see middle photo below).
Helpful Tips:
How to delete a Layer: Bottom left photo shows the trash can in the upper right of photo. First make sure whatever layer you want to delete is selected (make sure the layer has anchor points). Then click on the trash can to delete. If you don't want to delete and you just want to undo your last edit, the counterclockwise arrow at the bottom left of the screen will undo it.
How to duplicate a Layer: Once you select a Layer (anchor points will show up around it), a menu bar will appear. In the middle photo below the menu bar shows additional items (size, opacity, arrange, etc). To the right of the text 'Arrange' is a 'duplicate' icon (it looks like one box overlapping another). When you click on that duplicate icon, another layer of the item you have selected will appear and you can then edit it, resize it or move it.
How to move a layer behind or in front of another layer: Each text, photo or shape represents a layer on your canvas (product). As you are creating your sign you may want to move a layer behind another layer. In order to do this, you have to first select the layer you want to move. Once anchor points are around the item, a new menu bar will appear at the top of the screen. Click on the 'Arrange' text and another box will pop up with numerous choices. The small black and white squares indicate which level you want to move your layer (back to front, front to back, send to front, send to back). Click on those icons to move your layer.
How to make text or photo an exact size: You may be under restrictions to have a certain size text height. If that's the case, it's easy to make any item an exact size. The photo below on the right shows a menu that pops up once you select an item and then click on Size in the menu bar. You can see the current size of the text. If you want it to be an exact height or width, just change the numbers to your preferred size.
How to delete a Layer: Bottom left photo shows the trash can in the upper right of photo. First make sure whatever layer you want to delete is selected (make sure the layer has anchor points). Then click on the trash can to delete. If you don't want to delete and you just want to undo your last edit, the counterclockwise arrow at the bottom left of the screen will undo it.
How to duplicate a Layer: Once you select a Layer (anchor points will show up around it), a menu bar will appear. In the middle photo below the menu bar shows additional items (size, opacity, arrange, etc). To the right of the text 'Arrange' is a 'duplicate' icon (it looks like one box overlapping another). When you click on that duplicate icon, another layer of the item you have selected will appear and you can then edit it, resize it or move it.
How to move a layer behind or in front of another layer: Each text, photo or shape represents a layer on your canvas (product). As you are creating your sign you may want to move a layer behind another layer. In order to do this, you have to first select the layer you want to move. Once anchor points are around the item, a new menu bar will appear at the top of the screen. Click on the 'Arrange' text and another box will pop up with numerous choices. The small black and white squares indicate which level you want to move your layer (back to front, front to back, send to front, send to back). Click on those icons to move your layer.
How to make text or photo an exact size: You may be under restrictions to have a certain size text height. If that's the case, it's easy to make any item an exact size. The photo below on the right shows a menu that pops up once you select an item and then click on Size in the menu bar. You can see the current size of the text. If you want it to be an exact height or width, just change the numbers to your preferred size.
Don't forget about these important tips:
* If given the opportunity, log in to your PrintSignsQuick.com account before you start creating your design
* Save your design often
* Download your artwork. On the top menu bar to the right of View Proof are three vertical tiny dots, click on them, then click on Download Artwork and you will be able to download your design as a PDF.
* If given the opportunity, log in to your PrintSignsQuick.com account before you start creating your design
* Save your design often
* Download your artwork. On the top menu bar to the right of View Proof are three vertical tiny dots, click on them, then click on Download Artwork and you will be able to download your design as a PDF.
Below are just a few samples:
TAGS
for sale signshow to make real estate signsopen house signsquick signsreal estate signsrealtor signs
July 28, 2022 Christine
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