ARTfx BLOG
An A+ For ARTfx
At ARTfx, we take pride in the dozens of unique signs and architectural components we’ve fabricated and installed at many well-known academic institutions. Most recently, we constructed a celebratory plaque arrangement honoring faculty and staff who have served over 25 years at The Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. Founded in 1810, the school is one of the oldest and most highly regarded preparatory schools in the United States.
Working With Experts
The newly installed dedication wall features inlaid brass, etched bronze, cut aluminum, and stained white ash. ARTfx has installed several other outstanding architectural tributes and wayfinding sign systems on The Lawrenceville School campus. Design for the project originated in the Redding, Connecticut studios of renowned graphic designer, educator, and frequent ARTfx collaborator, Alexander Isley. His work regularly features uniquely juxtaposed, dissimilar materials, often testing the boundaries of our technical abilities. However, we enjoy the challenges.
A Touch of Color
5 Considerations
2. Always aim your LED light sources into the letter, thereby creating the halo with reflected rather than direct light. This practice will also assist with light diffusion. By contrast, LEDs aimed outward often create hotspots or lighting polka dots.
3. Paint the insides of your halo-style letters a neutral white for added reflectivity. You can use white primer to save on costs. A finish coat isn’t required.
4. While much of the trade still uses 6500K white, we have moved over to 5000K for the simple reason that it falls in the mid-spectrum of available white. Therefore, the halo glows we attain appear as pure white untainted by blue overtones.
5. Use a high-quality LED. We’ve bought LEDs overseas for as little as 45 cents a foot. Trust me: the skimping will eventually bite you in the hind side. You’re going to pay the price one way or another… and you don’t want to pay with your pride, a pissed-off customer or perpetual service work.
CATERING TO THE CLIENTS NEEDS
“TRICK OF THE TRADE”
Transforming Tradition: The Yiddish Book Center’s Remarkable Renovation
For more than a decade, ARTfx has collaborated with designer, Alexander Isley, on a variety of projects at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts. Most recently, this sanctuary for Yiddish literature and art was tastefully converted into an engaging, interactive museum, including an updated theater and a recreation of the I.L. Peretz Salon.
For such a monumental undertaking, the center solicited a team of trusted experts including architect, Amy Reichert. ARTfx’s custom-fabricated displays, extensive murals, and hanging banners brought the vision to life. The work reflects more than five years of coordination between designers, architects, archivists, and preparators.
LINOTYPE DISPLAY
This 1918 Yiddish linotype press weighs 4,500 pounds and is displayed on the main floor of the center. ARTfx manufactured placards with images and copy describing the historic printing machine. (Click the image below and use the white arrows on either side to scroll.)
YIDDISH: A GLOBAL CULTURE
“Yiddish: A Global Culture” serves as the basis for the interactive exhibit distributed throughout the main floor of the renovated center. With direction from the design team, ARTfx fabricated multiple metal structures that display modern Yiddish literature, theater, music, press, and politics. Among this collection are rare books, artwork, photographs, sheet music, typewriters, and thematic memorabilia. Due to their massive size, situating the units within the space involved clever engineering. (Click the image below and use the white arrows on either side to scroll.)
The Yiddish Book Center’s exciting new updates gained immediate accolades from press outlets. The Hampshire Gazette notes, “Yiddish: A Global Culture is the most expansive exhibition the Amherst center has ever staged, a sweeping exploration of modern Yiddish literature, theater, music, politics and more that flourished from the late 19th century through the first half of the 20th century, linking communities from Warsaw to Vilna to New York to Buenos Aires.”
BOOK COVER FLAGS
Hanging banners depicting classic, well-known book covers adorn the hallway of the main floor. The pennant-style banners hang below a skylight which necessitated a specialized printing technique known as “dye sublimation.” The process allows the ink to completely permeate the fabric, protecting bright colors from intense sunlight. (Click the image below and use the white arrows on either side to scroll.)
ISAAC LIEB PERETZ SALON
I.L. Peretz was a provincial lawyer turned Hebrew and Yiddish author. The exhibit faithfully replicates his Warsaw, Poland apartment- right down to the wall treatment. For authenticity, The Yiddish Book Center consulted a specialist to recreate the specific pattern of the salon wallpaper. ARTfx vectorized the pattern for exact replication. (Click the image below and use the white arrows on either side to scroll.)
THEATER
The theater at the book center received a facelift with a fresh coat of paint and sawtooth-patterned walls. New displays showcase historical Yiddish entertainment, including political puppets from 1926. ARTfx constructed custom casing decorated with prints designed by Alexander Isley to house the puppets and assorted artifacts. (Click the image below and use the white arrows on either side to scroll.)
Bloomfield-based ARTfx Brings High-Profile Signs Nationwide
We are grateful to have been featured in many publications over the years. Recently, we stepped into the spotlight of a local news station. Please watch the video to take a peek behind the scenes.
Video Transcript, Courtesy of Fox61:
In Bloomfield. Something bright. You might not have heard of them, but it’s a good bet you’ve seen their work up in lights and center stage.
“I specialize in high-end custom electric signs and architectural fabrication.”
These are the offices of ARTfx. And before they’re affixed, the sign language starts here.
“Pepes? Absolutely. Sally’s as well.”
Graphic designs of every kind and at ARTfx, there’s no shortage of sound effects.
“It’s masonry, it’s welding, it’s woodworking. It is custom neon.”
“We’re metal fabricators, experts in plastics and lighting, you name it.”
Lawrin Rosen is the ARTfx owner. “We have craftspeople in every discipline, so we’re able to handle most of it here.”
They’ve been doing this here in Bloomfield for the past 41 years and their designs are seemingly everywhere.
“West Hartford, Hartford, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York.”
“You’ll see our work all over the world, all over the country.”
From high profile to higher ed. They make bold statements from a Bloomfield back-lot.
“You know, we go to art school, guys like me. We want to be artists that have our work in museums. The sign business, the whole outdoors everywhere, that’s our museum.”
“It’s always kind of cool to pass by and go, yeah, we built that.”
In Bloomfield. Jim Altman, Fox 61, Connecticut’s news station.
5 Effective Ways Signage Can Boost Your Success
In today’s complex marketplace and associated visual landscape, companies and establishments must stand out and make an impression on their potential target audience. While digital marketing and online advertising have become dominant, traditional forms of advertising, like effective signage, still play a vital role in boosting visibility and reinforcing branding. In this blog post, we discuss the significance of effective signage and list five ways effective signage can positively affect your organization’s success.
1. Capture Attention and Generating Brand Awareness
Signage acts as a silent but powerful salesperson for your business, working 24/7 to capture attention and generate brand awareness. Well-designed and strategically placed signs can easily reach a wide audience of pedestrians and motorists. A visually appealing sign that effectively represents your brand creates an immediate and indelible impact, compelling an on-site audience to take notice and remember your enterprise. When advertising, why not start with the local crowd to increase familiarity with your products or services?
2. Enhance Location Visibility
A well-executed sign strategy enhances your establishment’s visibility in a crowd. An eye-catching sign(s) with attractive colors, legible fonts, and clear messaging can attract a new audience by singling you out from competitors. Signage as a marketing form serves as a landmark, guiding people to your location and creating a strong visual presence that differentiates your communication. Effective signage will earn your organization a powerful, on-site, marketing tool, even after hours when you’re closed.
3. Establish Brand Identity and Consistency
Signage plays a crucial role in reinforcing your brand identity. Consistent use of logos, colors, and fonts sets a cohesive image which existing and potential clients recognize and associate with your establishment. Incorporating your brand’s unique personality and messaging into signage will impart a strong impression to a substantial part of your target audience. Effective signage helps build trust and loyalty, encouraging repeat business and referrals.
4. Inform and Direct Customers
Signage is an effective means of informing and directing customers by enhancing their overall experience. Whether supplying information about products, services, promotions, or simply helping to navigate through your establishment, well-designed signage can form a seamless process. Clear and concise messaging ensures that customers can easily locate what they are looking for, leading to increased purchases and overall satisfaction. Additionally, directional signs reduce confusion by guiding your audience through large buildings, campuses, shopping centers, outdoor spaces, etc.
5. Provide Long-lasting, Cost-effective Marketing
Signage is a cost-effective marketing investment that offers long-term benefits. Unlike online ads or general media promotions, signage works continuously, reaching a wide audience for an extended period. Once installed, it continues to generate brand exposure without piling on additional costs. When considering its longevity, durability, and potential reach, effective signage generates an unparalleled return on investment.
Conclusion
In an increasingly digital world, the importance of effective signage has not diminished. Investing in well-designed, strategically placed signs can significantly boost your visibility, enhance brand recognition, and drive customer engagement.
ARTfx creates powerful signage for establishments of all types and sizes. By capitalizing on the expertise of a trusted, 40-year-old, world-recognized sign company, you can elevate your establishment’s visibility while strengthening your imaging efforts, and ultimately achieve greater success in a competitive marketplace.