The Bottom

I thought all the other parts were hard, but then came the bottom, which required a phrase that was not in keeping with the rest of the piece.  So I had to find a way to set it apart yet still keep it from looking like it was set apart.  In other words, it had to flow with the rest of the piece.  I figured I could use some sort of a frame.  I tried several before deciding on this one, and then used the chalk to fill in the frame and "removing" the text by using black for the color.  At first I was using "Kindly remove your shoes." but then I changed it to say "Please" and "Thank You" to tie back with the first phrase.

The second phrase

Here is the second phrase that needed to be worked in.  This part took the longest, only because I needed to break up all the text with something, and everything I tried just looked lame.  Finally I thought of using a sun to play off the word "morning."

The middle of it all

There are two phrases I was supposed to work in.  Here is the first:

There was no real inspiration for this part, just playing around with fonts and spacing.

From Top to Bottom

After doing a rough sketch, I organized the project in sections:  Top, upper middle, lower middle, and bottom.  Here is what the top ended up looking like:

Here is what it started out looking like:



And here is the inspiration:

Fonts, fonts and more fonts!

They drive me nuts...especially in this project.  In fact, it's almost like a collage of fonts!  I think I spent almost as much time searching for and trying out fonts as I did designing the project.  I used Font Book to collect and organize the fonts I downloaded.  Along with some basic fonts I already have, you can see the list of fonts I used in the screenshot:

"Welcome" Chalkboard Sign

My next project is to create a welcome sign for an entryway/porch area.  The measurements are 12" x 32" which is a weird size for a chalkboard, but you have to go with what you're given.

The project will not be a real chalkboard.  Instead, it's a board that will be painted black and then a printout of the sign adhered to the top.  It will be covered with a polyurethane to protect it from the weather.

Chalkboard signs are very popular now, so instead of trying to take a picture and fit the background to my needs, I found a free one someone had generously posted online.  I also gathered up some different fonts and brushes and frames that I will want to have on hand as I am designing the piece, as well as several images to serve as inspiration:

 

Adding elements

I really wanted the elements of the chalkboard to look hand drawn, and I found this image of a Popular Mechanics magazine cover.  I opened the image in a new document and traced the ribbon, then copied the paths into my working document.  The great thing about paths is that you don't have to worry about file size or resolution, since paths aren't "real" until you do something with them.  I haven't decided how to use the image yet, but this way I'll have it when I need it.