In today’s sign design, all work is done on a computer. We send our clients PDF files of the finished product and they easily view it in their phones or computers. And because the colors depicted are not the actual representation, there is a need to present it on a digital architectural photo to precisely illustrate the sign design outcome. Thanks to Corel Draw, we can now communicate our finished product in a much realistic way.

Quick Look at CorelDraw

Corel Draw offers tremendous help in the sign design industry. It has an excellent ability to work in pattern making, dimensioning and in scale. It is also a node-edit software that works differently on various objects. Its competitors include the Xara Xtreme and Adobe Illustrator.

It is widely used in the sign industry for a number of reasons:

• Graphics Suite

A wide range of editing tools is available in CorelDraw. The user can balance colors, add special effects, change the format from RGB to CMYK, and alter contrast. Bitmap files can also be edited further through the Corel PhotoPaint.

• Handling Multiple Pages

The software also has the ability to handle several pages together with numerous master layers. Documents are easy to generate or change and finished products can be printed even in less complex printers.

How it Differs from Other Products

CorelDraw competes with Xara Xtreme and Adobe Illustrator in sign design. All these are vector-based programs, but users have different experiences between them. Here are some differences worth noting:

• CorelDraw opens PowerPoint Presentations, PDF files, and other programs using Microsoft.
• CorelDraw offers flexibility, speed, and compatibility.
• The software allows users to specify the Pantone color profile and match it to a precise paint mix.
• Corel makes it easy for users to handle a professional system of color management.
• Corel is tightly integrated between bitmap pages and vector. Old images can be imported and added to the top of vector drawings.
• An Eyedropper tool is available to test colors from the image and drop them into vector shapes.
• The PowerClip feature permits users to import a textured image into Corel document. This way, clients will be provided with a product that closely resembles the final outcome of your project.

Some Disadvantages

Colors play a vital role in the sign age. It is necessary to produce images that are as near-perfect as the actual drafting. In sign design, the Adobe Illustrator has proven itself to handle colors better. Though matching Pantone shades can be done easily, it is still very much limited compared to paint.

CorelDraw can corrupt colors as it has its own less effective model to use. Unlike the Adobe Illustrator, Corel cannot maintain the colors that were generated in a native client-supplied file.

Despite Corel’s disadvantage, it is still widely used in the sign design industry due to its efficacy in making better signs. It also tops in speed, flexibility and compatibility that makes it an excellent tool for making sign design.

The sign design business is expanding and is currently making a revolutionary progress in the industry. Though many have tried their luck at this field, some have failed in marketing their businesses. And because we want to avoid such, we attended the California Sign Association meeting with no other than Mr. George Hedley.

Here is a quick look at the event:

The Venue: Orange County Mining Co.

California Sign Association has picked yet another great place to meet and talk about business. No host cocktails started around 5:00pm followed by an early dinner at 6. This year’s meeting was held at the Orange County Mining Co., a popular restaurant in the City of Los Angeles, California.

There is no better place to hold events than at the Banquet halls of Orange County Mining Co. The breathtaking panoramic view of Orange County offers the perfect ambience for any kind of occasion. The resto is an epitome of the Silverado Canyon mining days. The rooms in the restaurant are patterned after the saloons and grubberies that were so often visited by the prospectors.

We were at the venue a bit earlier and chatted with other CSA members. Dinner was served at exactly 6:00pm. We had chicken that was just as superb as the view. I’m sure the people in their enjoyed it too!

The Speaker: George Hedley

George Hedley is a renowned professional business speaker in America. Being a business owner of a construction firm, George himself knows what to do with businesses to make them prosper. His speech was truly inspiring and motivating for any listening businessman in the venue.

Apart from being a businessman, George Hedley is an author, entrepreneur, a proficient speaker, and the owner of HardHat Presentations – an organization that speaks to several other business communities. He is an expert speaker and is sought after during conventions, conferences, customer retreats, and meetings. He focuses on small-time business owners and helps them develop a company that will productively last for a lifetime.

What George Hedley Advocates

The California Sign Association was eager to listen to an awe-inspiring speech delivered by Mr. George Hedley himself. He believes that through strategic planning, we can better market and sell our business. He devised plans that can help people earn more, work less, and live a life they want. He is also an expert in getting businesses to work. By working in a systemized and organized company, there is a way to consistently produce loyal customers, leadership, and bottom-line profits. Being a Certified Speaking Professional, he motivates his listeners to execute several techniques that can better expand our businesses.

After the rousing speech, we were given the opportunity to mingle with other members of the California Sign Association. I can definitely say that it was one of the most inspirational events I’ve ever been into. And I’m looking forward to another chance of meeting with Mr. Hedley and be stirred – once again – by his truly encouraging speech!

CSA Members that were present  include Sign Rhino, Federal Heath Sign Company, Signtronix, AD/S Design and Sign, and Structural Technology Consultant Inc.