DECEMBER 2012 Vo lu m e 234, N u m b e r 1 2 About the cover: Dave Correll, owner of Faribault, MN’s Brushwork Signs, crafted this sign for a Colorado restaurant and bar. He built the panel from 6mm-thick 3A Composites Dibond® aluminum-composite material and painted it over a plotter-cut mask. For more information, see p. 54 FEATURES 52 58 The Craft Endures by Steve Aust A gallery of traditional, sign-fabrication projects The 2012 Lighting Survey by Wade Swormstedt LEDs illuminate nearly 50% of signs. 52 64 66 69 USSC’s Pin-ups by Steve Aust Some winners from the 2012 contest Digital-print Update by Darek Johnson Highlights from the SGIA show The Value of Signs by Wade Swormstedt Better Homes readers rate signs The 2012 Lighting Survey p.58 64 COLUMNS and DEPARTMENTS 6 ST Update by Steve Aust SAi’s free guild, Ryder Cup, KY’s Bourbon Trail, Shipping Wars missile Technology Update by Darek Johnson Albuquerque’s KiMo Theatre sign Vinyl Apps by Steve Aust Cool projects from our contest Strictly Electric by Albert Oberst & Brother Zank Collaborative entertainment-center signage LED Update by M. Nisa Khan The Austrian LpS 2012 LED conference Software Update by Theresa Jackson “Fiat Luz” for super-large format 34 36 38 40 95 96 Technology Review by Chris and Kathi Morrison Agfa’s Anapurna flatbed UV inkjet Technology Review by Chris and Kathi Morrison Vision Engraving’s CNC router/engraver Sign Museum News by Tod Swormstedt Celebrating “smalls” New Products by Darek Johnson Product Showcase: Laminators Advertising Index Editorially Speaking by Wade Swormstedt The evidence-based sign code 14 18 22 26 30