Homemade Political Sign Makers - Share your best tips.

[blm]

For those of you who have successfully made sturdy signs that held up well during protests and rallies, what would be your best tips to share?

Most effective material, size, etc...

Thanks in advance!

[MissouriTeacher]

1. Please don't misspell anything!!

:)

[MMT]

2. For the October march in DC last year

I used 2 sheets of illustration board on a 1x2 stick. I put them back to back, taped at the top and edges, and stapled both to the stick in the middle. It was very sturdy, but also *very* heavy! I think next time I might use Bristol board instead, maybe on a cardboard mailing tube since I understand the police get snotty about sticks.

The image came from my inkjet printer. I designed my sign using Corel Draw, printed it out, scotchtaped the sheets onto the illustration board, and then sprayed the whole thing with Krylon to keep the ink from running if it got wet (it still ran, but maybe not as much as it would have without the Krylon).

Hope that helps!

=Meg

[newyawker99]

5. Hi MMT!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[displacedtexan]

3. plastics, benjamin.

we learned last october (the hard way) that DC's union station is actually private property, and the owners prohibited protest signs inside the building. those with folding or roll up signs had no problem complying. those of us with poster board signs had to leave them outside and hope they were there after lunch and long restroom lines. my sign read: Draft Richard Perle, but hardly anyone knew who he was back then.

the best ones i've seen in DC (and used since):

spray painted tyvek house rap banners (the poles were telescoping paint roller sticks;

white sheets from godwill or salvation army (see above);

white plastic painter's overalls with slogans painted all over them: the wearers became human protest signs;

and, those giant puppets (made from sponge carpet liner and painted).

hope this helps!

[Lefty48197]

4. No advice for the construction

but I think a very effective sign would be one that simply lists "Bush" and "Gore" in large letters. Next to each name would be a box outlined in black. Shrub's box would be untouched, but Gore's would be cut along three sides in a 'swinging door chad' mode. I think everyone would understand the point being made.