Smart business owners know the value of well-designed signs. They capture the customer's attention, provide the first impression and communicate the type of business. Sign Gallery 7 offers a wide ...
Ion Art creates signage and sculptures that fortify a new development
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Austin, TX is known as the live-music capital of the world, but numerous other amenities make it a great place to live. The city and its surroundings offer a beautiful setting where the terrain of central and west Texas’ expansive Hill Country intersects with many lakes and rivers.
But, perhaps more importantly, career opportunities, a top-tier university and public-education system, and relatively affordable housing also elevate Austin consistently in quality-of-life rankings among U.S. cities.
Ion meets Crescent
Many projects never reach fruition because a proposal’s complexity requires niche expertise from several companies. Unless very tightly controlled, enlisting many companies for one project can lead to cost overruns and delays that can easily scuttle a project before it begins. With a state-of-the-art production facility and a talented, 24-person staff, Ion Art can handle design, engineering, fabrication, permitting and installation. Value engineering plays a key role in developing cost-effective solutions.
Riverside Resources, an Austin-based developer that manages properties with an emphasis on modern art and natural environments, presented such a challenge with the Crescent, a multi-use, retail and residential development nestled in the heart of downtown Austin.
As a high-profile, ambitious adventure, the Crescent development would require not only a cutting-edge sign package, but also innovative decor. John Needham and Sam Laine, owner and project manager for Riverside Resources, a real-estate developer, sought an organization that could create a “wow factor.” Through word of mouth, they contacted Ion Art and met with Sharon Keshishian (our president) and Paul Ross (the creative director). Riverside’s primary goals for the property’s environmental graphics included a prominent, exterior sign and a unique, freestanding sculpture for the pool area – all while meeting the allotted budget.
The icon
Most sign designs require simplifications during the creative process. But, in this case, Ion Art conducted many meetings and produced numerous renderings in pursuit of that “wow factor.” Ross began every design as a pencil sketch before developing it with a medley of creative software – we used Adobe® Illustrator® CS2 and Photoshop® CS2 for layout and preliminary design concepts, and finalized shop drawings with CAD Tools. Sketch-Up Pro aided building each design within 3-D space; this program provides an excellent tool for the development phase.
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