It all started with our best selling Lover’s Road Crossing Sign in London. Over the years, we have received a handful of customer messages asking if we could change the background to match their city. We always listen to our customers when they write in about anything, and it gave us an idea.
Enter our ‘Love Across America’ Personalized Road Crossing Signs. In our most ambitious series yet, we have embarked on a mission across America to represent all 50 states and then some! As you can tell, it is still a work in progress. (15 down, 35 to go!) As most things related to graphic design are, it was more challenging than we had anticipated.
First we start with an idea of the state. What is the state known for? What are some iconic landscapes or buildings within that state? What is something unique or instantly recognizable? We also research smaller details, like how the signs commonly found in that state are designed, or we try to incorporate the state flag somewhere in the design.
Secondly, we browse beautiful photo collections to try to find just the right landscape. This is challenging mainly because we must find a good photo to display our road crossing sign, as it’s the key recurring theme of our series. Once we find the perfect picture, we purchase the rights to edit it so we could properly offer it to our customers for their consideration.
Most states are big and we have a large pool of inspiration, but therein lies the problem – not everyone in a larger state would resonate with a particular landmark. In this case, we dig deeper and ask ourselves: What are the people in that state most proud of? What is something common the residents of this state experience? Whether it is the fresh white snow of Pennsylvania’s brutal winters or the miles and miles of wide open road in Texas, there is always something that conveys the spirit of a state.
So far, our collection has proven to be a big success. It is no wonder that customers would prefer a road crossing sign that represents their home state. If you’d like to see your state of residence represented, please write to us at customerservice@decorarts.com with your ideas! We are all ears.
