How to make prop location signs look like cast bronze
ardiff Courthous and other set and location signage for a recent production, yet to be released.
Prop court sign to look like cast bronze in English and Welsh
If your film or television production features period, cast metal signage but you don’t have the budget to make them for real, we have a great low cost solution.
“Printed and machine cut foamex hand finished looks convincing on camera”
Acme were asked to create English and Welsh language signs for a location, which was being dressed as the Cardiff County Court. The signs had to look like they were cast in bronze and aged, as if they had been in-situ for decades.
They were for a yet to be released film, but as there was a tight budget we had to get creative and come up with a low cost solution.
The technique we went with was to create an actual -shallow relief enhanced with highlights, shadows and ageing in the artwork to produce a ‘Trompe-l’oeil’ effect that looks both totally convincing on camera, and to the naked eye.
Metallic effect prop court signs print and cut in relief
We sourced metallic textures which were coloured, treated and aged in Photoshop to look like weathered bronze. The sign surfaces were all printed and mounted onto 2 and 3mm foamex, then run through our machine cutter to cut out the letters in relief. When combined and hand finished, the result were a convincing looking bronze signs but at fraction of the cost to make them for real.
In addition to the County Court signage Acme were also requested to create signs, posters and artworks for a Cardiff Bank and Housing benefits office for the same production.
You can review images of the set signage we have provided in the past – on our website, however if you have the need to order signs, posters and other location and set dressing, please contact us.
