Musings on the hallway signs

We're grateful to have you to worry about these things, Kage

I think a big part of it is that the signs are white (says "write on me!") and paper-based (says "find me in a trash bin on Sunday evening"). While I did not partake in any sign-defacing activities, I wasn't aware that the signs are reused from year to year---heck, I'd have thought that arrows would have to flip around and the like, and so are printed up specifically for each year.

If I had seen somebody marking up a sign, honestly, I wouldn't have thought it a big deal because of all that.

EEP!!! While I am not the one who did it, it was a pretty good comedy bit. How about for something like this, instead of trashing it, we use it in the charity auction. "Lot #69, prop used in Masquarade 2007". People will bid on anything.

Anyway, I know this isn't really a solution to a problem. Thanks for letting us know about this though. I wouldn't say a very large percentage of attendees comes here to chat on the message boards and read about the business side of things, but I'll do my part and be sure to discourage this kind of stuff if I should see it. I may not narc on somebody for it, but I'll keep an eye out.

I'm sorry to hear about the sign trouble Uncle Kage. This may sound like a silly idea, but could the signs be shrink-wrapped? I believe there's a kit you can buy that artist use to wrap their work with - slip the image into a bag and apply low heat with a hair dryer. Then people would just end up writing or sticking stickers onto the plastic, not the sign itself. At the end of the con off comes the plastic.

It would take a bit of time and some signs may still become damaged, but it could help cut down on some of the loss. Just a thought. Sorry if it sounds silly.

Code Name: Hunter

You could put up signs advising persons not to deface the signs. Most likely, it didn't occur to those people that the signs were intended for reuse.

[cue 70's music]
Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign!
Blockin out the scenery, breakin my mind
Do this, don't do that! Can't you read the sign?!?
[/music]

-There is no truth

Hey Kage

In the events I host here in Maryland, I also use the foam board signs. However instead of having these professionally done, I make them myself. I pay a visit to the local craft store and purchase a package of 12 inch black vinyl letters. The black letters stand out real nice on the white foam board and are very cheap. The ones I use have the alphabet repeated at least twice with numbers. (Typically all the vowels are in there three or four times) Might this be a simple solution to having your signs professionally made up? I have found that the total cost for me per sign is about 4 or 5 dollars. (not sure what you pay)

All that is left at this point is the labor to create the signs, Heck even if you need a helping fin to make them up, just toss me a surfer and I will come swimming towards you with my tail wagging. It is the very least I can do for AC, after all the fun it has provided me over the last 7 years, its time to give something back to the fandom.

“Your fishy buddy Sharky”

silly things liek attaching a paper sign to the signs is all well and fun but simply writing on the signs is just wrong.

Is there a way to say laminate or put some sort of protectant over the signs in order to allow clean up or total protection of the signs incase some ill mannered person defaces it?

Hope something can be done and that people use their heads next time not to destroy something they don't own.

The Soap and Water public service announcement (wash, people!) seems to work relatively well, why not add in a reminder not to draw on things?

"Please do not draw on signs, doors, walls, or unconscious con goers. They are expensive to replace. We know you're artists, but please draw only on surfaces and items you have been invited to draw on. You wouldn't like it if someone drew on your stuff uninvited."

Toss it in opening ceremonies or even the Masquerade. Someone must be able to hunt up a sound clip of those terrible public service announcements music. Toss it in a section while the lights are off and the stage ninjas are scampering. (it covers their delicate footfalls)

This won't stop malicious destruction, but people that were simply being thoughtless would cease drawing on things. And get them smacked by other congoers that now know you aren't supposed to draw on the signs.

If peer pressure shifts from "hehe, graffitti is kweul!" to "don't draw on the sign, it makes Kage mad!", 95% of it will stop.

I have seen artists cover their works for display with a very durable looking clear plastic sheeting that is affixed on the back with tape. Could something like this be used to protect the signs?

PIRATE

Member: Stuck In The Elevator Club

Well, the bottom line is that AC is not a profit organization and the money in the fund is there to provide for the convention and all its expenses. Put frankly, we are the ones paying for it, so if a sign or anything else that costs money needs to be replaced, it will be the attendees next year who will be paying for it.

what about some sort of hard clear plastic covers that you can insert different signs into that may be more expensive I don't know but I have seen it done before some where and they make the signs much more durable and they themselves would be reusable

ok, but don't let them make their point through the sighs or they will continue to speak to you through the signs instead of up front and it will cost you even more cause they know that that works and will continue to do that over and over I would personally suggest something such as wood that you can buff out and repair or fill in repaint etc... we had problems with the same thing out here at the Russell County Free Fair we tried to stress that this was a Free fair and that we didn't have the budget to replace them and Y not have a staff member see if he could make some custom wood sighs I find that old cabinets work the best
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my tormented soul has laid waste to these lands and all who oppose me for what seems like an eternity..... now leave or suffer the consequences

Yep,

That was me. Accept my apologies, and tell me how much the sign costs and I will pay for it to be replaced. However, sometimes you have to do things that someone will remember to make your message stick. I think I have been effective in that goal.

That being said, I am glad I got on the radar about the fans. Friday evening there was only one small fan. Fursuiting is probably a pretty important element for why people come to Anthrocon, and I am sure that the AC staff knows how important fans are. I felt that this was a gross oversight by whoever was in charge of that area. It's simply a safety issue, and without fans, you can't fursuit very long, and overheating is a serious danger for some people.

Thanx

Takatha

[Sorry, still cant find the logout button, but its Kimes Mate, Aeon] To divert the whole everyone is angry with the vandlisum, [as it will not replace the sign and prevent it next year] I have an Idea that may work. There is no posible way to stop attendees from writeing on the signs. no matter rules, or if people are watching, signs are posted out of reach or even put behind glass, someone will find a way to write on it.

Someone mentioned something about a white board which sparked this. At the rescue building we have a sign that reads our unit name and other information in the back ground. I know for a fact that people have used perminant markers, pens, Microns, and other forms of ink on them but at the end of the day a little windex cleaned it off and the board was blank for the next day, except for the background with the rescue info on it. I am sure they can be made small enough to post as signs and it may be cheeper in the long run. only thing is that I dont know their price or where to get them, but its at least a start in preventing damage.

The good thing about this is that each year you could have people scribble on the signs and at night just send someone around to quickly wipe off anything that was written.

Another thing you can try is laminating, it has almost the same effect except that furs can engrave their message with a pen, [the white board idea takes a great deal to engrave anything into them, thus a deturent to really destroying the sigh] but I dont think that would work for the signs you use.