Stock Sign Photos

[Amaury]

I'm not quite sure where to post this, so, staff, if this is better elsewhere, please move it, by all means.

I'm come across some videos like these two from different YouTubers, where the people not only have stock photos for each specific sign, but they're also able to make them fade in and out of the screen. There are only some stock photos I can find with Google, such as the Interstate 90 shield, though without the directionalities. Same with a couple of other common signs, like the merge ahead sign. But I'm trying to figure out how these people were not only able to get stock photos for state-specific signs, like the overhead Exit 136 informational sign in the first video below, but also make them appear throughout the video. (In my case, Washington, but any state, really.) I could certainly add more pizzaz to my videos of the drives I've taken in Washington and other states if I can learn how to do this rather than just using some basic text built into the Photos Legacy video editor that I use and convey something like "US Route 97 South" in plain text form.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkRd3dwZyJI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV-U0EN8X34

[vdeane]

Wikipedia has a lot of the generic signs and route shields.  A lot of people also make their own graphics, so many of those might be custom.  Some even use photos and crop the photo to be just the sign when displaying it.

[Scott5114]

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Diagrams_of_road_signs_of_the_United_States

Go nuts.

[Amaury]

That has a lot, even for Washington, but it looks like many will have to be custom-made, which I can probably use the sign maker linked to in another thread here, though I know that's limited and not everything can be made to look exactly the same because there aren't options for every variation of a sign. Some will likely need to be heavily customed made, like mileposts or specific exits, or it's also possible the aforementioned YouTubers, as mentioned above by Vdeane, likely used cropped photos for the very specific ones. I just need to figure out how to do a really good cropping them so the background doesn't show, because pretty much all of them, unless they're knocked down and require replacement, I could get from Google Maps. I wouldn't use every single sign and would just keep it to ones like entering [community]/[county] signs, mileposts, and such.

In any case, then I would just need to figure out what is used to edit them into the video.

[Scott5114]

I would suggest not relying on a sign maker program if you want anything resembling real-world signage; most sign maker programs seem to be either plagued with technical restrictions or the creator didn't really look at the MUTCD when writing the program, and thus the relative sizes of things are incorrect.

What I would do is download Inkscape and learn how to use it. There is a bit of a learning curve if you have never used a vector editor before, but the time spent learning the program will pay dividends once you get into heavy usage. It can, of course, be used for all sorts of graphic-design work besides signage, so it's a good tool to have in your pocket regardless.

Then, read Chapter 2E of the MUTCD, especially paying attention to the tables of sizes in there as reference. (Table 2E-4 in the 2009 edition would answer 90% of questions as to how to size the elements of a sign, but I'm not sure what table number it is in 11e.)  Switch Inkscape to inches mode and create the sign following the measurements in the MUTCD, then scale it down to whatever size you need the finished product to be. (I like to keep a version of the file around in native size just in case I need to make any changes later, so I don't have to waste time figuring out scaling ratios and such.)

In general, following these rules will get you most of the way there:
- Shields 36" tall (Inkscape can import the SVG shields available on Commons t)
- Text 16" capital letter height
- Margins 16" between text and outer edge of sign
- Lines of text 12" apart baseline to baseline (this is conveniently the same size as the lowercase x, so it can be used as a spacing guide)
- Always measure text layouts with the letter X, not the actual sign legend, because round letters like O and S overshoot the baseline
- Borders 2", radius of rounding ⅛ the height of the sign panel or 12", whichever is smaller

If you can dig up the plan sheets for the sign you're making, you can of course get something that should look exactly like the sign as fabricated. If not, I still recommend finding some plan sheets for the DOT you're trying to replicate the signage of and doing a few practice layouts to figure out the quirks of that specific DOT.

None of this applies to Caltrans, of course.

Using these methods, with practice, you can make a DOT-quality sign in around 10 minutes, and a nice-looking one in 15. Good luck!

[Amaury]

Thank you, Scott. I'll take a look at that when I can.

[kphoger]

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Diagrams_of_road_signs_of_the_United_States

Go nuts.

I usually just Google search {wikimedia commons ___________} to find an image.

This can even work by MUTCD reference.  For example, if you want to easily find the "Emergency Medical Services" sign, you can search in Google Images for {wikimedia commons mutcd d9-13}.

[Amaury]

I've come across some videos on YouTube showing how to use Inkscape, such as these:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81EQb2QldLw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIeV3rk5z4I

What I need to find, though, is one that shows the very basics, one that starts from scratch, showing how to, for example, import already made signs, such as the ones on Commons Scott linked to. I don't want or really need to be too fancy, like the videos in my OPs. For example, I don't see a need to draw attention to a simple 50 MPH advisory curve speed sign, like shown in the first video in my OP.

For signs I would definitely want to use in my videos, those would be interstate shields, US route shield, state route shields, state/county/city line signs (for example, Entering Washington, Entering Yakima County, Entering Yakima), and speed limit signs. Everything except the state/county/city line signs is available on the Commons link Scott provided. The only things not available for those are the directionalities (west/east/south/north) or route types (spur/loop/business) for the interstate and highway shields, which I would have to make, unless I can find those on Google Images or something and then just edit them together and have one file for each directionality and/or route type. State/County/City limit signs (such as Entering Kittitas County, my county) are the ones that definitely need custom creation from me. Exit signs and mileposts are signs I'm not placing under definitely need, but still have interest in. Those would also have to be custom created.

At some point down the line, I may expand that and make more signs, but for now, it's just what I mentioned above. More signs wouldn't be until I become a pro at making these signs.

Once I get some signs made, I still need to figure out how to add and get them to appear on videos. I wonder if there's a special program needed for that, or if it can be done with the Video Editor program I already use.

[roadfro]

For signs I would definitely want to use in my videos, those would be interstate shields, US route shield, state route shields, state/county/city line signs (for example, Entering Washington, Entering Yakima County, Entering Yakima), and speed limit signs. Everything except the state/county/city line signs is available on the Commons link Scott provided. The only things not available for those are the directionalities (west/east/south/north) or route types (spur/loop/business) for the interstate and highway shields, which I would have to make, unless I can find those on Google Images or something and then just edit them together and have one file for each directionality and/or route type.

Pretty much any standard sign you can find in the MUTCD will have a vector drawing on the Wikimedia Commons somewhere. Standard directional banners and many auxiliary route banners (as well as some regional-specific versions) are all there, because they get used in article infoboxes and junction lists on Wikipedia. Check out this category: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Auxiliary_plates_of_the_United_States (which is just a subcategory of the category Scott linked to)

[kphoger]

The only things not available for those are the directionalities (west/east/south/north) or route types (spur/loop/business) for the interstate and highway shields, which I would have to make, unless I can find those on Google Images or something and then just edit them together and have one file for each directionality and/or route type.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Diagrams_of_road_signs_of_the_United_States

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Auxiliary_plates_of_the_United_States

For some reason, that page seems to leave out some of the white ones (unless I just missed them).  Here are some that appear to be missing:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/West_plate.svg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/East_plate.svg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/South_plate.svg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/North_plate.svg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Loop_plate.svg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Business_plate.svg

Searching in Google Images is your key to finding whatever might be missing.

[Amaury]

Thanks, guys! That actually completes the list of what I want to use, for now, including things like "JCT" and "TO." I did try searching for those on Commons last night, but didn't realize they had "plate" in the name. And since local state routes also use the white plates US routes do, I can use those for those, too. (I can just edit these and put them together since I already have the shields, such as West I-90 and even edit them together for concurrencies.) Using the search feature on Commons, it looks like they do also have Freeway Entrance signs and mile markers for every number.

The only ones for now that definitely will have to be custom made are more state specific ones for my home state of Washington and the states I've been to (Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah, California), like these and others:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/MivtFBnZVRzmPjEP8 (welcome to Washington)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/t5bbjeWPgffgA8k67 (generic Entering Washington)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/WyHELUcUXfXoqW9e7 (generic Entering County)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/QuiRpihJ29mWuGNM7 (generic Entering Community)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/iua7Xy8SqGYz6hmVA (Pass/Summit and its elevation)

Then you have some counties or cities that make their own mostly unique county or city line signs instead of the state DOT, even on a state highway:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/iY6ZUmUUD99nHArh7 (county line)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/t3QJJULJmgs7vD9q9 (city line)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/hyCApMctpSLBZqnx6 (very unique city line)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/RNmrpjW8X7uF7rgB9 (another unique city line)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/CBMzxvTVxpLUCCAi6 (this one isn't that unique, as it's the same shape as the generic "entering" sign, but it's still partially unique)

At least until I learn how to use Inkscape and expand to more signs.

[Scott5114]

What you'll normally do for the state signs is find a state sign book (WSDOT's is the Sign Fabrication Manual) and use the recipes in that to make them from scratch. The challenge there is more in doing the geometry than the software—though if you tried to do that in a bitmap editor you'd probably go mad.

Note that WSDOT's specs appear to imply, rather than specifically state, the dimensions that the federal MUTCD specifies, like interline and edge spacing. (Most states do not do this. Nevada's sign book, for instance, fully specs out all 17 county line signs, complete with line and margin spacing.) So it would probably be better to familiarize yourself with federal MUTCD standard signs first before trying to make signs off of WSDOT specs.

[ClassicHasClass]

None of this applies to Caltrans, of course.

I see what you did there.

[Amaury]

What you'll normally do for the state signs is find a state sign book (WSDOT's is the Sign Fabrication Manual) and use the recipes in that to make them from scratch. The challenge there is more in doing the geometry than the software—though if you tried to do that in a bitmap editor you'd probably go mad.

Note that WSDOT's specs appear to imply, rather than specifically state, the dimensions that the federal MUTCD specifies, like interline and edge spacing. (Most states do not do this. Nevada's sign book, for instance, fully specs out all 17 county line signs, complete with line and margin spacing.) So it would probably be better to familiarize yourself with federal MUTCD standard signs first before trying to make signs off of WSDOT specs.

Thanks for the advice, Scott. I'll look into that. I did end up finding an example county line sign in your link, using Asotin County in southeast Washington. That's why I'm glad a lot of these I can get and have already gotten via Commons, such as the Interstate, US highway, and state highway shields, speed limit signs, and the directionalities and route types (alt, spur, etc.) It will make it far easier.

For the second most important question, once I have what I want and once I have learned the art of making custom signs that look like the real ones, how do I add them to a drive video like the YouTubers mentioned in my OP did? Is it some fancy and expensive video program or can it be done with something free like Video Editor, which Windows comes with?

[Scott5114]

I'm afraid someone else will have to answer the video question, as I have no experience with that end of it—the signs I make are for fabrication.

[Amaury]

No problem. Thanks for all your help, Scott.

[Amaury]

Okay, so I was recommended Vegas Movie Studio for adding the signs to videos, which I just purchased today.

I have some questions about Inkscape, though. For pre-made signs, since, as far as I can tell, the Wikimedia entries don't have the Interstate, US, or state shields together with all directionalities or route types (alternate, spur, etc.)—they're all separate—I want to have them pre-saved so I don't have to put them together all the time. Likewise for concurrencies. First, how do I save a project as a picture, such as PNG? A test I tried to do quite a while ago now saved it as an SVG, an HTML document that only opens in a web browser. When I expand the save as type field, there aren't any picture extensions. Second, I know there are gridlines, but it's still difficult to perfectly align things. Is there a way to (center) align pictures with each other automatically through an option? In a similar way to how the center align button works in Microsoft Word or Excel?



EDIT: I figured out how to save images as picture files, specifically PNG.