Graphicsland^®, a computer graphics company in Tinley Park, IL has launched a new web site, MAKESIGNS.COM where for the first time, users can interactively design and order their own signs, banners and posters online. Users choose a starting template from the hundreds available and customize it with their own words, fonts and colors. They then see a WYSIWYG preview of their sign. They can go back to make changes in the design, or proceed to order the sign. Signs are printed on heavy paper and shipped in a mailing tube.

MAKESIGNS.COM website has templates for personal and business use. Popular personal signs and banners are "Happy Birthday", "Happy Anniversary", "Congratulations", etc. Business templates are available for real estate, retail and trade show use. In addition, MAKESIGNS.COM has a Corporate Template Program where templates for specific companies can be stored online and password protected, allowing branch offices or franchise locations access. Using this method, a store owner or manager can customize a sign for a specific local promotion, yet the logo and color scheme for the sign are pre-approved by corporate marketing.

Users can also upload their own graphics files to customize signs with photos or logos. There is no extra charge for signs containing an uploaded graphic file. Once the company logo or photo has been uploaded to the MAKESIGNS.COM system, it's available for future use without having to upload again.

If none of the hundreds of available templates fill the bill, users can design their own signs using Microsoft PowerPoint or Corel Presentations, or they can send a bitmap for a giant photo blowup.

Standard output consists of heavyweight matte paper which is water resistant. Optional water resistant glossy paper is available for a slight extra charge. Another media choice is outdoor banner material with grommets for hanging. Plans are being made for additional media options such as cling-on clear vinyl, and additional finishing options such as laminating and mounting.

The base price for signs ranges from $12.95 to $39.95 depending on size. Discounts are given for additional copies of the same sign. Sizes range from 16" by 24" to 36" by 72". These prices are a fraction of the cost of traditional wide format full color output, due to efficiencies achieved by fully automating the MAKESIGNS.COM system.

Graphicsland has been developing the MAKESIGNS.COM website and its related behind the scenes software system for over one year. Jerry Feil, Graphicsland president, headed the development project. Mr. Feil is an electrical engineer with 25 years of experience in the graphics business.

According to Feil, store owners and managers have been very receptive to being able to design and order window signs online. "Anyone who owns or manages a retail store knows they spend most of their waking hours at that location. It's really tough to leave the store to go to shopping for a sign place. Now a store owner can shop online 24 hours a day from the comfort of their own office or home, when the local sign shop might be closed.", he said.

For the trade show road warrior, MAKESIGNS.COM provides an easy solution for quickly needed convention and trade show signs when on the road. If a quick sign is needed for the next city on your whirlwind tour, simply go back to the hotel room, pop open the laptop, and go online to MAKESIGNS.COM. Order a sign for the next city, and they'll send it FedEx to that location. Having a corporate template online means your logo and color scheme will be correctly reproduced.

In addition to business use, the MAKESIGNS.COM system opens up an entire new market for wide format printing: individual consumers celebrating an event or occasion. Signs celebrating specific occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, graduations are finally available at a reasonable price. Traditionally, full color wide format output ranges in price from $9 to $15 per square foot, meaning that a 2 by 4 foot "Happy Birthday" banner could cost $120, a little steep for most consumers. At MAKESIGNS.COM, the base price of a 2 by 4 foot banner is only $22.95. Templates can be customized by the user. For example, if you wanted a sign for your son's baseball team, you can change the name of the team, the uniform colors, and even the numerals on the player's jersey.

The signs produced by MAKESIGNS.COM are designed for temporary use. According to Feil, Graphicsland is not trying to compete with established sign businesses who create permanent signage for your business. "Our goal is to fill a niche in the marketplace for quick, inexpensive signs for short term use.", he said.

Free output is available for editors and writers of qualified publications who wish to test the service. Call 1-800-347-2744 to request a coupon for free output. For more information, contact Jerry Feil (orders@graphicsland.com). Graphicsland (www.graphicsland.com) is located at 8061 W 186th Street, Tinley Park, Illinois. 1-800-347-2744. Graphicsland is a wholly owned subsidiary of Feil Productions, Inc. MAKESIGNS.COM is a trademark and Graphicsland is a registered trademark of Feil Productions, Inc. PowerPoint is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Corel Presentations is a trademark of Corel Corporation.