01
Few words. Big letters.
If a driver can't read it in 1.5 seconds at 25 mph, it's too small or too wordy. Three-word slogans land. Paragraphs disappear.
Pro tip
Target 3–6 words. One short line is stronger than two cramped ones.
Sign-making guide
Make a sign that gets read.
We don't hand out signs at our rallies — making your own is part of the work. But there's a craft to it. Here's everything we'd tell a friend before their first protest.
The fundamentals
Six rules. That's the whole guide.
The single difference between a sign that lands and one that fades into the background is whether someone followed these. Pick the rules that matter for your message, but follow at least three.
02
Thick lines, not thin ones.
Use a 1-inch-or-thicker marker, brush pen, or paint marker. Thin ballpoint lines vanish from twenty feet away.
Pro tip
Sharpie King Size, Posca, or a small brush dipped in acrylic all work great.
03
High contrast wins.
Black on white or yellow is the most readable combo there is. Avoid red on dark blue, pastel on pastel, or colored letters on a colored background.
Pro tip
Outline letters in black if you want color inside — the outline is what travels.
04
One idea per sign.
Don't try to fit your whole worldview on one piece of poster board. Pick the single point you want the camera (and the driver behind it) to remember.
Pro tip
If you have two ideas, make two signs.
05
Plan it in pencil first.
Sketch the letters lightly, count the spaces, then commit. The number-one rookie mistake is running out of room halfway through the word.
Pro tip
Measure: divide the board into thirds. Top, middle, bottom — that's your layout.
06
Make it weatherproof-ish.
If there's any chance of rain, slip your finished sign into a clear trash bag or use heavy-duty foam board instead of paper poster.
Pro tip
A coat of Mod Podge or even hairspray seals marker against drizzle.
Quick reference
Do this. Skip that.
Do
- • Stand back ten feet and squint — if you can still read it, you're good.
- • Use both sides of the poster — your message faces both directions of traffic.
- • Use humor. A clever line gets photographed and shared.
- • Bring zip ties or wide tape to attach signs to wooden stakes if needed.
- • Carry your sign at chest or head height, not down by your knees.
Don't
- • Don't write in cursive. Block letters only.
- • Don't fill every inch — white space helps your message breathe.
- • Don't use profanity or imagery that excludes families and kids.
- • Don't use copyrighted logos or images you don't own.
- • Don't bring sticks or stakes that local rules consider weapons — check the permit.
Materials
What to grab at the craft store.
You can make a perfectly great sign for under ten bucks. Foam-core lasts longer, paper poster is cheaper. Here's a working shopping list.
- Foam-core board (22" × 28") or thick poster board
- 1-inch wide black marker (Sharpie King Size, Posca PC-17K, or similar)
- Pencil for layout
- Ruler or yardstick for straight letters
- Optional: brush pens, paint markers, or acrylic for color accents
- Wooden paint stir-stick or 1/4" dowel (cheap, lightweight, looks great)
Go deeper
Indivisible Tompkins: Tips for Making Effective Protest Signs (PDF)
A longer, photo-rich primer from our friends in Ithaca — what reads well from across a street, what stays legible in the rain, and the messaging tropes worth borrowing.
Read the full PDFMade a great sign?
Tag @IndivisibleBGM when you post it — we love sharing members' work, and a good sign deserves to travel.