Sticker Sheet

Update for 2014! In addition to combining more graphics onto a single page, we have added the graphics that we created last year for our open railroads. The new graphics are provided here in .jpg format (for easy resizing) and on the Sticker Sheet page (for easy printing.).

You may notice that most of the new graphics are just the right size to go on trashbashed Fisher Price and PlaySkool store fronts. Well, that's what I have the most of. Some of the graphics are new versions of old graphics I used to post here. To avoid redundancy, I've kept only the latest version. Some of them are completely new. I confess that the new ones have some hidden cultural references your visitors may not "get," but they're all in good fun, I assure you. Our Sticker Sheets page includes .pdf versions of the new graphics, as well as links to many other resources you can downoad.

Note: Many of the files are large. Not only will they take a while to download, but if you view these files on your system, they will also seem several sizes too large, although most of them are actually the right size for printing on a 600dpi printer. The reason for this discrepancy is that your monitor shows things at 72dpi, eight times larger than the same file will print on a 600dpi printer.

If you have a 300dpi printer, or if you need the graphics for another scale than the 1:22.5 most of them were designed for, you will need to be able to make the graphic print smaller on the page than it would otherwise.

In most cases, you can use Microsoft Word to do this. Open a blank Word ".doc" file, then paste the image into the file. Resize the image to whatever size you need before printing. On the other hand, if you'd rather not mess with resizing, go to our Sticker Sheets page, and just download the pdf files for printing.

When I started printing graphics to use outside, I used an ALPS printer, which printed waterproof ink, but cost several dollars worth of ink to print a full page of graphics. These days I'm using a color laser with full-page weatherproof labels from Onlinelabels.com. They make a polyester label for laser printers, and a different label for ink jets, so be sure to order the correct label, whoever you order from. They're also only available in 100-sheet packages, at 50-60 cents a lable, so you might want to go together with friends to order a package. Still, before I used any sign outside, I would coat it with a clear acrylic spray, starting very lightly so as not to cause the ink to run.

Legalese

• You are allowed to download it for your own use and to make signs for your friends.
• You may not alter these image except for resizing them for own use. You may not load them on any web page or resell artwork made with this artwork.
• If you wish to share this resource on a web page, please link to this page, rather than copying these images to your site, which will be an infringement of copyright, and not a very nice way of rewarding our hard work.

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Business Signs

Business Signs (Large File: 3.9meg). When I started out, I was using plastic sheets that were much smaller than a sheet of typing paper. Nowadays, I'm using 8.5x11" weatherproof lables, and it wastes them to only print on half. So I've combined most of the graphics from the first three files I posted here onto a single page. Some of the ones that didn't "make the cut" are posted in new jpg files below. The Fort Tecumseh General Store, Indian Crafts, and Shirley's Kandy signs were created to go over signs on the Artline Western Town bird feeder, which I refashioned after a local business that sells candy and native crafts. If you want to reprint this without resizing, I have a pdf version on the Sticker Sheets page, too.
Tire Store Signs(Large File: 1M). I trashbashed a Fisher Price fire station into a garage and added these signs. If you like this signage and don't need to resize it, go to the Sticker Sheets page. There's a sheet there that includes these signs and much more.
Station Signs(Large File: 1.6M). I bought two LGB "Toy Train" stations, which are actually Piko "Red River" stations with cheaper paint jobs. Since I repaint most of my buildings anyway, this wasn't a problem. I painted one with red primer, then used a "wash" of diluted white acrylic housepaint to flow between the lines to represent mortar. The other station, I painted white, then sponged brick red onto it to represent flaking paint over brick. Then I created new graphics with the names of two towns I wanted to represent. I also printed up "No Spitting" signs, ticket office signs, and others you can probably use even if you don't want to use the same station names.
Toy Train Signs(205 KB). Working on another project, I collected a few thumbnail versions of old toy train posters and box covers. Other people scanned these, so I apologize in advance for the low resolution on several of them. These aren't big enough to print out and hang in your train room. But if you want to use some as posters on your model buildings or in a toy store window, they should work. One low-resolution sign I tried to clean up a little to make it more useful was the 1920 sign, which is provided in two different versions, in case you prefer the original scan.
Revised Signage for Trashbashed Fisher Price and PlaySkool Storefronts The signs on the two sheets to the right were created or revised in 2013 to prep my trashbashed Fisher Price Sesame Street store fronts for two open RRs. If you have the same buildings, go to our Sticker Sheets page and download this pdf version, which has the correct sizes of each graphic to fit. If you want to resize the graphics yourself, click on either of the samples. If you have a slow internet connection, consider doing this just before you need to take a break and walk away from your computer. Obviously, these buildings are getting very hard to come by now, but there's no reason you can't use these signs to liven up your own buildings.
The signs in top three rows of the graphic to the right were designed to help finish my PlaySkool Sesame Street storefronts. Again, these buildings are getting very hard to come by now, but there's no reason you can't use these signs to liven up your own buildings.

Other Places to Look for Ideas

James Powell's Ad Sign Collection includes several scans of signs that were originally printed on wood sheathing as part of a hobby business that James used to operate. These include old soft drink and other product signs that could be used to dress up buildings, etc.

The Ande Rooney company (no relation to Andy Rooney) makes hundreds of vintage-style signs. If you check out the Ande Rooney Porcelain Signs on Amazon you will see many quality graphics of vintage signs of all kinds. I include these links on this page because if you click on any sign you like (and click on the sign again once you get to the page for that sign), your browser will display a nice medium-resolution jpg version of that sign, which may give you some great ideas for decorating your model buildings.

You could also check for:

• Ande Rooney Railroad Signs on Amazon
• Ande Rooney Toy Train Signs on Amazon

Please stop by every once in a while - we DO have some other signs planned. Again, please contact us if you would like to see a particular sign.