Hosting a tournament for a sport that you love is both exciting and rewarding. However, organizing a tournament can be difficult. One of the most tedious tasks is putting up with all the people stopping by to say hi and/or asking questions about the tournament.
Since you’ll most likely have people coming from out of state (hopefully not outside of Canada), getting a Michigan license plate address sticker can be pretty useful. If you’re looking to make some hockey tournament signs to help people find your ice rink, this blog post is for you.
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Find A Design
The first step is to find a design that you like. Do some research and see how others have used similar designs for similar purposes. Once you have your chosen design, it’s time to move on to the next step.
The great thing about designs like these is that you can use them for multiple applications. You can use them for something as simple as the tournament poster, you can use them for a door hanger, or you can use them for a business card or a t-shirt.
Cut Some Letters Out
Now that you have your design, it’s time to go ahead and cut some letters out. You’ll want to start with the letters at the top and work your way down. Don’t worry about cutting too much off, you can always cut more later. Once you have your letters, it’s time to move on to the next step.
Paint It
Once you have your letters, it’s time to paint them. Even though you used acrylic paint for the design, it’s still considered painting. So unless you have a specific type of paint that you want to use, leave it alone for now.
Add A Bit Of Texture
Once you have your letters painted, it’s time to add a bit of texture. When we think of a hockey rink, we usually think of a nice smooth surface. However, having a rough surface adds a bit more character.
If you have a spray bottle, you can simply spray paint the letters to add character. Otherwise, you can use a bit more mature methods such as stippling or shaded relief. As you can guess, these are traditional art methods that create a texture on a surface. Basically, any method that’ll add a bit more character to your design is more than acceptable.
Glue It On A Surface
Once you have your design finished, it’s time to go ahead and glue it on a surface. For this step, you can either use removable plastic, such as an acetate sheet, or you can choose to use double-stick tape. Since this is a hockey-themed design, using tape probably makes the most sense, especially since it’ll also add some durability to your design.
Double-stick tape is perfect because it’s easy to use and you can’t actually see it once it’s on the surface. If you use the plastic sheet, make sure to leave enough space for people to write their names and/or put up a schedule for the upcoming hockey tournament.
Assembling The Pieces
Once you have your design and letters glued on a surface, it’s time to put everything together. To do this, you can either use tape, paper clips, or a combination of both. Simply peel off the backing from the tape and lay it on top of the letters. Then, use the clips to hold it all in place.
As you can guess, there are multiple ways to put this together. Once it’s done, it’ll look like a cool little sign that you made for the tournament.
Optional Steps
Once you have your final product, there are a few more things you can do to make it look even more authentic. One option is to engrave the letters or add a custom design in the center. You can use a pen tool or a hobby knife to do this. Another option is to put a small sticker on the back that’ll have your ice rink’s logo and the name of the tournament.
If you have a 3D printer, adding more texture or adding a raised surface to the design is quite easy. Just add another layer of color and/or print a texture on top of your design.
Whatever you do, make sure that your sign is approved by the AHL. They have specific guidelines for what they consider official signs and this is one of them. If you follow their guidelines, there’s a good chance that they’ll approve your sign. Before you put it up, make sure to get the proper licensing from the state and pay for all the equipment that you use.