how2 print your own lawn signs: anyone know?

[rodmant]

Would like to develope a method for printing
my own lawn signs. Want to make it simple
and cheap so I can change the sign once/week or so.

constraints:

use a printer (or plotter) at Kinkos
that can handle a yard sign sized sheet of paper.

use open source software

I'm probably not going to take the "lead",
on this project. Has anyone already figured this out?

[LiberalSailor]

1. The Gimp

I would assume Gimp would work for drawing/designing the posters and then just save the file on to a disk/cd and print at kinkos would work .
Im sure im being to simplistic so if that doesnt help just ask more questions :)

[rodmant]

2. tried gimp (wanted to save as PDF or PS ; both greyed out)

Thanks, was able to compose a reasonable 22"x14" sign
using the largest font. Could not save in PDF or postscript
though - kinko's 60" plotter will take either.

Was using windows gimp, could also load it on linux
if need be. The challenge remains - how do I get it into
postscript?

Was also considering Tex, both that's more of
a project..

--
thanks again/well check back Sat morning
-Tom

[LiberalSailor]

3. another shot

not sure about getting it into Postscript but if it takes PDF you could just save the image as a jpg,gif and import it into another document. I havent played with gimp on windows but im surprised it wouldnt save as postscript, you might wanna try downloading a small imaging program from downloads.com just for the conversion.

The weekly signs sounds like something I m gonna do once i have a front lawn :)

[rodmant]

4. partial joy: using Latex under linux (22"x14" color pdf)

just sent a 22"x14" color pdf "test case" to Kinkos

will summarize the method (w/an example) after it stabilizes..

my inspiration

someone could start a library of yard signs..
}(

[rodmant]

5. how2 design & print your own lawn or protest signs

This is working for me. You need
to be a bit of a Unix weenie, but I commented the template
file liberally. Kinkos is charging me about $1.50 to print 1 sign.

[TreasonousBastard]

6. Buck and a half?

Not bad. Brutal for quantity, though. Sir Speedy ain't much better.

btw, Open Office 1.1 and WordPerfect export to PDF. I haven't spent much time with OO, but WP's PDF export works just fine. I use it all the time.

The Family Pack 5 includes a slightly stunted version of WP11 and may be on sale if you want to spring for it. eBay or swap meets might have Family Pack 4 around real cheap, and that has the WP 10 that I use. Windoze, though. Linux or BSD WordPerfects only go to version 8.

Open Office is free for the download at www.openoffice.org. Naturally, there's Unix/Linux versions.

I haven't bothered with them lately, but I used to have a bunch of stuff that exported to .eps-- Encapsulated Postscript. EPS can't be read or edited, but is designed to send files to printshops with Postscript abilities.