This is part of a series of articles designed to help you craft powerful and engaging protest signs.
There are a variety of ways to add text and art to your sign. So if you hate drawing, fret not. There are several alternatives that do not involve writing letters freehand.
Lettering Options
Draw Freehand
Of course, if you are artsy, by all means, draw your letters directly on the sign. Alternatively, you can create letters on cardstock paper and glue the cutout text onto your sign.
If you are drawing your letters by hand, sketch them out in pencil first then fill them in with paint or marker. That will allow you to fix any spacing issues.
If your message is too long to fit comfortably on your sign, shorten it. Long messages that require small text are too hard to read.
Stencils
If drawing letters freehand seems too daunting, try using stencils, available in 2-inch, 3-inch or 4-inch sizes. Another option is the Protest Stencil Toolkit by Patrick Thomas, which contains stencils of different fonts that are visually compelling on signs.
Stickers
If you don't feel like drawing letters, you can also buy self-adhesive letters to stick on your sign.
Printouts
Finally, if you are short on time, you can create your text on your computer and then paste print outs onto your sign.
Images & Graphics
Incorporating images, drawings, and/or symbols can make your sign easier to understand quickly. Research has shown that our brains can comprehend an image within 13 milliseconds! Graphics can also evoke strong emotions that make signs more compelling and memorable than text-only signs.
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Further Reading
- Sophie Bushwick, "How to Make the Best Protest Sign", Popular Science, April 10, 2017.
- Justin Caffier, "How to Make a Protest Sign That Isn't Garbage", Vice, February 22, 2017.
- Chris Campe, "How to Paint Protest Signs", All Things Letter, February 29, 2024.
- Tula Jeng, "March On: How to Make A Protest Sign", Whorange, February 16, 2017.
- Liz McQuiston, Protest! A History of Social and Political Protest Graphics, Princeton University Press, 2019.
- Bonnie Seigler, Signs of Resistance: A Visual History of Protest in America, Artisan Books, 2018.
- "Supporting With Visuals", The Museum of Protest
- Brooke Tully, "How to Design an Impactful Protest Sign", Brooke's 2 Cents, February 25, 2017.
- "The Dos and Don'ts of Signage Contrast for Readability and Impact", Tupp Signs, February 10, 2025.
