Signwriters design, manufacture and install signs, including advertising signs for shops, businesses and public facilities as well as signs for transport systems.
Most modern signwriters design signs with the assistance of computer-aided design (CAD) computer-directed manufacturing techniques. Historically, signwriters drew or painted signs by hand using enamel paint.
The majority of signs are now created with large-format printers. Printers can use solvent inks, ultraviolet-curable inks, water-based inks or latex inks. UV inks have the special ability to be printed directly onto many different substrates such as wood, metal and plastic. The other types are printed onto either adhesive backed or non-adhesive films. Adhesive-backed films are then laminated to different substrates.