Sans Soucie
Art Glass Studios, Inc.

Custom Glass Sign that is sculpture carved and painted. The background is solid frost sandblasted.

Sans Soucie specializes in custom made, etched and carved glass signs that are engraved through sandblasting the letters and/or + logo on to the glass.  The letters and logo can be either etched on the surface of the glass, OR they can be 3-dimensionally sculpture carved into the glass, or engraved, which creates a look of the lettering and logo literally “floating” in the glass.

The U.S. Presidential Seal, carved in glass by Sans Soucie in 2008, for the Tribute Room aboard the aircraft carrier, "The George H.W. Bush (CVN 77)".

Undoubtedly our most “famous custom glass sign” is the Presidential Seal Glass we carved for the aircraft carrier, The USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), in 2008.  This gorgeous seal is 3-dimensionally sculpture carved on crystal clear, Starphire® glass, and is edge lit for brilliant illumination.  Read the complete story about the project on our web site!

Visit our Custom Glass Signs Gallery and see dozens of examples of glass signs of all different styles and configurations.  In addition to the U.S. Presidential Seal, we’ve done a number of notable logos, such as The US Marine Corp Seal, Princeton University Whig and Clio Seal, The Cheesecake Factory, Metropolitan Theatres, The Beer Hunter and Applebee’s Restaurant.

Color can also be incorporated into the glass sign.  Any custom color can be added to the carved glass surface.  The glass must be carved in order to be able to add color, because the carved surface allows for a surface that the paint can adhere to.  Sometimes solid or metalic colors are added, but most often, a transparent color is selected, so that light can pass thru, creating lettering and logos that are not only 3-dimensional, but now have illuminated color.

Any size, shape or color can be custom designed to show case your logo.   We’re showing a number of examples in this article, from a very basic plaque type of sign, to carved and painted glass logo signs.  The most popular form or custom glass signs made by Sans Soucie, are the type that hang on a wall, mounted with stand-off posts.

Glass Partition etched, frosted glass logo / lettering in clear glass.

The optimum wall color choice, behind the hanging sign, will vary, depending on how the lettering and logo are executed.  If we only etch or carve the lettering or logo (which turns the glass white), then best wall color choice will be a dark surface, so that the lettering and logo will really stand out.  The darker the better, but so long as it’s in the darker hues, any color will do, you just need enough to create a contrast.  If the lettering and logo are to be carved with color applied to the glass, then a lighter wall color will be fine.  Again, there’s just a need for contrast, so you select an opposite wall color, from the colors in the glass.  The City of Palm Desert sign shown in this blog is a great example of when carving and painting the logo and lettering in a darker color, a neutral wall color works just fine.

Custom glass sign, with logo and lettering sculpture carved and painted glass. Intalled with steel stand off posts, in a brushed nickel finish.

Of course there are many other types and forms of custom glass signs .. even as simple as etching your logo on to door glass or window glass.  Glass partitions are another familiar form, where a company logo is applied, either exterior or interior, as seen on the PT Industries divider glass.

There’s a huge advantage of sandblasting the glass with lettering and logos, verses just using vinyl sign lettering in that the sandblasted surface will never peel up, chip, fade or disintegrate.  And of course, there’s no comparison between vinyl lettering and the look and feel or 3-dimensionally carved and painted glass that’s illuminated!