Be sure to mock it up in the metal and door colors before you send it out, chances are unless you paint it black, if it's brushed aluminum the 3 will appear much lighter than the 'a' which will be in shadow even if your door is white even if the thickness of the metal is minimal . . .

I only mention this because regardless what you choose for typefaces, the end application is where you'll find disappointment if all these variables aren't considered . . .

Stuart :D

What Stuart is saying about doing some pre-visualization is what I would recommend too. Take a photo of the door & then use photoshop to place your number. Be sure to consider the light. I think the 'a' would read faster/easier if it had a tail. But your design reads okay as it is. What color is your wall? Will you leave the metal bright or paint it? When you are working with physical stuff sometimes it's fun to make things thick. I think this might be nice as cast aluminum... Or even wood if it was done nicely. Maybe 1 inch thick... If it is cut from thin sheet metal it might not have the same impact that it does on screen... Unless - maybe if you can set it off the wall using spacers.... Anyway - that's probably enough from me!

hey. thanks for the comments - I should have given a bit more detail - the metal will be quite thin, only 5mm, and it will be painted black, mounted on a white wall. I have seen some samples of a similar size (30cm tall) and finish so I have a good idea what the final result will look like.

I was thinking that if i didn't make it black I would have it unfinished so it would rust over time but that just might make it well messy and give rusty rain lines down my nice white walls, unless its set off the wall...

Eben - good point regarding the tail of the a, I will try some variations, readability is my main concern. I know what you are saying about making it thick, substantial, but I am having to have it quite thin on a purely practical level, cost and manufacture.

I will post a picture once I have it sorted.

ta!

Maybe this could be an interesting source of inspiration. I read it a while ago, but I really like them.

thanks for the link smongey, inspiring, some really nice examples!

It certainly shows that visually contrasting can work very very well.