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Some photos are not only about what's inside the frame but also about what's outside of it. They ask you to let your imagination loose and fill in the gaps yourself.

To show you how fun this task can be, we at Bored Panda put together a collection of images with very specific signs, clearly suggesting that they have interesting backstories behind them.

I mean, if a cafe warns you that its syrups aren't hand sanitizers, there must've been something that made them do it.

Continue scrolling to check out the list and upvote your favorite entries—let's see which pictures prompt the most vivid interpretations!

#1

Seen At A Local Fest

Seen At A Local Fest

mliazuk Report

#2

Hikers Are Warned

Hikers Are Warned

Imfloridaman Report

However, if you want to make a sign for your garage sale or even business, you need to consider more than just getting your point across.

Adrian Geach, who has been a signwriter since 1980, told Bored Panda in a previous interview that, "a good sign should be eye-catching, easy to understand and not too wordy with enough negative space around the text or logo, and have a good color scheme."

Geach lives in Wales but can take his brushes anywhere to work on a project. He left school at 16 to undertake a five-year signwriting apprenticeship and said he was lucky enough to be taught by three master craftsmen steeped in the skills of a brush and a pot of paint.

After learning the trade, Geach set up a signmakers business specializing in exhibition and display graphics and embraced the new vinyl and large format technology that was just coming to the forefront.

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#3

No Bears?

No Bears?

LurkyMcLurkfaceperson Report

#4

This Sign On My Parents' Road

This Sign On My Parents' Road

sheeeeeeshman Report

#5

My Local Library Has This Sign On Their Drop-Off Slot

My Local Library Has This Sign On Their Drop-Off Slot

WombatJack Report

Adrian has been successfully involved in all areas of signage and graphics for decades but not that long ago, he went back to his roots and now concentrates on traditional signwriting.

With the current resurgence of interest in signwriting and hand-rendered work, he utilizes his skills to offer clients a more personal, unique, environmentally friendly, and organic signage solution using old-fashioned materials and techniques.

"A sign might only be looked at for a few seconds so it needs to leave an impression within this time frame, hence the less is more approach," he said.

"There are many factors to take into account when designing a sign but the most important thing is to make sure it doesn't get lost in its surroundings," Geach revealed. 

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#6

Sign Recently Erected In My Neighborhood

Sign Recently Erected In My Neighborhood

RiggsFTW Report

#7

Do Not Walk On Rocks

Do Not Walk On Rocks

YouRebelScumGuy Report

#8

Nice To See Some Pushback On Insane Parents From My Local Sports Complex

Nice To See Some Pushback On Insane Parents From My Local Sports Complex

son_of_a_fitch Report

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#9

A Sign At A Windmill Restoration Site In Mykonos, Greece

A Sign At A Windmill Restoration Site In Mykonos, Greece

ttseco Report

Similarly, writing about signs that raise more questions than they provide answers, my colleague Jonas had a talk about common signage mistakes with Lisa McLendon who is the William Allen White Professor of Journalism and Mass Communications and the coordinator of the Bremner Editing Center at the University of Kansas.

"Don’t carve an error in stone. It’s embarrassing and expensive to fix. Proofreading before you produce, whether it’s stone or not, is absolutely necessary," McLendon said that we should take the time to look over our work before making any permanent decisions.

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Lisa also noted that the font that we choose for our sign is incredibly important. "Choose your font with readability in mind. It should be clear and readable at a distance; you don’t want to make people puzzle through a swirly script," she said.

#10

Blursed Worker

Blursed Worker

princessparkles_ Report

#11

A Sign Outside A Off Strip Casino In Las Vegas. Talk About Pulling A Ferris

A Sign Outside A Off Strip Casino In Las Vegas. Talk About Pulling A Ferris

LVbellman Report

#12

In My Local Church

In My Local Church

violaging Report

#13

Don't

Don't

TomKeabsmad Report

For another Bored Panda piece about editing, proofreading, and kerning—the spacing between letters—McLendon said that word placement, typeface, and kerning are also crucial for effective, professional-looking logos and layouts.

"If it's just a few words, all-caps is fine, but it’s harder for people to read longer blocks of text in all caps. It’s also harder for people to read italic or highly stylized type, or type along a curve instead of a line,” Lisa then explained.

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#14

Found In My High School. I Would Not Like To Know What Necessitated This

Found In My High School. I Would Not Like To Know What Necessitated This

Vantablack_Lotus Report

#15

The Fact That This Sign Is Necessary

The Fact That This Sign Is Necessary

microwaveableviolin Report

#16

Sign Posted In Every Booth At A Thai Restaurant In Fargo

Sign Posted In Every Booth At A Thai Restaurant In Fargo

ohnoh18 Report

#17

How Many Karens Does It Take To Make A Sign Like This?

How Many Karens Does It Take To Make A Sign Like This?

embonifi Report

Furthermore, Lisa pointed out that we should look at all the ways in which our words could be misread or read out of order if they’re circled or stacked on top of one another.

If the kerning happens to be too tight, some of the letters could merge into different symbols and result in some (hilariously) embarrassing misreadings.

One example of this is writing the word ‘FLICKERING’ in all caps. If the kerning is too tight, the 'L' and the 'I' merge into a 'U' and you get... That's right.

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#18

No Danish

No Danish

EyeOfTheMemes Report

#19

Home. Sweet Home

Home. Sweet Home

Aforaseem Report

#20

This Smoke Shop's Sign

This Smoke Shop's Sign

actually_oh Report

#21

House For Sale

House For Sale

mbloomstein Report

Of course, you can always get a professional to do it. In fact, for the past few years, many places have been witnessing the revival of the handpainted sign.

Fed up with the chain culture that is slowly making all the streets look the same, city shops are trying to stand out with custom designs.

It's estimated that there are about 300 full-time signwriters working in the UK alone.

#22

Behind Every Warning Label There's A Story

Behind Every Warning Label There's A Story

Boel_Jarkley Report

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#23

If You Only See Two Signs About A Raccoon Room Today, Make It These Two

If You Only See Two Signs About A Raccoon Room Today, Make It These Two

ScottFilmCritic Report

#24

This Sign Has Been Stolen Too Many Times I Guess

This Sign Has Been Stolen Too Many Times I Guess

imgur.com Report

#25

Stopped At A Gas Station And Saw This Sign On The Entrance Door

Stopped At A Gas Station And Saw This Sign On The Entrance Door

timmy0101 Report

And it's not just the experienced painters who may have obtained a now obsolete City & Guilds qualification. There's also a young generation interested in all things bespoke.

One of them, signwriting enthusiast Sam Roberts, told The Guardian, "This is a generation that has grown up with computers at the heart of their work and who are seeking to engage with the physical processes that go into producing letter forms."

Whatever you choose, have fun! As you can see, signs don't have to be boring.

#26

I’ve Never Seen A Hotel Pool Sign So Blunt Before

I’ve Never Seen A Hotel Pool Sign So Blunt Before

TurtlesTurnMeOn Report

#27

Wonder How Many Times It Happened

Wonder How Many Times It Happened

Sensitive_Attitude27 Report

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#28

Blursed Rules

Blursed Rules

xkelsx1 Report

#29

You Have To Wonder What Happened To Make This Sign On Your Door A Necessity

You Have To Wonder What Happened To Make This Sign On Your Door A Necessity

Oh_hey_its_me_again Report

#30

What Happened 64 Days Ago?

What Happened 64 Days Ago?

jtllpfm Report

#31

No Belly Laughs

No Belly Laughs

Nudnikorama Report

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Joseph rick
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

and.....another sign also with Chinese characters -"No Fart in Woods"

Brooke Howard
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So, the birds are trained to poop in your mouth? That’s kinda weird.

David Brown
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Caution! Birds will s**t in mouth. Saw a woman at the beach the other day trying to get seagulls to take food out of her outreached hand laughing the whole time. I'm assuming she startled one of them while she was looking up and old boy s**t all over her face. Don't think she'll be feeding anymore seagulls.

New Everywhere
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These birds don't do that laughing c**p. Take that joy to another park

DeadLetterOffice
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you lean back and open your mouth, a trained bird will drop a Hershey’s Kiss in it.

JuniorCJ82
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Rule #1 of being in a barn or out in the open (park, beach, field, etc.), never look up with your mouth open.

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#32

When A Cat Runs To The Fridge Every Time It Opens, A Sign Is Necessary

When A Cat Runs To The Fridge Every Time It Opens, A Sign Is Necessary

makinmuffins Report

#33

There's A Story Behind Every Sign Like This

There's A Story Behind Every Sign Like This

rjray Report

#34

A Great Sign I Found At Auckland Zoo

A Great Sign I Found At Auckland Zoo

Rotten_Eel Report

#35

The Fact They Even Needed To Put This Sign Up

The Fact They Even Needed To Put This Sign Up

Hankman66 Report

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#36

Every Warning Label Has Its Story

Every Warning Label Has Its Story

d4m4s74 Report

#37

Behind Every Sign There's A Story

Behind Every Sign There's A Story

AdBlockerPro Report

#38

There's A Story Behind Every Warning

There's A Story Behind Every Warning

mi_be Report

#39

Someone Must've Made A Terrible Mistake

Someone Must've Made A Terrible Mistake

reddit.com Report

#40

When You Thought You Look Cool But You Look Like A Garbage Can

When You Thought You Look Cool But You Look Like A Garbage Can

03Shael Report

#41

Environmental Storytelling

Environmental Storytelling

jillybeees Report

#42

That Happens Enough To Need A Sign

That Happens Enough To Need A Sign

reddit.com Report

#43

Is It Saying I Should Help The Hitchhikers?

Is It Saying I Should Help The Hitchhikers?

FlippantResponse Report

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#44

Mistakes Were Made

Mistakes Were Made

ra1phw1ggums Report

#45

What Happened Here

What Happened Here

why-does-it-say-take Report

#46

Important Hand Washing Rules To Follow

Important Hand Washing Rules To Follow

thepowerofgus Report

#47

There Has To Be A Story Behind This

There Has To Be A Story Behind This

whatthefrenchtoast2 Report

#48

If We’re Doing Small-Town Bar Bathroom Signs, Here’s One I Saw Recently

If We’re Doing Small-Town Bar Bathroom Signs, Here’s One I Saw Recently

SuperGuitar Report

#49

There's A Story Behind Every Sign

There's A Story Behind Every Sign

LFuzz Report

#50

What Happened Here

What Happened Here

igotanewusername Report

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#51

Got It... I Think?

Got It... I Think?

C-Beck86 Report

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#52

What Made Them Have To Put This Sign Up?

What Made Them Have To Put This Sign Up?

someone_else_900 Report

#53

Behind Every Sign Is A Story. Wicklow Town

Behind Every Sign Is A Story. Wicklow Town

alexanderishere Report

#54

Penguins Steal The Ice Cream

Penguins Steal The Ice Cream

basketfullofkittens Report

#55

How Many Times Did This Happen Before A Sign Was Needed?

How Many Times Did This Happen Before A Sign Was Needed?

Tony-1610 Report

#56

I Wonder How Many Times It’s Happened, To Lead To This

I Wonder How Many Times It’s Happened, To Lead To This

JustANutMeg Report

#57

Sign In The Bathroom At Girlfriend's Job. Every Sign Has A Story

Sign In The Bathroom At Girlfriend's Job. Every Sign Has A Story

ElbowRager Report

#58

Please Don’t

Please Don’t

boobookee Report

#59

At A Museum Right Now. Wtf Prompted This Sign To Be Put Up?

At A Museum Right Now. Wtf Prompted This Sign To Be Put Up?

Magpienificent Report

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#60

Every Sign Has A Story

Every Sign Has A Story

_xXmyusernameXx_ Report

#61

Americans Will Measure With Anything But Metric

Americans Will Measure With Anything But Metric

ultramegasuperchamp Report

#62

Elevator In Sweden. For This Sign To Exist, It Must Have Happened To Some Poor Bastard

Elevator In Sweden. For This Sign To Exist, It Must Have Happened To Some Poor Bastard

m00nmuppet Report

#63

There's A Story Behind Every Sign

There's A Story Behind Every Sign

Hawkilles Report

#64

Behind Every Sign, There Is A Story (Found At Work Today)

Behind Every Sign, There Is A Story (Found At Work Today)

GingerAndTonic Report

#65

You Know This Sign Was Only Put Up After Someone Grabbed A Fistful Of Potato Salad. Seen In Waldwick, NJ

You Know This Sign Was Only Put Up After Someone Grabbed A Fistful Of Potato Salad. Seen In Waldwick, NJ

willduan Report

#66

This Ride Only Stops In An Emergency

This Ride Only Stops In An Emergency

Orkiing Report

#67

This Sign At A Car Wash

This Sign At A Car Wash

MrRawmantikos Report

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#68

If Only There Would Have Been That Sign

If Only There Would Have Been That Sign

Jonny_Osbock Report

#69

This Is A Real Sign In Washington State

This Is A Real Sign In Washington State

seattlegeo Report

#70

Do We Really Need A Sign For This

Do We Really Need A Sign For This

Ameerican_punk Report

#71

Sign Posted At Staples Office Supply Store

Sign Posted At Staples Office Supply Store

GG_Allin_Feces Report

#72

I Really Want To Know The Story Behind This Sign

I Really Want To Know The Story Behind This Sign

PilotWombat Report

#73

The Fact That They Need This Sign

The Fact That They Need This Sign

buttchugpapi Report

#74

They Actually Had To Post A Sign

They Actually Had To Post A Sign

GooberThumbFace Report

#75

Just In Case You Still Had Any Faith Left In Humanity

Just In Case You Still Had Any Faith Left In Humanity

IgneousAssBarf Report

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#76

How Does It Get This Bad?

How Does It Get This Bad?

nemofish3 Report

#77

Every Warning Label Tells A Story

Every Warning Label Tells A Story

Cage_and_Fish Report

#78

Each One Of These Signs Has A Story

Each One Of These Signs Has A Story

Bee-and-Barb Report

#79

Apparently, People Do This Enough To Warrant A Sign. Between 2 Buildings At Work

Apparently, People Do This Enough To Warrant A Sign. Between 2 Buildings At Work

reddit.com Report

#80

Continuing The Small Town Pub Bathroom Signs Theme

Continuing The Small Town Pub Bathroom Signs Theme

tehnommonster Report

#81

The Sign On The Shredding Machine Was Obviously Not Enough To Prevent People Putting Filing There

The Sign On The Shredding Machine Was Obviously Not Enough To Prevent People Putting Filing There

stucu Report

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#82

I Work With A Bunch Of Savages, Apparently

I Work With A Bunch Of Savages, Apparently

brewerjy Report

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#83

The Car Dealership In My Town Had To Put This Sign-Up

The Car Dealership In My Town Had To Put This Sign-Up

compu22 Report

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#84

Every Warning Sign Has A Story

Every Warning Sign Has A Story

monkeyfighting-snake Report

#85

As Opposed To What?

As Opposed To What?

N0_Th4nk5 Report

#86

I'm Sure There's An Interesting Story Behind This Sign That I Don't Want To Know

I'm Sure There's An Interesting Story Behind This Sign That I Don't Want To Know

Spaiduhz Report

#87

This Was At An Optometrist's Office, So Maybe It Wasn’t Obvious?

This Was At An Optometrist's Office, So Maybe It Wasn’t Obvious?

cmography Report

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#88

I Imagine Some Angry Complaints From People With Sore Legs

I Imagine Some Angry Complaints From People With Sore Legs

PapayaSF Report

#89

Saw This Sign At A Check-Cashing Store In Philly. I Guess They've Had Enough

Saw This Sign At A Check-Cashing Store In Philly. I Guess They've Had Enough

SweetDee208 Report