# create a new image
my $image = new GD::Image(700,350);

my $red = $image->colorAllocate(255,0,0);      

$image->string(gdGiantFont,50,30,"$sign",$red);
    open(DATEI ,'>', '/path/sign.jpg') || die "could not write image: $!";
    binmode DATEI;
    print DATEI ($image->jpeg($jpeg_quality));
    close(DATEI);