Handmade Sign-What you think

[Fatboy]

I did this for a customer in Cape Town

[Billct2]

If it's handpainted you obviously have artistic talent.
If you fabricated the sign you possess fabrication talent...

Now you need to work on your sign design skills.

[SignManiac]

The overall concept is nice but your font selection and sizes don't flow well together. I'd have gone a totally different direction with that but all in all, a nice effort on your part. Is it painted and what did you use for paint and brushes?

[Steve C.]

The sign is well done, especially if it is handpainted. As others have said
your layout is lacking. I like the font but a light weight style like that needs
an outline or heavy contour to give it some punch, using a color with a value
slightly darker than the backgroune. I would have filled up the arch at the
top with the floral designs and more of a formal ballance on the sides. JMO.

[Jillbeans]

The roses look pretty.
I agree with the others.
This could have been a really good sign.
It has a certain charm, but if you would have not squished the name font, tightened up the elements, and perhaps added a panel for the number and reversed out the colors, it would have been much nicer.
Thanks for sharing it and don't let our well-intended critique scare you from posting pix again.
Love....Jill

[Fatboy]

Now it is not handpainted.Please give some tips on what you mean by the rest of the comment.

[Fatboy]

Guys ,thank you very much for all the input. Here is the bad news. It is nor handpainted. It is decoupage and then protected with an automotive cleat spray to protect it. Thank yo for all the input.

[Steve C.]

Something you might checkout. Well worth the time.

http://www.signcraft.com/store/product.aspx?pid=340

:thumb:

[Mike Jackson]

Personally, I would have put the address in the upper part and let the name fill the center section.

Mike Jackson
www.goldenstudios.com

[SignManiac]

Here's another way you could have gone. I butchered up you photo but this gives you the idea as per Mike's suggestions.

[Fatboy]

Fantastic...I am very glad I had the guts to post the pic. I am inspired. Thank you guys

[Fatboy]

Something you might checkout. Well worth the time.

http://www.signcraft.com/store/product.aspx?pid=340

:thumb:

Just ordered the book. Thank you

[SignManiac]

Well if you're able to take constructive criticism, you will learn a lot here. I won't say that you won't get some negative comments but you will learn a lot from the positive ones for sure.

[Jillbeans]

Yeah, like SignManiac suggested.
That script is from my pal Arthur.

[GB2]

Don't forget it was decoupage and therefore he probably had limited control over some of the design elements everyone is talking about. I think it was a fine effort and we welcome your posting it here for discussion.

[Sticky Signs]

That would go great in my Grandma's bathroom!!! J/K

[OldPaint]

your mistake was what you called it. HANDMADE SIGN. in here, that has a meaning different then yours. for me this is HAND MADE, i used nothing other then 1 SHOT, brush and a pencil. after i did this doorway, i also HAND PAINTED all 4 walls around this dining room, 6-8 inches below the ceiling. then i did the staircase same way in the main entrance.

[Fatboy]

your mistake was what you called it. HANDMADE SIGN. in here, that has a meaning different then yours. for me this is HAND MADE, i used nothing other then 1 SHOT, brush and a pencil. after i did this doorway, i also HAND PAINTED all 4 walls around this dining room, 6-8 inches below the ceiling. then i did the staircase same way in the main entrance.

I hear what you are saying but the sign is handmade. My experience and expetiece lies in making the moulds for our signs.....therefore we feel our signs are made by hand from scratch. It is not handpainted though. The sign was made for an elderly lady.
But once again....just in one thread I have learned so much. Thank you guys.

[Fatboy]

your mistake was what you called it. HANDMADE SIGN. in here, that has a meaning different then yours. for me this is HAND MADE, i used nothing other then 1 SHOT, brush and a pencil. after i did this doorway, i also HAND PAINTED all 4 walls around this dining room, 6-8 inches below the ceiling. then i did the staircase same way in the main entrance.

I hear what you are saying but the sign is handmade. My experience and expetiece lies in making the moulds for our signs.....therefore we feel our signs are made by hand from scratch. It is not handpainted though. The sign was made for an elderly lady.
But once again....just in one thread I have learned so much. Thank you guys.

[Fatboy]

Here's another way you could have gone. I butchered up you photo but this gives you the idea as per Mike's suggestions.

Sorry to trouble.I think this looks awesome. What font is that?

[SignManiac]

Tideway Classic Script available at letterheadfonts.com. Also, there are any number of other fonts that could have worked with you design and several other layout possibilities. You need to try and design three options if you want to expand your skills in that area.

[OldPaint]

"My experience and expetiece lies in making the moulds for our signs.....therefore we feel our signs are made by hand from scratch."..........now i am confussed!!! what is the composition of the THE SIGN???? i was thinking it was HAND MADE WOODEN, with the FRAME, being mitered-dado and glued.

[GAC05]

"confussed"


Urban dictionary translation of OP speak:

1. confussed
A simultaneous feeling of confusion and fussiness.
Confusion or a lack of understanding regarding a subject that causes fussiness.
"When we have a lot to do on the weekend or in the evening, my girlfriend often gets confussed."
confussy confussiness confused fussy confusion

2. Confussed
Being confused to the point of being fussy about the issue.

"But I don't know, ummphff, why cant I get this? Waaaaa!"

"Don't get all confussed about it!"

wayne k
guam usa

[artsnletters]

I hear what you are saying but the sign is handmade. My experience and expetiece lies in making the moulds for our signs.....therefore we feel our signs are made by hand from scratch. It is not handpainted though. The sign was made for an elderly lady.
But once again....just in one thread I have learned so much. Thank you guys.Thats the truth but not really.....you made the sign blank, & painted it. Applied vinyl, done.A nice sign.
I'm with Old Paint...a "hand made" sign blank does not a handmade sign make. You could apply vinyl (with your hands) to a cut out sign blank (done with a hand saber saw) and call it "hand made"...
It does take craftsmanship to make your blank, i agree. I also really like Mike Jacksons' contribution to your project. You will learn a lot around here and some of these folks are the best in the business. Nice sign blank too...
Tim

[Fatboy]

Point taken. Remember the plug to make the mould has to be precise and that ...is a mission

[OldPaint]

Point taken. Remember the plug to make the mould has to be precise and that ...is a mission
so you still didnt answer me, WHAT IS THE SIGN BLACK MADE OUT OF???

[Fatboy]

It is made out of resin.

[Fatboy]

your mistake was what you called it. HANDMADE SIGN. in here, that has a meaning different then yours. for me this is HAND MADE, i used nothing other then 1 SHOT, brush and a pencil. after i did this doorway, i also HAND PAINTED all 4 walls around this dining room, 6-8 inches below the ceiling. then i did the staircase same way in the main entrance.

If you used brushes then it is not handpainted either. Hand painting only applies when you use your fingers to paint.lol:glasses:

[Billct2]

Did you ever consider making blanks wholesale for other companies?

[Fatboy]

Did you ever consider making blanks wholesale for other companies?

The though have crossed my mind. Do you think there will be a market?

[Flame]

To be pefectly honest it appears you took the longest route to make a sign that's mediocre at best. The shape is nice, the flowers ok, the lettering horrible.

Honestly I would've done one out of cedar and hand painted everything on there.

[Gino]

your mistake was what you called it. HANDMADE SIGN. in here, that has a meaning different then yours. for me this is HAND MADE, i used nothing other then 1 SHOT, brush and a pencil. after i did this doorway, i also HAND PAINTED all 4 walls around this dining room, 6-8 inches below the ceiling. then i did the staircase same way in the main entrance.


Holy Geeze, OP………..

That looks great !! The door handles and lock look especially realistic. The tile floor looks almost real with that one in the middle being goofed up a little. The stool looks absolutely 3D….. you really got the shadows and highlights on that stool just perfect.

However, the glass is what puzzles me a bit. Why didn’t you put some reflection in them to show off a little ??

The flowers are ho-hum…. You must’ve gotten them from some art-craft-house that sells stencils…. cause they really look flat compared to the other stuff.

[GAC05]

Hehe,
good post Gino - first one to make me laugh this morning over coffee.

wayne k
guam usa

[OldPaint]

its called TROMPE LOEIL...........gino
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=trompe+loeil&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=qDl2S8zcDI-mnQeD0YiqCQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=5&ved=0CC4QsAQwBA

[Fatboy]

To be pefectly honest it appears you took the longest route to make a sign that's mediocre at best. The shape is nice, the flowers ok, the lettering horrible.

Honestly I would've done one out of cedar and hand painted everything on there.

Point taken...except that I sell 15 plus of these signs a day.Resin was our decided product because of the quantity and the ease on a production line.But I must agree,the more I look at the sign,I realise I could have done much better. Thank you for all the input.

[Jillbeans]

I like using a resin sign blank.
I used to get the SuperStock ones, now when I need one I use Caravagio.
There are a couple pix of them in my member's gallery.

[Flame]

Point taken...except that I sell 15 plus of these signs a day.Resin was our decided product because of the quantity and the ease on a production line.But I must agree,the more I look at the sign,I realise I could have done much better. Thank you for all the input.

Wait... so this customer orders 15 hand painted signs a day?

I don't get it... is this a one off sign or something in a production line, or......?

CONFUSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fatboy]

Actually quite simple. I have a little factory that make resin blank signs. I sell them all over Africa.Each one gets designed seperatley.It is not one customer

[iSign]

If you used brushes then it is not handpainted either. Hand painting only applies when you use your fingers to paint.lol:glasses:

great comeback!!!
You will clearly fit in well here... nearly everyone in this thread is someone I've gotten to know well enough to consider friends over the years... but we still bang heads... & if you can't "call it like you see it" with friends... then why have them... like Flame's post... I call BS!! You would'a hand painted it? ... like what all those other.. um 2 maybe that you've painted in your life?? I've read 1000's of posts and the ONLY time I remember any talk about hand painting was some macho challenge that you didn't even step up to the plate forever, until maybe showing 1 hand painted sign...

Fatboy, there IS NO RULE for what you can post in a hand made sign forum.. but in MY OPINION, building a plug & creating a mold & successfully pulling out molded resin blanks.. THAT'S AWESOME!!! and a LOT more worth of the term hand made then the few brushstokes some of us computer generation sign folks may do once or twice in our career.. (I've done my 2.. I think... well, at least one...)

Oh, and not to just pick on flame.. come on OP.. why so grumpy.. you made any molds.. If I made a freakin molded blank, I'll stick pre-cut Home Depot letters on there & still post it here... lighten up already! (confussed :ROFLMAO: great post Wayne!!)

[signmeup]

Actually quite simple. I have a little factory that make resin blank signs. I sell them all over Africa.Each one gets designed seperatley.It is not one customer
Well....that's down right interesting! Tell us more about what you're doing...and where you're doing it. Some pics of your shop would be great.

[Flame]

I call BS!! You would'a hand painted it? ... like what all those other.. um 2 maybe that you've painted in your life?? I've read 1000's of posts and the ONLY time I remember any talk about hand painting was some macho challenge that you didn't even step up to the plate forever, until maybe showing 1 hand painted sign...

Actually personally I would've slapped a print on it and called it good. But if he was going for the hand done look, putting myself into that position mind you.... I would've painted it with a brush.

As far as the rest, sounds like you're having a bad night so go have a pint. :wine-smi:


Back to fatboy... you're making resin blanks in Africa? Hmmmm, this is interesting, I'm curious to see what you're doing over there that require that many signs a day!!! Explain more. What are these signs popular for?

[Pat Whatley]

You're not in the banner business over there, are you? I've talked to several very wealth individuals who routinely need large banner orders for their churches and orphanages.

[Fatboy]

Actually personally I would've slapped a print on it and called it good. But if he was going for the hand done look, putting myself into that position mind you.... I would've painted it with a brush.

As far as the rest, sounds like you're having a bad night so go have a pint. :wine-smi:


Back to fatboy... you're making resin blanks in Africa? Hmmmm, this is interesting, I'm curious to see what you're doing over there that require that many signs a day!!! Explain more. What are these signs popular for?

Flame...maybe visit my website and you will get a better idea. www.housesigns.co.za

[Fatboy]

You're not in the banner business over there, are you? I've talked to several very wealth individuals who routinely need large banner orders for their churches and orphanages.
Pat ,yes we do banners as well and would really appreciate any business coming our way.

[Fatboy]

great comeback!!!
You will clearly fit in well here... nearly everyone in this thread is someone I've gotten to know well enough to consider friends over the years... but we still bang heads... & if you can't "call it like you see it" with friends... then why have them... like Flame's post... I call BS!! You would'a hand painted it? ... like what all those other.. um 2 maybe that you've painted in your life?? I've read 1000's of posts and the ONLY time I remember any talk about hand painting was some macho challenge that you didn't even step up to the plate forever, until maybe showing 1 hand painted sign...

Fatboy, there IS NO RULE for what you can post in a hand made sign forum.. but in MY OPINION, building a plug & creating a mold & successfully pulling out molded resin blanks.. THAT'S AWESOME!!! and a LOT more worth of the term hand made then the few brushstokes some of us computer generation sign folks may do once or twice in our career.. (I've done my 2.. I think... well, at least one...)

Oh, and not to just pick on flame.. come on OP.. why so grumpy.. you made any molds.. If I made a freakin molded blank, I'll stick pre-cut Home Depot letters on there & still post it here... lighten up already! (confussed :ROFLMAO: great post Wayne!!)

Thank you my friend

[steve b]

What kind of resin are you using? and how does it hold up to UV.... Or are you painting the whole sign first?

Thanks for posting up your work!

steveb

[Fatboy]

I use a polyester casting resin and all my signs are painted with uv resistant paints.After artwork is applied I then coat it with a clear uv resistant paint