Artist or Not?

[Latigo]

I'm an old school artist first. Graduate of Kunstschule Westend, Offenbach am Main, Germany in the early 1970 somethings.
Lampblack wash illustrator IE: Furniture and fashion
Advertising lettering
Product illustrations
Package design
Product Label design
Magazine ad campaigns
Realistic renderings
Portrait renderings

And after I burned out....... the sign industry. Far less pressure than the Advertising industry and no more ulcers.


P

 

[prime signs]

Very much an artist. When I have had times in my life when I wasn't creative I found myself very unhappy. The sign business fills that void. I can be creative and make a living. Life is good. You can see some of it in my albumn.

 

[yukon]

I used to consider myself an artist but now I'm just a Truck Decorator...

 

[B-RAD Graphics]

well I graduated from Hussian School of Art in Philly, PA..4yrs. And its obvious to me that you dont need to be and Artist...But this indeed is what seperates the Good from the Bad in our industry.

I am in no way saying that you needed to attend art school (it can only help)...but I believe you are born with talent its just fine tuning over many years....

 

[BobM]

Not an artist, but was interested enough to watch and pay attention while an old time artist/sign painter patiently explained to me why some layouts were good and why were so bad over 20 odd years. I know what's effective and with many hours of reading and re-reading Dan Antonelli, Mike Stevens, Steve Kafka and a host of others works I have become a "servicable" sign guy

 

[Garbus]

stickfigures

Though I do alright on a computer...

 

[wetgravy]

I don't think you need to be an artist to be in this profession. Creative yes, artistic ... nope. I can teach someone every in and out on a program .. but if they have the creative capabilities of a 5 year old with a crayon who can't color inside a set of given lines ... they won't do well.

As for what I do, when it comes to the sign industry I try to be a businessman first and foremost above anything else ... then not really an artist ... more ... draftsman than anything else.

 

[mrchips]

I try to be the best craftsman I can be......always working to improve my craft. I always thought that to be an artist, you first had to master the craft

Artist? Me?

I'll let others decide.

Joe,

Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!

 

[theoldguy]

Theoldguy

Wondering how many here consider yourselves to be artistic, and if you think it's necessary in the sign industry?

NO! There is another option... it's called a 'Mechanic'. It's true. Learned this back 49 years ago when one of my mentors said to me... "Well, you're no artist, but you're a damn fine mechanic." Point being, I can't start from scratch, but gimme something and I'll fix it.

 

[K Chez]

Yes & Yes, but what Dan A. said is so true-you have to know the business side. If you don't, being the best artist out there isn't going to mean squat!

IMO, this industry was a lot better when you had to be an artist (or possess artistic skills, ie: with a brush) Now it's so diluted with hacks dumbing down the clientele and driving down the value of work that it doesn't have the respect it once did.