Getting noticed - 3d signage

[RogueRoller]

Hello gang I'm back for a few days...
For those that don't know me my name is Charlie (I'm a Sign Crafter)
I will be glad to answer questions and to share my God given talents with you for the next week as I build and share one of my biggest signs to date. It will be over 21' feet tall by 26 feet wide and around 15' deep give or take a few inches. LOL

It will be of a mountain with a train coming out of it with a village inhabited by critters that run a mini golf course called NACOVILLE.

Check back here for updates and answers to your questions.
I try to do this once a year to share and keep our trade alive.
This is all hand built
No cnc routers.
No printers
No computers
It is art and talent given by God.
ALL MADE BY HAND.
If you would like to see other post just look under rogueroller.

My first critter is a fox holding two pistols.
This is a old west themed sign.
She is one of many that have to be made, including a 12' train coming out of a mountain.

 

[RogueRoller]

Mural

Plus I'm doing a mural sign to give the public some excitement of what is to come.

 

[GAC05]

Looks good so far.
Keep us posted.

 

[RogueRoller]

The turn of the century train is a little over 12 Feet long. It will be coming out of a mountain on a bridge.

It will have sound and steam.

You got to love a client that allows you to go over the top!!!

 

[DizzyMarkus]

Amazing and thank you for sharing


Markus

 

[CP Signs]

Great! Now I gotta to work and make coroplast signs! Lol. Seriously, thanks for sharing, awesome work.

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

Ya sure are handy with the hot wire ... must work real well for ya cause the work looks great

Good looking mural started, ....Nova Colors ?

 

[RogueRoller]

Ya sure are handy with the hot wire ... must work real well for ya cause the work looks great Good looking mural started, ....Nova Colors ?

Thanks for the complement. The paint used on the mural is just outdoor latex paint from LOWES.

 

[rjssigns]

Wow! Great carving.

 

[RogueRoller]

Concept drawing to finished critter.
There will be a total of 10 critters that will be on the sign.

 

[SignManiac]

Outstanding Charlie

Sent you a PM a few minutes ago. Thanks for sharing!

 

[RogueRoller]

The Foam Bug

Outstanding Charlie

Sent you a PM a few minutes ago. Thanks for sharing!

Glad to be back for a while Maniac, this is my time off once again. My time to give back and open more eyes of the possibilities that await the ones that dare to step out and enjoy the art of making true 3D Signage.

Must give you a big shout out by the way, the work you did on the floats were the best visual 3D signs out there.

There were a hand full of people that crossed over last year.
There were some grate discussions.
I have been looking forward to this time once again.

 

[Deaton Design]

Wonderful work!

 

[SignosaurusRex]

NICE!

 

[Mosh]

Those look awesome. How does the foam hold up to weather. I know I have had hail damage on MDO signs before. Wonder what a hail storm would do to foam?

 

[RogueRoller]

Those look awesome. How does the foam hold up to weather. I know I have had hail damage on MDO signs before. Wonder what a hail storm would do to foam?

Mosh, this is a question I get a lot. The foam is only used to get a shape. Once the foam is shelled it can be removed if so desired. Shelling has a verity of options. These ones are fiberglassed like something you would see out in front of a department store.

Like a horse or a race car you put 50 cents in to let a child ride on. Almost indestructible to most abuse even a upset child that wants to ride it again as mom is trying to peel the child off of it, that has become a bomb of emotions.

 

[RogueRoller]

Ok this one is for the birds. LOL

What you want to do, I don't know. What you want to do?
Let's not start that again.

Sorry I could not resist that quote.

 

[Mosh]

Same as making a surfboard....I might have to try that! What resin and foam combo do you use?

 

[piccadillysigns]

Nice to hear from you again

Nice work as always

 

[RogueRoller]

Same as making a surfboard....I might have to try that!

Mosh asked me some good questions in personal message so I thought I would share. If you do have questions please ask them out here in the open. No question is a bad question. This week I'm here to help share the craft.

Mosh asked: Is it a certain type of foam? Is it a special resin and fiberglass?

The foam I'm using on this project is called EPS Foam. It is the white foame that most of us know as the Dixie Cup.
Expanded Poly Styrene. (EPS) it is the foam that will disappear when gas or any other comical that is a solvent hits it.
------>Even fiberglass resin. <-------
You must seal it if you want to use good old cheep fiberglass cloth and resin.
One way is to put 3-5 coats of latex paint all over it.
Stirospray 1000 works great as a sealer. You can brush or spray this product.
You can also use stirospray 1000 as a final product if you so chose. It will set up good after about three coats.
(not as hard as fiberglass but it is a great shell over foam)

The foam can be purchased in many different densities. The foam you find at Home Depot & Lowes is 1 pound foam.
I am using 2 pound and 3 pound foam. I buy it in blocks that are 3'X 4'X 8' (BIG BLOCKS) look at the train pics.

You can also use the blue or pink insulation foam found at your local hardware store.
This is a closed cell foam ans has a lot of silicone in it.

All of these foams can be used with a hot knife or hot wire.

Hope this is helpful. Any other questions?