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How did you get into the signs business?
- Thread starter 511graphix
- Start date
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THATgirl
New Member
I was doing a search and got a chuckle out of these old posts. I guess I was being lazy and didn't want to retype again.
http://signs101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2367&highlight=start+making+signs
http://signs101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2367&highlight=years+sign+business
http://signs101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23082&highlight=long+business&page=2
http://signs101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2367&highlight=start+making+signs
http://signs101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2367&highlight=years+sign+business
http://signs101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23082&highlight=long+business&page=2
OldPaint
New Member
iam old, so you got to understand what the world was before indoor plumbing, running hot water, and electric stove instead of a coal stove. no computers, and most had never seen a TV. ok??
now i can say how i came to wind up here.
i was 4-5 and we had a grocery store, so people came in and out. had this one boy(18-20ish)was what was then called deaf & dumb, and was black. he didnt hear or speak, and always hada pad/pencil to convey what he wanted. i think he also didnt read or write so he DREW PICTURES....of what he was tryin to say. I WAS AMAZED.....he was freindly and i found out if i pointed at something, and made like i was drawing with my hands he would look at what i pointed at and DRAW IT, in a flash and it looked good. from then i was hooked. crayons, pencils coloring books and blank paper.
in 1st grade the teacher told my parents they had an artist on their hands, as i was doing, 4th-5th grade art work already. a local guy who was very talented was doin signs, had me help him do some pounce patterns and then it was summer time and he took me with him to paint several billboards. he did the cutin work and had me doin fill. and i was 10-12 by that time. then WIZARD Haynes came into my world. old shakey jake, livin in his car SIGN PAINTER.now the grocery store had been turned into a bar.........and wizard couldnt paint without a drink 1st. he seen i had an interest in what he did and would take me out on jobs and show mw what he was doin and how to..he also gave me my 1st set of quills.
they found him dead in his car in stebenville oh...
i did a lot of drawing and painting thru high school, then wound up in school for DRAFTING.
when we got to perspective/isometric i freehanded most of it, then instructor would check with instruments, and it was right on.
i did the "job" thing from 18-42, got feed up with the fact most people i worked for ...was dummer then me.)))))) since then i been a sign painter/vinyl guy.
now i can say how i came to wind up here.
i was 4-5 and we had a grocery store, so people came in and out. had this one boy(18-20ish)was what was then called deaf & dumb, and was black. he didnt hear or speak, and always hada pad/pencil to convey what he wanted. i think he also didnt read or write so he DREW PICTURES....of what he was tryin to say. I WAS AMAZED.....he was freindly and i found out if i pointed at something, and made like i was drawing with my hands he would look at what i pointed at and DRAW IT, in a flash and it looked good. from then i was hooked. crayons, pencils coloring books and blank paper.
in 1st grade the teacher told my parents they had an artist on their hands, as i was doing, 4th-5th grade art work already. a local guy who was very talented was doin signs, had me help him do some pounce patterns and then it was summer time and he took me with him to paint several billboards. he did the cutin work and had me doin fill. and i was 10-12 by that time. then WIZARD Haynes came into my world. old shakey jake, livin in his car SIGN PAINTER.now the grocery store had been turned into a bar.........and wizard couldnt paint without a drink 1st. he seen i had an interest in what he did and would take me out on jobs and show mw what he was doin and how to..he also gave me my 1st set of quills.
they found him dead in his car in stebenville oh...
i did a lot of drawing and painting thru high school, then wound up in school for DRAFTING.
when we got to perspective/isometric i freehanded most of it, then instructor would check with instruments, and it was right on.
i did the "job" thing from 18-42, got feed up with the fact most people i worked for ...was dummer then me.)))))) since then i been a sign painter/vinyl guy.
Last edited:
copythat
New Member
D
Digitall
Guest
With all those prisons in Canon City, at least it would be close for people to visit. My son managed the St. Cloud Hotel.
Started 20 yrs ago as a warehouse manager, volunteer to run the new Gerber program with plotter. first job was to plot the lee jeans logo 48"x48', I think it took me 1 1/2 days to figure it out. After a few years of that I move around a bit as warehouse manager, after a few jobs of doing that, the last warehouse job that I had they also purchase a Gerber program with plotter. They new I used this program before. After three yrs with this company they closed there doors. I bought the machine and comp for 2 bills and put it in the garage. I stared to make stickers and lettering, I have up upgraded now to the VP after a few different printers/cutters the rest will be history as long as some one needs to advertise. I still have the old Gerber under wraps, once in a while I hook it up and run some power to it just to remember what it got me into. :{
Alphonse43
New Member
I stared from being in the film industry as a set construction carpenter. A lot of set building is done overnight, with lots of last minute changes needed before the the crew arrived to shoot in the morning. It wasn't a great feeling when a director would walk in an hour or so before the shoot to check his set, and say "Wouldn't this look great if we had some signage here". It was then a panic to paint something. It was those last minute changes that steered me away from set building and into film lighting. I still did the odd set part time. I purchased a Roland CAMM 1 and offered an over night service cutting their last minute signage at a very inflated price, it was only part-time, but it was a good earner. I went on to full time lighting both here and overseas for quit a few years, then for a career change, I set up small sign business servicing the film industry. The first job was for a TV game show that kept me in constant work for 3 or 4 months.
I'm now retired and just do the odd signage job when I need too.
Alphonse43
I'm now retired and just do the odd signage job when I need too.
Alphonse43
BobM
New Member
After 35 years in the truck body and equipment business (20 as an owner)I bought my first software and cutter and for 5 years did a few truck lettering jobs a month. I closed my truck equipment business, got rid of all the help and overhead and opened a one man sign shop and am loving it. Still lots and lots to learn, but I love the challenge and look forward to every new experiance.
Kottwitz-Graphics
New Member
You mean its not anymore, SWEET! ! !:ROFLMAO:
k2ds
New Member
Natural Progression of a Graphic Design small business owner ... I guess. There are several reasons this progression takes place, but in the end, it's just growth.
The worst fear of guys that own companies like mine is the fact we are mainly service companies and simply design "stuff" for our clients and send off to get printed or made. I design your logo, your brochure, your advertsing campaign, your posters, your flyers, your business cards, your signage, your homes guide, etc ... then I export and ship to a print house.
Most of the time it goes good. The quality is good and the turnaround is ok. But not always. If I outsource to a sign guy and he recreates a client's logo because he couldn't open my AI document and used Brush Script instead of Buffet Script, the client blames me, not him.
And there is always the case of "stolen files". This year alone (2008) I probably lost $20k to some jerkoff printer who "stole" the files I sent them for production and then contacted my clients for those updates/changes/maintenence/new jobs at a lower cost. I charge a lot because I spend time and research concptualizing. They didn't have to conceptualize jack. Just change some crap. Now we can all tell ourselves that if we are good to our clients and give them great customer service, cost doesn't matter - bull crap. It's the bottom line almost every time.
So over the past few months I've been outsourcing to commercial and franchise printers WAY out of town. Ones who accept Press-Ready PDFs that I can "protect". No more Quark files to send off!! WooHoo!
I've had a vinyl plotter less than 6 weeks. I don't consider myself a sign maker (yet) and barely know the lingo or where to get supplies at a good cost for a good quality. But I LOVE it! The shear enjoyment of taking some crap raster jpg, someone prolly stole off Google Images, vectorizing it, and seeing it on a six-foot piece of lucobond feels great! I mean, I'm already looking at CNC Routers and How-To videos on sandblasting and looking into a printer/plotter combo.
That's why I got into the "biz".
The worst fear of guys that own companies like mine is the fact we are mainly service companies and simply design "stuff" for our clients and send off to get printed or made. I design your logo, your brochure, your advertsing campaign, your posters, your flyers, your business cards, your signage, your homes guide, etc ... then I export and ship to a print house.
Most of the time it goes good. The quality is good and the turnaround is ok. But not always. If I outsource to a sign guy and he recreates a client's logo because he couldn't open my AI document and used Brush Script instead of Buffet Script, the client blames me, not him.
And there is always the case of "stolen files". This year alone (2008) I probably lost $20k to some jerkoff printer who "stole" the files I sent them for production and then contacted my clients for those updates/changes/maintenence/new jobs at a lower cost. I charge a lot because I spend time and research concptualizing. They didn't have to conceptualize jack. Just change some crap. Now we can all tell ourselves that if we are good to our clients and give them great customer service, cost doesn't matter - bull crap. It's the bottom line almost every time.
So over the past few months I've been outsourcing to commercial and franchise printers WAY out of town. Ones who accept Press-Ready PDFs that I can "protect". No more Quark files to send off!! WooHoo!
I've had a vinyl plotter less than 6 weeks. I don't consider myself a sign maker (yet) and barely know the lingo or where to get supplies at a good cost for a good quality. But I LOVE it! The shear enjoyment of taking some crap raster jpg, someone prolly stole off Google Images, vectorizing it, and seeing it on a six-foot piece of lucobond feels great! I mean, I'm already looking at CNC Routers and How-To videos on sandblasting and looking into a printer/plotter combo.
That's why I got into the "biz".
Rick
Certified Enneadecagon Designer
Natural Progression of a Graphic Design small business owner ... I guess. There are several reasons this progression takes place, but in the end, it's just growth.
The worst fear of guys that own companies like mine is the fact we are mainly service companies and simply design "stuff" for our clients and send off to get printed or made. I design your logo, your brochure, your advertsing campaign, your posters, your flyers, your business cards, your signage, your homes guide, etc ... then I export and ship to a print house.
Most of the time it goes good. The quality is good and the turnaround is ok. But not always. If I outsource to a sign guy and he recreates a client's logo because he couldn't open my AI document and used Brush Script instead of Buffet Script, the client blames me, not him.
Always....ALWAYS require proofs prior to printing/manufacturing...Did I mention always?
And there is always the case of "stolen files". This year alone (2008) I probably lost $20k to some jerkoff printer who "stole" the files I sent them for production and then contacted my clients for those updates/changes/maintenence/new jobs at a lower cost. I charge a lot because I spend time and research concptualizing. They didn't have to conceptualize jack. Just change some crap. Now we can all tell ourselves that if we are good to our clients and give them great customer service, cost doesn't matter - bull crap. It's the bottom line almost every time.
Always...ALWAYS require a vendor to sign a non-disclosure/non-compete when subbing work.
So over the past few months I've been outsourcing to commercial and franchise printers WAY out of town. Ones who accept Press-Ready PDFs that I can "protect". No more Quark files to send off!! WooHoo!
You need to cover your butt no matter what... oh, that rhymed.
I've had a vinyl plotter less than 6 weeks. I don't consider myself a sign maker (yet) and barely know the lingo or where to get supplies at a good cost for a good quality. But I LOVE it! The shear enjoyment of taking some crap raster jpg, someone prolly stole off Google Images, vectorizing it, and seeing it on a six-foot piece of lucobond feels great! I mean, I'm already looking at CNC Routers and How-To videos on sandblasting and looking into a printer/plotter combo.
The sign business may not be what you think it is, many shops suffer from this. Explore all the options before getting any more equipment. There are a lot of mom and pop sign shops. But if you are a good designer you can design and send it out to bid similar to EGD design firms without having to get a shop and hire out... you just need to find the right vendors.
The worst fear of guys that own companies like mine is the fact we are mainly service companies and simply design "stuff" for our clients and send off to get printed or made. I design your logo, your brochure, your advertsing campaign, your posters, your flyers, your business cards, your signage, your homes guide, etc ... then I export and ship to a print house.
Most of the time it goes good. The quality is good and the turnaround is ok. But not always. If I outsource to a sign guy and he recreates a client's logo because he couldn't open my AI document and used Brush Script instead of Buffet Script, the client blames me, not him.
Always....ALWAYS require proofs prior to printing/manufacturing...Did I mention always?
And there is always the case of "stolen files". This year alone (2008) I probably lost $20k to some jerkoff printer who "stole" the files I sent them for production and then contacted my clients for those updates/changes/maintenence/new jobs at a lower cost. I charge a lot because I spend time and research concptualizing. They didn't have to conceptualize jack. Just change some crap. Now we can all tell ourselves that if we are good to our clients and give them great customer service, cost doesn't matter - bull crap. It's the bottom line almost every time.
Always...ALWAYS require a vendor to sign a non-disclosure/non-compete when subbing work.
So over the past few months I've been outsourcing to commercial and franchise printers WAY out of town. Ones who accept Press-Ready PDFs that I can "protect". No more Quark files to send off!! WooHoo!
You need to cover your butt no matter what... oh, that rhymed.
I've had a vinyl plotter less than 6 weeks. I don't consider myself a sign maker (yet) and barely know the lingo or where to get supplies at a good cost for a good quality. But I LOVE it! The shear enjoyment of taking some crap raster jpg, someone prolly stole off Google Images, vectorizing it, and seeing it on a six-foot piece of lucobond feels great! I mean, I'm already looking at CNC Routers and How-To videos on sandblasting and looking into a printer/plotter combo.
The sign business may not be what you think it is, many shops suffer from this. Explore all the options before getting any more equipment. There are a lot of mom and pop sign shops. But if you are a good designer you can design and send it out to bid similar to EGD design firms without having to get a shop and hire out... you just need to find the right vendors.
Rick
Certified Enneadecagon Designer
My parents pushed me and someone took interest in my drawing skills and took me under their wing, I also had a neighbor who was a sign painter that worked with the guy I knew and I picked up a few things. Went into car club window splashes, lettering, flyers for bands, t-shirts. Worked for a while drawing architectural renderings for an interior designer. Went to school and dropped out. Then went into construction (my dads trade) because it paid way better than graphic design but still did design work off and on. When I started having back problems I decided to leave construction and took a job as a grunt at a vehicle graphics shop where they had computers, he fired me, and went from shop to shop learning or doing vehicle wraps, architectural, ADA and all the tools it took to do it till I started getting design positions then went into environmental graphic design/print design... now I am on my own designing sign systems, identity and environments and the occasional poster, flyer and t-shirt.
crazy_jay_25
New Member
I am slowly becoming a sign guy, kinda by accident. I sell car accessories and graphics which were coming from some country I couldn't even spell. After a few terrible quality shipments I bought my first cutter and Signblazer. A year later I'm onto a better cutter, Coreldraw and doing banners, coroplast and other "temporary" sign. Things just keep gradually expanding and so far so good. Good enough that I hardly stock any car accessories anymore. Ask me in a year if I'm a sign guy and maybe by then I'll have an answer
k2ds
New Member
WOW! I feel priveledge that Rick quote my entire post and commented on it! You are right. All of it. No rebutle. Especially about the parts of subbing out print jobs with a non-compete contract ... but in this small (13,000-population) town, it's so hard to "make" the locals realize that there are rules and regulations to design. Heck, printers LOVE to get my clients to just call me and ask for non-putlined AI files, PSDs and Quark files. I used to, but now I tell my clients if the printer can't use what I sent them, they just "must not be equipped with the right technology" and ask my client to tell the printer that the designer has found someone else who can use those files. They ALWAYS somehow seem to find a way to make the pdf work .... hmmm.
I was tainted at 22 years old working for FLW Outdoors. They are based 10 minutes from my hometown. We did things so differently. None of the smalltown crap I now deal with. I never built any design without an eps or an ai file or with an image less than 350 dpi. And the only competitor was B.A.S.S. Ha ha!
Anywya, thanks for the comments, Rick!
I was tainted at 22 years old working for FLW Outdoors. They are based 10 minutes from my hometown. We did things so differently. None of the smalltown crap I now deal with. I never built any design without an eps or an ai file or with an image less than 350 dpi. And the only competitor was B.A.S.S. Ha ha!
Anywya, thanks for the comments, Rick!
Rick
Certified Enneadecagon Designer
ooops, I actually thought this was another thread about a vendor issue from a while back, thats what i get for having multiple threads open...
Fuzzbuster
New Member
Graphics.Atl
New Member
I bought a cutter to cut my own stencil mask for my custom shop and figured out I had a knack for it and it was profitable, the rest is history
blackicefx
New Member
I started drawing before kindergarden. I got a picture printed in a Family magazine when I was 6. I started focusing on art in middle and high school. In highschool I branched out from drawing comic books and classroom art to darkroom photography and clay sculpture. I got suspended for a week from school for doing a fully nude sculpture of a close female friend of mine from the thigh up. Apparently, everyone immediately could tell who it was... plus it was anatomically correct... Went on to graphic design in college and went crazy with basic welding and woodshop. I also used to street race and at the time, couldn't find any good graphics for my car. I found rolls of vinyl at our local artists shop and began handcutting all of my graphics... drafting out letters and handcutting is the worst thing ever... carpal tunnel anyone?
Eventually, people started offering me $$ for my stuff so I decided to start doing it on the side of my regular job. I did this for a few years but finally went full time a year and a half ago... and then the economy tanked. So now I do signs part time and have another job for now. But I hope to get back to the signs fulltime soon.
Matthew
BlackIceFX
Eventually, people started offering me $$ for my stuff so I decided to start doing it on the side of my regular job. I did this for a few years but finally went full time a year and a half ago... and then the economy tanked. So now I do signs part time and have another job for now. But I hope to get back to the signs fulltime soon.
Matthew
BlackIceFX
Swell Signs
New Member
I had been working in fast food while going to school and was fed up with it. I had always been creative and artistic so I thought this would be a good jump. It took 3 months to find a place that was hiring. Once I began working there I realized this was the job I was born to do! I continued my education and got a graphic design degree. Seven years with the first sign shop and the owner sold, leaving myself to train the new owner who was previously a baker. I decided to cut my losses and start working for myself. I've been running my own shop for 3 1/2 years now. I have a shop across the street from my house and cannot complain about the commute.