Holy schmoly. Can I just come and work with you for a couple weeks? Those drawings are pro. And I do need a hobby, I ready the whole thing. I'm also saving them and studying them so I can improve my presentation drawings a bit more. It's a side of design I really need to work on. Do you really get that detailed for customer presentation drawings? Or is that more of a shop drawing?
Thanks for taking the time to do that Rick. Much appreciated. I like some of the other ideas you presented too.
To the average designer, it might take more than a couple of weeks, but I think you could pull it off...
Most of my schooling came from collecting shop drawings from designers and other shops and studying them, and then making my own section drawings and collecting templates. I do a lot of drag and drop because most signs are typical, but in a pinch, I can modify a section drawing or redraw it as needed. You would be surprised how many shop drawings are out on the internet.
Like this:
https://www.ci.laguna-hills.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/2161/2---Five-Lagunas-Master-Sign-Program
This is from an EGD firm, so this is the DD phase, a shop would take this, and make construction documents out of it.
You need to design, then partner with someone who can work out the details... or stick in on here for everyone to pick at... it's a good lesson to see what limitations your work has - or shops on this forum have in replicating your design.
If you read Chatterbox's book, it's mostly standard signage stuff... start with that - but please do not stay there! Once you learn about code/planning and zoning, then material and fabrication limitations, you let your imagination run free (until a guy like me slaving away at a shop says you can't do it) Most shops only deal with standard stuff, even the slightest out of the box thinking makes most shops grind to a halt.... don't send them your work (or work for them permanently). Find a qualified fabricator who deals with real custom fabrication.
In spirit I agree with Rossmosh's thinking, though it stops dead in it's tracks when you figure out you have no laser cutter. You can send out for laser cut panels with 1/32" Rowmark and standard walnut panels, but there goes your profit (well, there is none) or money to purchase supplies to make more samples. I'm thinking you want to get your hands dirty anyway but you will have to learn in time that there is a system to fabricating stuff like this. Standards are set by a shops capabilities.
On the detail, the drawing I show would be the in-between drawing or DD (Design Development) stage - right before the shop drawing.
