To the infamous sjm
Let's see, what can be done with a brush that can't be done digitally...
For one, a nice wall job. Not a
sign anchored to a wall. Lettering on the wall.
Assume we both take an equal wall lettering job across the street from each other. We both arrive at work at the same time. Only your destination is your chair in front of your
computer and my destination is the job site. Yeah, I keep my paint kit and paints in my truck and work out of it on site or in the shop.
While you are searching for an appropriate font for whatever layout you have in mind, I am having a blast using charcoal to draw my layout right on the wall. I don't need to look for an appropriate font because I can hand draw any number of appropriate fonts. I learned that over the years; to draw a lot of letter styles since I couldn't just pull something out of a folder. Many of them I made up on my own if I wanted to give it a bit more style. You don't have anything like those in your fonts folder.
So I layout my design on the wall. I'm done with that. If you're as quick as me you have yours on screen.
Mine is both appropriate and artful. I've included a graphic that I drew in place that fits this customer to a tee. Yours probably doesn't. If it does then you dug through various clip art files until you found something that would do. Something that's been used many times over for other customers. Mine is original and every bit as professional as your clip art. Maybe more so. Yours is stiff and
computer-looking. Mine is lively and personal like a human being did it. Oh sure, there's a place for chip art. I use it myself sometimes. Usually budget constraints on a job call for a quick graphic and clip art fits the bill. But you're likely using clip art because you've never actually had to hone the skill of drawing your own since it's all in the
computer.
You go to your vinyl rack or digital printer.
I'm putting paint on the wall.
You load your media and set up your machine.
I'm putting more paint on the wall.
You're waiting for your machine to get done and you're probably getting antsy because you're not to be outdone by the brush.
I'm putting paint on the wall.
All the while I'm peacefully tranquil enjoying myself as one enjoys himself while fishing. I'm taking in the outdoors, listening to the sounds of the area and allowing my mind to wander to past jobs and old flames. People walking by smile and say, "Looks good." I acknowledge them saying, "Thanks", as I always do knowing that they spoke up because they appreciate the skill involved. I rarely get that when I'm sticking up plastic stuff.
You are having the time of your life weeding the layout your machine cut out of your plastic material. No one passing by would say, "Good job", because, frankly, there's just not enough skill involved to acknowledge it.
I change colors a couple of times throughout the job. One in particular is a shadow that I didn't need to draw and is a perfect, darker shade of the wall itself which makes it look more realistic than anything that comes off a roll; printed or cast.
I'm cleaning my brushes after a job well done and see you pulling up to a stop across the street. You are ready to begin sticking plastic to your wall.
We nod to each other but do not share conversation. That's because you have a certain distain for "old school"
sign guys so we'll never be friends. You don't let on but you're envious of the richness of the colors on my job that you know never show up in any of your vinyl or printed work.
My customer comes out and is well pleased with his job. He smiles big when he hands me my check. He sees you across the street scowling and struggling with your plastic and thinks to himself how glad he was to have hired me. We shake hands, I get in my truck and drive off, leaving you to your good luck in making your sticker stick.
I figure, if I don't count the gas in my truck, I've got probably $2 invested in materials for that job. Hate to think what you paid for all that plastic. And that clip art CD.
If you printed you'll need to laminate so you won't have showed up until tomorrow and I wouldn't have had to see the scowl on your face. When your guy pays he may be satisfied with your work but he'll be secretly wishing his popped like the one across the street and he'll feel that since the
computer did all the work on his job that he might be paying a bit too much even though you've got more time in yours than I had in mine.
You'll take the check but you'll feel your customer was dissatisfied in some way he wasn't saying. But you won't give a damn like the little prick that you are and you'll drive away thinking him a jerk. As you drive away you'll begin to plan the next job back at the shop for that other jerk who haggled you down on your price.
Me? I'm smiling all the way to the next job, which, by the way, is some pinstriping on a badass hot rod. A job for which you'd have never been called. Fun as all hell too! Oh...
...and another thing that can't be done digitally.