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Your First Sign.
- Thread starter Dice
- Start date
Pat Whatley
New Member
First paid "professional" sign was a set of magnetics for a local restaurant all cut on the Gerber 4B. Lettering was too big, too close to the edges, lines were too close together, and it had a double line border around it to make it fancy.
I did do all the window splash work for the art supply store I worked in. Didn't know a thing about lettering. Didn't know much about layout. Didn't know that I should have backed the Rich Art window paint with white before I painted the red and yellow over it. The windows were so bad the drunk sign painters who used to come in to steal stuff actually volunteered to redo it in exchange to keeping any leftover materials.
I did do all the window splash work for the art supply store I worked in. Didn't know a thing about lettering. Didn't know much about layout. Didn't know that I should have backed the Rich Art window paint with white before I painted the red and yellow over it. The windows were so bad the drunk sign painters who used to come in to steal stuff actually volunteered to redo it in exchange to keeping any leftover materials.
TheSellOut
New Member
wait.......you guys get paid for this?
I remember the 1st sign I laid hands on. It was for a Riverfront Park and I got thrown right into laying down a pinstripe over a painted border, plus laying out the lettering and applying it. I was so nervous that day
I remember the 1st sign I laid hands on. It was for a Riverfront Park and I got thrown right into laying down a pinstripe over a painted border, plus laying out the lettering and applying it. I was so nervous that day
Jillbeans
New Member
First paid sign was done when I was in art school, it was a 3'x4' double sider, customer provided painted plywood.
I got $50 and it took about 4 hours! I thought I was hot sh!t.
But even in Kindergarten kids would get me to draw stuff for them, and I did a lot of art for people all through school. Including a nude lady on someone's jean jacket.
Also won a lot of paying contests from painted Christmas windows to stuff for the newspaper.
Funny thing is, that first client still uses the sign, it was a FOR RENT one.
It's butt ugly, I have a pic somewhere.
That was in 1980.
Love...Jill
I got $50 and it took about 4 hours! I thought I was hot sh!t.
But even in Kindergarten kids would get me to draw stuff for them, and I did a lot of art for people all through school. Including a nude lady on someone's jean jacket.
Also won a lot of paying contests from painted Christmas windows to stuff for the newspaper.
Funny thing is, that first client still uses the sign, it was a FOR RENT one.
It's butt ugly, I have a pic somewhere.
That was in 1980.
Love...Jill
Gordy Saunders
New Member
I was selling advertising for a newpaper magizine publisher. Client says, "I don't need an ad this week, but I've got some parking signs on the light poles outside that need to be painted. Do you think you can do it?" I took a look and said yes I'll do them for $150.00. That was 1971 or 72. I was making about $70.00 a week at that time. I lettered the three signs on a Saturday. Wow!!! $150.00 for one days work. I stood on top of my car to letter them because I did'nt have a ladder. Used regular little house painting brushes. But I started looking for more stuff like that from that day on.
Graphics2u
New Member
First paid one in my own business was a 4' x 8' double sided Wall Drug sign. You know the ones that say Free Ice Water on one side and the other side says 525 Miles the other way. It went in a guys front yard and Wall Drug actually paid for half of it for advertising. Got a picture somewhere, i'll have to look for it.
Whit
New Member
hahahahaha,,, in the 50's,, a dagger striper and #4 quill were a deadly combo,,,
pull in to a drive in (teen hangout) start striping the car you came in,,, line forms,,,
could pull a coupla hundred in a weekend,,, all at $25 a pop,, $10 for a name 2 sides,,,
not bad for a 17 year old punk kid !!! Ruined me for getting a day job from then on !!!
pull in to a drive in (teen hangout) start striping the car you came in,,, line forms,,,
could pull a coupla hundred in a weekend,,, all at $25 a pop,, $10 for a name 2 sides,,,
not bad for a 17 year old punk kid !!! Ruined me for getting a day job from then on !!!
Shovelhead
New Member
8' x 16' hand painted....1987.....got paid and left my wallet on my car roof on Father's Day....FREE.
dlndesign
New Member
8 years ago, my first sign was a digital banner for a golf club tournement, with a bunch of logos from all the sponsors. I remember it because I was freaking out that I didn't get all the logos in on time to get it printed in time for the event.At the time i remember my boss yelling at me to "get it done". I bucked up and got the damn thing out on time and the client was pleased and i was pleased with myself as well.
SignManiac
New Member
Mine was a customer supplied 4'x8' piece of plywood, Rustoleum paint and cheap brushes for a marina sign.That was back around 1974. Bunch of copy advertising their ships store merchandise. I got $40 for eight hours work and could not remember ever doing anything else that was so much fun, and to get paid, that was just a bonus. The next sign after that was another 4'x8', but I charged $100. Then came a $40 boat transom and after that it's all one big blur. Many thousands of signs ago.
round man
New Member
I don't talk about it in public and try desperately to forget it,..it was horrible and looked twice as bad ,I was a hot shot helper in a billboard shop fresh out of art school and tried to do quill work with a deersfoot fitch,.... red casual on white with a black drop shadow,..I cringe when I remember it,...got $40 for it though,...
seattlesignguy
New Member
White cor-x with 01 Red cut vinyl in Helvetica for a lawn care company. I can't believe that I was so proud of such a simple sign 16 years ago... I actually did run across the picture of me smiling with the customer picking it up, it was simplier back then for sure... man, you can lose a lot of hair in 16 years!
Arlo Kalon 2.0
New Member
I remember my first "sho-card". I was in high school. It was for a big downtown bar and it was to advertise Bill Haley & The Comets. I stole a poster board and some tempera from art class. I got $5.00 for it in 1969. I don't even remember much about the layout, but it led to more. This bar was also a strip club on weekends. Got my first sight of big boobies when I walked in the door to deliver another one and was quickly booted out. It was too late though - I had done seen 'em and the race was on to see more!
That led to a long string of paper banners for a furniture store across the street and much more stolen tempera. I was raking in more money than any of my friends and was therefore always the decided upon one to buy the pot.
The real kicker though is the first truck I lettered. I found some cans of paint in the garage I now know were latex. I had no idea why it fisheyed like all get out when I mopped it on the truck doors. I got an acceptable look (to me anyways then) with a second coat and got paid my $25 from a hick who didn't have a thing to say about the job - just paid me and left. That same week I saw the truck go by with most of the paint flaked off and made a point to be on the lookout for him and to be ready to hide out.
It all changed when I saw the town's one armed signpainter at work downtown and promptly adopted myself to him. He took me being his ever present shadow in stride. He gave me a few old quills and nearly empty cans of 1 Shot and changed my life forever. In fact, when I bought my first brand spanking new Ford pickup, he made me a pounce pattern for Signs By Arlo and promptly launched his main competition from then on. That's why I regret I've never been able to teach anyone what I know. Rayburn McManus' generosity was not lost on me.
That led to a long string of paper banners for a furniture store across the street and much more stolen tempera. I was raking in more money than any of my friends and was therefore always the decided upon one to buy the pot.
The real kicker though is the first truck I lettered. I found some cans of paint in the garage I now know were latex. I had no idea why it fisheyed like all get out when I mopped it on the truck doors. I got an acceptable look (to me anyways then) with a second coat and got paid my $25 from a hick who didn't have a thing to say about the job - just paid me and left. That same week I saw the truck go by with most of the paint flaked off and made a point to be on the lookout for him and to be ready to hide out.
It all changed when I saw the town's one armed signpainter at work downtown and promptly adopted myself to him. He took me being his ever present shadow in stride. He gave me a few old quills and nearly empty cans of 1 Shot and changed my life forever. In fact, when I bought my first brand spanking new Ford pickup, he made me a pounce pattern for Signs By Arlo and promptly launched his main competition from then on. That's why I regret I've never been able to teach anyone what I know. Rayburn McManus' generosity was not lost on me.
OldPaint
New Member
i need to mention since people are posting dates.........i will date myself.
you see the avitar i have? when i was in middle school(1957-59) i could draw them.....from memory. big daddy roth, was my idol. and i started painting signs about that same time. i was fortunate to have not 1 but 2, REAL SIGN PAINTERS take a liking to me and showed me stuff most woulda killed to learn. about that time, guys with cool cars, had the name of the car painted on each front fender. i did a few of them for freinds, for free. cant tell ya how many of the ed roth chactures i drew............did model cars, and wou;d paint all the chrome on the cars.......with dime store brushes!!!!
you see the avitar i have? when i was in middle school(1957-59) i could draw them.....from memory. big daddy roth, was my idol. and i started painting signs about that same time. i was fortunate to have not 1 but 2, REAL SIGN PAINTERS take a liking to me and showed me stuff most woulda killed to learn. about that time, guys with cool cars, had the name of the car painted on each front fender. i did a few of them for freinds, for free. cant tell ya how many of the ed roth chactures i drew............did model cars, and wou;d paint all the chrome on the cars.......with dime store brushes!!!!
Dave Drane
New Member
Please dig it out Jill. You show me yours and I'll find some that I will have to scan to show you mine.:ROFLMAO: