Approaching a Pro

[wrenchmaster]

First.. I am new to this forum and this is my first post.
I am 50 years old and would like to learn to sign paint and stripe.
Something that is important to me is to acquire the proper techniques.
I respect this art form and have no desire to put sub quality work out
which does nothing to preserve the art form. That said, I don't see how
this can be done with out being schooled by a craftsmen.
I don't have any one in mind as of yet and need to do research to locate painters if there are any in my area.

My question is how would you expect to be approached?
Would you be willing to share and train someone if you where approached?


I appreciate your replies,

 

[iSign]

are you familiar with Letterheads?

 

[wrenchmaster]

I am not...

Is this a local group?

 

[ProWraps]

no disrespect to you. but seriously.

 

[SignosaurusRex]

Once you find someone willing to teach you, you need to understand that it will take lots of practice and discipline on your part as well as time and patience on both you and the willing teacher. Most any well seasoned good Sign Writer will be willing to teach you if you are SERIOUS. The willing teacher has seen 99.9% of the "willing to learn" crap out pretty damn quickly. Each time that happens, it turns into an "I thought so" and disappointment for the teacher.
If you are serious......go for it and give it your all! It will be hard for a spell, but one day it will all start to gel for you and you will get hooked. (WARNING) Like any other craft or art form...or what ever one chooses to do and be "at one" ...or ..."in the zone" with...or whatever....there is nothing quite like sitting down with a brush, some paint, some solitude and your favorite music playing.....while feeling the flow from your hand to what it creates. Very therapeutic and fulfilling!
There are a good number members here that can be of help and direction. The rest is up to you.

 

[Billct2]

You're in Mass? Anywhere near Boston? I heard that Butera School of Art may or may not still be teaching sign painting. If they are that would be a good palce to start.
The Boston/Cape Cod area has a lot of skilled sign crafters.

 

[OldPaint]

LEN MORT, is a mass resident, MILBURY, and a good brush man. hes on here somthines i think he is signguy1. hes a little older then you and iam sure if you have the time and willingness to learn from a pro....he wont turn you away. http://www.signmaker1.com/

 

[iSign]

I am not...

Is this a local group?

It is more of a "movement" than a "group" (in my opinion... since there are quite a group of folks that consider themselves letterheads.. but it is an unofficial classification, that you will be guaranteed to fit right into, if your interests are where you say) and it is international!!

Do some searches for "Letterhead Meets" and you will be amazed!

 

[signmeup]

LEN MORT, is a mass resident, MILBURY, and a good brush man. hes on here somthines i think he is signguy1. hes a little older then you and iam sure if you have the time and willingness to learn from a pro....he wont turn you away. http://www.signmaker1.com/

Thanks for the link OP. That guy's good.

 

[njshorts]

Just explain things to any area signpainter the way you did here, and ask about apprenticeship... I'm sure you'll find a taker! Best of luck!

 

[Jillbeans]

Get thee to a Letterhead meet.
Or even more fun, a pinstriper's jam.
There are still many who embrace the brush, and although most of those who want to learn are in their early 20s, there is lots of room for someone "our" age.
I love to teach someone the joy of hand lettering, even though I suck at pinstriping.
Love....Jill

 

[Gino]

Welcome from PA...................................






Okay, that out of the way..... don't let anyone discourage you when you show up the first day. There are many hand-painters that have their own unique way of telling if someone is really interested in learning or not. As S'Rex mentioned, they've wasted many hours and patience with the tire kickers. However, sometimes a good one slips through.

Many approaches will be to try to talk you out of it, make you feel totally useless and other neat techniques. I was helping out at a place many many years ago and saw the owner [who was by far the best hand-painter I've ever seen] come up behind a guy learning and over his shoulder pull the brush up through his fingers getting paint all over everything. He then said... sonny, you have the wrong hold on your brush.

Practice and due diligence will pay off, if you stay at it. You don't have to be an artist or have a God given talent for art to be a sign writer or hand-painter. You do if you want to be a pictorial artist, but you didn't mention that. Go for the lettering first and get that down pat with a couple of fonts under your belt and a good feel for balance and layout. Remember, it's nothing more than straight up and down strokes, sideways strokes, half moons to the right, left top & bottom. That's the whole deal for lettering. Get it and then move on to striping. It's a natural sequence.


Good Luck....................

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

Welcome to a outstanding Signs 101 and people.

Still enjoy Hand Lettering after 36 years and is 95% of my work.

 

[wrenchmaster]

LEN MORT, is a mass resident, MILBURY, and a good brush man. hes on here somthines i think he is signguy1. hes a little older then you and iam sure if you have the time and willingness to learn from a pro....he wont turn you away. http://www.signmaker1.com/

Thanks for the contact. I'm going to look him up and see the distance between us.