Are sign professionals just giving up?

[clarizeyale]

Going back to the original post.....

being fairly young here and reading what everyone is going through, it's discouraging to know that we, as sign professionals, tend to suck it up and just make the darned thing to make the customers happy. I know our shop TRIES to at least give them something they want while making it look good where it will not hurt our name as a sign shop. And with that, people refer us to their friends and so on and everyone's happy.

There are times that as a production person, I think about not only the end product but the quality and care that goes into making the signs, but I don't feel like other people care much or as much as I do. That quality of care should start from the very beginning of the project, not just from the start of the print or design, but even in the quality of customer service and relations.

Even if this doesn't work out, I do my best and still try to sway or remind them of good design, good placement, etc and usually they hear my/our suggestions and are very happy and appreciative of our help.

It's an interesting situation for me as I'm not interested in continuing in the sign shop industry in the long run (I long to be a full time artist/illustrator) but the knowledge I am gaining from the production end is bountiful and applies heavily to what I DO want to create.

I am hoping that the imprint that I leave with my current job will be long lasting in terms of care for our designs, customer relations, and quality of services and products.

 

[Rick]

MAJOR panties in a bunch today... you guys will spend all night trying to get them unwedged.

Assuming again, I'm commando bruh...

 

[Johnny Best]

I also have been following this post and made a few comments off subject. So getting back on track. It seems people relate to designing signs or artwork with money. If I wanted to make money I would have taken economics classes or been a lawyer or doctor. You draw because it supplies a need, not a need for money. The only time I feel like giving up is getting criticized on here by fellow sign people for drawing something. You all want to design things and get paid to have an easy life not worrying about money. Like a rock group who wants to make it big. One hit wonders, Peter Max and the list goes on. You will have an open shirt with gold chains and fake tan looking for babes because your wife took all your money and kids.
Just design for the pure joy of it and what it does for you and others. If you get burned out, drop some acid next weekend and stare at that guy's Lincoln face he drew on Rick's video and see how you feel on Monday if you still want to design something.

 

[Rick]

I also have been following this post and made a few comments off subject. So getting back on track. It seems people relate to designing signs or artwork with money. If I wanted to make money I would have taken economics classes or been a lawyer or doctor. You draw because it supplies a need, not a need for money. The only time I feel like giving up is getting criticized on here by fellow sign people for drawing something. You all want to design things and get paid to have an easy life not worrying about money. Like a rock group who wants to make it big. One hit wonders, Peter Max and the list goes on. You will have an open shirt with gold chains and fake tan looking for babes because your wife took all your money and kids.
Just design for the pure joy of it and what it does for you and others. If you get burned out, drop some acid next weekend and stare at that guy's Lincoln face he drew on Rick's video and see how you feel on Monday if you still want to design something.

I believe that is what I was saying... but I have a kid in college, house payment, car payments, insurances, retirement/401k, business expenses, sick parents, and no significant other to help with the bills, that does not seem like the easy life. The young designers have that to look forward too.

The promotional sign business usually pays squat to designers, in order to get paid more, one has to up their game or find someone who appreciates the work.

If you have to design cr@p, get paid enough to fund your passion... whatever that is.

Rock-star might be a good analogy, all the ones I know do it for themselves, for the love of it, most won't make it. So they work cr@p jobs to fund it.

 

[Johnny Best]

Rick said: "I believe that is what I was saying... but I have a kid in college, house payment, car payments, insurances, retirement/401k, business expenses, sick parents, and no significant other to help with the bills, that does not seem like the easy life. The young designers have that to look forward too."

I put 4 kids through college, the house was paid off 20 years ago, I have retirement, my wife was a stay at home Mother and as I look back at it it seemed easy and enjoyable. I enjoyed the competition and the grind.
Better than waking up at 3am to hook up the machines to the cows to get milk in Minnesota during the winter months.
And I still work even though I do not have to.
As far as young designers looking forward to something, When I was a young designer the only thing I looked forward to was a cup of coffee in the morning, and I still look forward to that and waking up.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I believe that is what I was saying... but I have a kid in college, house payment, car payments, insurances, retirement/401k, business expenses, sick parents, and no significant other to help with the bills, that does not seem like the easy life. The young designers have that to look forward too.

Sorry to hear about your troubles...

When I was a young designer, I was so broke that I once had to steal toliet paper from a Whataburger restroom. Even thinking about funding a 401k was a pipe dream back then. On the plus side, that giant 5lb. roll lasted me about a month.

 

[Johnny Best]

Sorry to hear about your troubles...

When I was a young designer, I was so broke that I once had to steal toliet paper from a Whataburger restroom. Even thinking about funding a 401k was a pipe dream back then. On the plus side, that giant 5lb. roll lasted me about a month.

Hey Tex! You still are a young designer.

 

[Rick]

Sorry to hear about your troubles...

When I was a young designer, I was so broke that I once had to steal toliet paper from a Whataburger restroom. Even thinking about funding a 401k was a pipe dream back then. On the plus side, that giant 5lb. roll lasted me about a month.

Thanks, those aren't troubles, it's what we all have to do. I have been very lucky in my career. I'm trying to pass some of what I have learned about this business. And learning from the young designers as well. Most designers do this because it's a passion. No one likes doing poop work.

I feel bad for most hard working young creatives. Pay is not up to par with the cost of living, it's almost required to have a degree (I don't have one) don't get sick or divorced. If they invest all this time and money learning the trade, it's not too much to ask to enjoy the work... even if it's for yourself.

 

[#racewraps]

This reminds me why topics involving politics and religion are banned in a lot of moderated forums.

Thankfully, I knew this would head this way as soon as someone mentioned doing "HIS WORK" Not sure how it even relates or why it was brought into the conversation!

 

[Pat Whatley]

Gentlemen, y'all all need some Jesus, or Buddha, or Muhammad or a big bowl of kush.. Y'all are way too high strung. Maybe a prostitute would help because with you're damn sure not getting laid with the crappy attitude.

 

[Gino]

You forgot your little smiley face with that..... or these witch hunter's will think you're serious.

 

[Pat Whatley]

I was serious. I come in here about once a month now, down from posting 6-8 times a day several years ago. There's so little joy on this site now and no sense of humor. It's just evolved into something I don't understand. Probably just getting old...you kids get off my damn lawn.

 

[Rick]

Gentlemen, y'all all need some Jesus, or Buddha, or Muhammad or a big bowl of kush.. Y'all are way too high strung. Maybe a prostitute would help because with you're damn sure not getting laid with the crappy attitude.

Have you seen the prostitutes in my neck of the woods? I may be in California but its not like the Beach Boys song "California Girls" More like "I wish they all could be toothless, ugly and drugged"

(I hate it when Pat is getting laid more than me)

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Just keep in mind, all the good looking prostitutes are under-covers...

 

[TimToad]

If you tithe correctly, then yes it does.

I kept hearing, "tithe and God will provide", many of the members at my church would testify to this all the time. This past February I decided to just give it a shot because how could ALL these people be wrong? That month, I did 3x more business in that February compared to the one last year. It was the most sales I ever had in a month. There is no other explanation as to why, other then what everyone else was saying was correct... give to him and it will be given back.

Oh, there is a logical, rational, evidence based explanation for why, its just that folks would rather embrace the inexplicable because its easier to cling to fairy tales than confront reality and that it maybe, just maybe is your own doing that was responsible for the growth in business. Maybe, it was just all the moons aligning on your business hitting a certain maturity level combined with positive economic conditions in your area, etc. Nothing very cosmic or ethereal about any of that.

 

[Rick]

Just keep in mind, all the good looking prostitutes are under-covers...

It's a bigger thrill being cuffed by a hot cop than porked by a Hemet prostitute (I have that embroidered on a pillow)

 

[TimToad]

That statement is EXACTLY whats wrong with this country.

If mentioning God or religion bothers you, you can remove yourself from the conversation, instead of telling others what they can or can't talk about.

Last time I checked, we live in a intentionally secular, multi-cultural melting pot of a country where its singularly preeminent founding principle is the freedom of speech as well as the prohibition of a state sponsored religion. This also is a GLOBAL website with members from a variety of countries and belief systems.

You are welcome to steer the conversation any direction you want, just be prepared to respect the fact that not every single poster is similarly faithful or willing to see a thread hijacked by overt proselytizing.

 

[Johnny Best]

Have you seen the prostitutes in my neck of the woods? I may be in California but its not like the Beach Boys song "California Girls" More like "I wish they all could be toothless, ugly and drugged"

(I hate it when Pat is getting laid more than me)

I think Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys became toothless, ugly and drugged for a while also. So it all evened out in California. After Dewey Weber, Mickey Dora and Walt Disney passed it all went downhill out there.

 

[Rick]

I think Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys became toothless, ugly and drugged

Yeah but he can afford hot prostitutes disguised as police...

 

[Rick]

HMMM. I feel like you can definitely take this a step further. With all the skills that you say you have, I think there is a way. But maybe there's a missing piece that ties it all together.

I enjoy listening to Andy J Pizza's Creative Pep Talk podcast. He's an illustrator and muralist and now a public speaker. He creates all his podcast covers illustrations and murals around the US. He figured out that he also likes speaking and has become a really awesome motivator in that sense. On top of that, this is how he gets his new and continued clients.

I use him as an example because he figured out how to create the art HE wants to make and to do his own thang and live a (fairly) good life. Please give him a listen to if you have the chance (though he's a bit intense though very motivating, to some he may be hard to listen to)

don't give up. do what you love and keep creating and hopefully the rest of the universe follows through and provides for you

Very intense... on my 4th episode. Maybe not everything applicable to my situation, he does hits a nerve, thanks...