Artist or Not?

[signgal]

I am artistic, yes... I'd never be so bold as to self-title myself an artist. I have my inspired days but I'm not as good as I was when I was eleven. Like Jill, I figured out how to make use of limited talent, have a gift with colors and am quite the sketcher. And like JB I try hard to up my business capabilities all the time. But I don't think you have to be artistic to be in this business. My husband's the engineer and he was smart of enough to get a good designer to work for him ( I hear they're sleeping together too)

 

[RebeckaR]

Artist and calligrapher here. Salesman, schmoozer, janitor, bookkeeper, gopher, coffee fetcher...

I'm like Jill in that I discovered a long time ago people will pay me much more for something I created in a few hours, than something it took me weeks to create.

I use a guy for design work from time to time who is not an artist, but is a fabulous designer. So I don't think the ability to draw from scratch is necessary in order to make a good product for advertising.

Sometimes I think the "artist" part gets in the way of good design - especially when making signs. I've seen some pretty nasty stuff on a store front that was made by an artist. Just because you can paint a landscape in oils doesn't mean you can letter a sign.

 

[SignosaurusRex]

While I do consider myself an artist, I consider myself to be more of an "artistic mechanic".

 

[mark galoob]

ive only seen about 5% of people who label themselves as "graphic designers", be worth there salt at that job, and ive been a printer for about 6 yrs now...95% of "graphic artists, or graphic designers" are worthless...they can draw good on their computer, but have no concept of what it takes to make it from their computer to a good sign...or print for that matter...


mark galoob

 

[OldPaint]

am a cross between artist & engineer. as a child, parents would buy me toys, unlike the other children who just played with em...........I HAD TO TEAR THEM APART, to see all of the pieces rather then the whole. then bout 4-5 i discovered paper/pencil/crayons. was an only child, so lots of solo time to indulge that aspect. i started grade school at 6, and the teacher told my parents, they had an artist on their hands. in 1st grade, i was doing 4th-5th grade drawings. at 10-12 i was introduced to SIGN PAINTING.thru high school, shop and drafting classes was my A++ grades, and i went to a drafting school after graduation. worked for a BUTLER METAL BUILDING co. for a few years as a draftsman. i tried all the other jobs and work for most of my life. at 30, i discovered POTTERY. wound up at PENN STATE, as an assistant to the art prof for a couple years. then went back to doin "jobs." at 42, discussed with "jobs", i picked up my brushes............and never looked back. now at 65, i am setting up a pottery shop...........
is talent needed for this work? NO, if you want to do crank out everyday stuff. i went to my 1st letterhead meet in montgomery, al.......... at mark fairs shop..............and i was awe struck..................by the wonderful talent of most of these people. i have met the diaz family, and i can say they are ARTISTS...... in the true sense of the word. not only that but, really nice and unpretentious.
so any fool can crank out a NO PARKING, FOR SALE, NOW OPEN sign. BUT........if you want EXCEPTIONAL LOOKING SIGNS......... you will need an ARTIST.

 

[Bigdawg]

Commercial Designer... not a true Arteest...

... although I wish I was but I am a very good commercial designer.

 

[Marlene]

I think it all depends on what you think of as art or artistic talent. most people would probably say the artist who did the attached isn't much of an artist and I agree. million don't and love Jackson Pollocks work so who knows what really makes an artist an artist as it isn't always the end product and how well it is done.

 

[mikey-Oh]

Sometimes I get to work on artistic sign and design work... most of the time, it's letters slapped on a hunk of metal or plastic, that panel is then nailed to a stick...

this

 

[luggnut]

i have always been able to draw, paint, sculpt... i consider myself very artistic. but the majority of sign work (even the nicer stuff) only requires a good eye and layout ability. i have seen great logos and signs by people who could hardly draw at all... i have seen terrible things too though.

 

[AUTO-FX]

Artist? No, not really.
Sign maker yes ( which originally meant lettering artist, designer, carpenter,painter, fabricator, electrician, mason, architect, engineer, laborer, rigger, janitor, salesman etc)

unfortunately, this probably sums it up for alot of us. but hey, having the oppurtunity to indulge in a job we love and getting to express a little artistic ability is the draw. It's certainly not the money!

 

[MikePro]

taking into account my o.c.d.'ness on even the smallest project... yes and definately

really have to force myself to turn it down a notch on quick turnovers.

 

[GAC05]

I think it all depends on what you think of as art or artistic talent. most people would probably say the artist who did the attached isn't much of an artist and I agree. million don't and love Jackson Pollocks work so who knows what really makes an artist an artist as it isn't always the end product and how well it is done.

I guess I am an artist too!
I got that exact same pattern on the floor under my printer when the capping station sprang a leak.


wayne k
guam usa

 

[threads1]

I'm a roofer.....that covers everything!

 

[anotherdog]

I think it was my curse. I was good with numbers, but better with crayons.
If it was the other way around I would be an accountant now.

Signs are just one of the tools I use to make a living out of "artist". There are some days though when "artist" takes a break and its just slap the letters on or peel them off. Others when I can spend all day on a $50 business card.

 

[round man]

I like to think of myself as a sign artist,having spent twenty-five years doing nothing but painting pictures for outdoor advertising firms(billboard companies for ya'll newbies). I was an artist first then apprenticed the sign trade after a couple of years of formal fine arts training at local universities and learned the art of hand lettering after the fact. What a long strange trip it's been!

 

[ddarlak]

don't have the patience to be an artist, businessman from day one.

 

[Amberdee75]

I can draw stick figures alright, although my high school art teacher might have disagreed.

 

[tintguy31794]

I am not an artist. I am a guy filling a position as best he can to continue his paycheck (I do care) I wish we could hire a designer I could do much more with this business, but i'm just an employee unfortunately I have no say so and the owner thinks i'm a good designer.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I don't think you have to be an artist in this field. I do very well just taking other Ai files and putting it on mugs, shirts, tags, caps, business cards and promotional products as well as embroidery items that I've rarely had to do my own design work from "scratch".

I did have a couple of jobs where they had jpgs of what they wanted and I had to "convert" it to Ai in order to put it on the various items I previously mentioned. Sometimes I was able to do Live Trace, other times I had to do it the "old fashioned way", but it wasn't my artwork.

I think layout, presentation, color are perhaps the biggies from the "artistic" side. "You" can get that done using clipart and a few Illustrator(or Draw) special effects as well. Now all this means squat if you don't have a descent head for business(thankfully that's were all my learning is at even my advance degree). Not just the financial aspect, but also how to drum up business as well.

 

[saktrnch]

I'm useless with paper and pencil or pen. If there is any artistic ability in me it's with a camera. I've won some awards and sold a book cover or two. With photography I've learned to keep people's eyes in the picture and that helps with sign layout.