Banners 101

[Headhunterx]

"You can’t go to the movies and just walk in. You have to pay and if they have any vacant seats coming up at the next feature… you are allowed to enter and wait your turn until the others are finished. THEN, you may enter in and if you don’t like the movie… you can leave. Otherwise, shut up, pay attention and don’t create any waves or you’ll be asked to leave." From Gina

Does that mean if Im not a merchant member yet, I'm gonna get $#% on every time I ask a question. Get your stupid ego in check and look at what site you are on! I don't care if you used to work at Ben Franklin's shop, some of us newbies would like some straight answers.
I was considering paying the yearly subscription, but if old codgers like Gina keep cryin the blues, maybe i'll just stay on here for free......

Save your money!! I tried it for a month and it is the same old BS you get out here from the same ones and you pay for it!!

Richard

 

[Mosh]

Ladies...Ladies...save it for the Pay Per View!!!!! This post is worse than the one some A-hole started about pricing!!!!!

 

[gnatt66]

more often or not i think that some of the people just don't understand message boards in general. they might not know that there are years worth of posts and threads that aren't visible.

vbulletin's search function (and every other board software for that matter) stinks on ice. and the 30 second wait period? don't get me started.

want to really search this site? (and i do it LOTS)

go to google.com and type in : (insert item here) site:signs101.com

it works great...no 30 sec wait, and most often better results than even the advanced search.

p.s. i'm relatively new. i've asked questions, I've gotten and sent PM's and somehow i've avoided any and all flame fests pointed in my direction. those who dont want to take the time to even TRY and find it here are the ones who get rattled a little bit, and imo they deserve it, within reason.

 

[signmeup]

gnatt66....thanks for the google tip. I've searched this forum lots of times and gotten poor results.
Love your navatar. Bubbles rocks.

 

[skyhigh]

To the forum's credit though, there were no replies that attacked my motives or my fitness to seek such answers. I was never made to feel inferior for not knowing something or even how to form a question.

Only guessing here, not knowing the specifics of your question....If you would have visited that site, asked the same exact question, but started off with something like...

"I have this software that I want to install, and it says the minimum system requirements are 512mb of memory & 20gb of available hard drive space. My first question to the forum is.....what the heck is this mb & gb they speak of"? If I should need some, where can I buy more mb's & gb's?

Fred, I think you would have had a totally different experience on that site.

 

[BobM]

Ladies...Ladies...save it for the Pay Per View!!!!! This post is worse than the one some A-hole started about pricing!!!!!

Why would you bother to get into the business when "Some A-hole" will just undercut your prices to the point where you can't make money and will go out? Of course they may be distracted by their new building business.

How do I get my tounge unstuck from in my cheek, if you know what I mean?

Fred, as always, you have it right on.

 

[JR's]

thanks Gnatt 66 good tip of the month

JR

 

[Marlene]

first, get subscriptions to trade magazines. in them you will find articles and just by reading them, the language is there as well as materials and more. the ads in the mags will also point you to suppliers and to what is new and avaliable. order catalogs to become familar with products. once you have some info gathered, ask here about materials and if anyone liked it or if there is a better idea.

 

[Graphics2u]

first, get subscriptions to trade magazines. in them you will find articles and just by reading them, the language is there as well as materials and more. the ads in the mags will also point you to suppliers and to what is new and avaliable. order catalogs to become familar with products. once you have some info gathered, ask here about materials and if anyone liked it or if there is a better idea.

Great point! Several trade magazines are available free to the trade. Some are not but subscriptions are small price to pay for good info.

 

[Fred Weiss]

Only guessing here, not knowing the specifics of your question....If you would have visited that site, asked the same exact question, but started off with something like...

"I have this software that I want to install, and it says the minimum system requirements are 512mb of memory & 20gb of available hard drive space. My first question to the forum is.....what the heck is this mb & gb they speak of"? If I should need some, where can I buy more mb's & gb's?

Fred, I think you would have had a totally different experience on that site.

That may be so but I still would not have been put down or hazed. Most likely I would have received a link to BasicComputerTerms.com and that would have been the end of it.

 

[Billct2]

Is there a good resource for learning the lingo and methods for making banners

Not really, other than doing a lot of research and reading, or working somewhere that does them.

I'm about to jump in with a start up as operations manager and I'm new to everything

So you will be the operations manager for a new company and you know little about the sign business? Good luck with that. Hope they have deep pockets.

I just need some of the universal knowledge about banners and such to get me started

Sounds kinda zen to me, but there is no such thing. Way too many variables.
And starting out doing banners couldn't be a worse end of the business to be in right now.

 

[skyhigh]

Actually Mosh was the only one hazed..... remember, Pat called him a "douchbag".:ROFLMAO: Ohhhh, and lets not forget, I was called a "smart ass"

I don't know Fred. I've belong to a couple other forums (not sign related), and they can be quite brutal. When someone in here receives a "hard time", its actually pretty mild in comparison.

That other internet site didn't happen to be "warm&fuzzy101" ????

 

[Billct2]

I've had occasion of late to visit a support forum for a software product we use and which uses the same forum software we use. Every time I would run a search, using the advanced search function, I would end up with many, many more threads than I wanted with maybe one out of twenty actually containing any discussion relating to my need.

So I was faced with a choice each time of wading through all the non-related threads to find one finally that was useful. Each time my natural instinct was just to post a new thread and ask my questions. When I finally did, I got a variety of responses such as:


The answer I needed
A link to a thread with the answer I needed
A suggestion that I use the search function

My reaction was highly positive when it was one or two and annoyed when it was three. To the forum's credit though, there were no replies that attacked my motives or my fitness to seek such answers. I was never made to feel inferior for not knowing something or even how to form a question.

I use a similar forum...but I think that is a different environment than a more general open forum like this. Those forums are usually for peopel who have invested in and worked with (at least a little) a particular program or product, and the questions though sometimes simple and repetitive are on point.

If instead you were to visit "WebDesign 101" and start out by saying you had some freeware web design program (or even a purchased program), and though you had no experience or knowledge of the process, you were going to start designing websites for local businesses... but first could you tell me what html stands for and where do I find jpegs? you might get a different reaction.



I do agree though that the overall tone seems more hostile lately, might be just a sign of the times.(pun inteneded)

 

[Fred Weiss]

I use a similar forum...but I think that is a different environment than a more general open forum like this. Those forums are usually for peopel who have invested in and worked with (at least a little) a particular program or product, and the questions though sometimes simple and repetitive are on point.

If instead you were to visit "WebDesign 101" and start out by saying you had some freeware web design program (or even a purchased program), and though you had no experience or knowledge of the process, you were going to start designing websites for local businesses... but first could you tell me what html stands for and where do I find jpegs? you might get a different reaction.

Okay, okay. All I'm trying to say is that sometimes we jump to incorrect conclusions and are a lot harder of new people than may be justified. Searching and otherwise locating information on a forum as well established as Signs 101 can be difficult and time consuming ... especially if you are in a bind and Signs 101 is new to you.

 

[Arlo Kalon 2.0]

Okay, okay. All I'm trying to say is that sometimes we jump to incorrect conclusions and are a lot harder of new people than may be justified.

But it makes for such enjoyable reading! The people who survive it and stick around stand the best chance of advancing themselves. For most newbie posts of their layouts, I have to restrain myself from saying "that looks like fifty cents worth of dog shit"... the quote from the first master sign painter after he turned me loose on my first layout. I didn't feel burned but rather challenged to eventually make him proud of me. Newbies in the digital age think what we do is too easy, hence the treatment they receive.

 

[Gino]

Does that mean if Im not a merchant member yet, I'm gonna get $#% on every time I ask a question. Get your stupid ego in check and look at what site you are on! I don't care if you used to work at Ben Franklin's shop, some of us newbies would like some straight answers.
I was considering paying the yearly subscription, but if old codgers like Gina keep cryin the blues, maybe i'll just stay on here for free......

klmmie……



Don’t we seem to have a foul mouth and mind ?? You seem to have a rather peculiar view of this place. You wanna talk crap…. talk it and see how much advice or help you get. You wanna make fun of everyone honestly trying to help you…. see how far you get.

No, it doesn’t mean anything at all what you wrote. I have no idea where you would get a stupid idea like that ?? Perhaps that’s why you’re here asking questions. You haven’t a clue as to who you are or what you’re doing, but you’re gonna tell me and others how we should conduct ourselves. Making fun of me, my ego or business does nothing to me. I’m quite happy and content where I’m at in life and business, but evidently you’re not… or you wouldn’t be here with your drama queen attitude about the big mean people that won’t play by your rules and be nice to you. Ya know, I’ve put this off, but go cry me a frickin’ river. Wimps and the likes of you are here today…. and gone tomorrow.

You want straight answers… get prepared buster, cause for the most part….. I’d say 90% of these people are usually handling you and your pathetic questions with kid’s gloves. Most of the newbies…. and I’m not including any of those that are truly wanting into this industry asking for help and honestly trying…… but the offensive me-first outbursts like you contribute that want to blame others for their own failures and then bitch and complain about not getting free handouts is just getting old.

As for Head….. it’s his own fault if he can’t find help in the ‘Premium’ section. There is no reason to purposely try to sabotage something that is working unless you’re either stupid… or jealous.

For Sky…. I’m sure Fred handled himself in a very professional manner which is all anyone is asking here of the newbies. He probably didn’t come across as some know-it-all or complaining biatch. He knows how to be prepared in any environment and I’m sure represented himself totally top notch.


For Fred......

Like Ron White says... you can't fix stupid..........

 

[Bly]

For somebody who marched in and asked for free advice on how to do his own job I thought OP had a remarkably thin skin.

 

[klmjff]

Gina,
I'm not talking down to everyone that helps me. Look back on my posts and show me where I have done that. If I ask for help and i get a smartass remark (which is 80% of the time), I'm fine with that. I can take it and dish it out equally. It's your "holier than thou" attitude that makes me laugh.
Yes, I am a newbie and have only been in business for 2 years, but I've learned a lot and hope to learn a lot more from this site. If people like you choose to come down on people, rather than help, then thats your problem.
Your response showed how butthurt you got from my post. Don't be so sensitive. We are all here to help each other....Kimmmie....lol

 

[visualeyez]

Here's a sane answer to the actual reason this thread was posted.

Banners 101:

Standard Banners are 13 oz. This weight is for 1 square yard of material.
You can use glossy or matte finish depending on the application.
Grommets are #2 brass and usually placed at all corners and every 24".
Over the road banners should be 18 oz. material with wind slits. One way roads get 3x30' and two ways get 4x40' around here.
One inch of letter height is visible from 25' and 4" from 100' etc.
Don't make crappy banners and don't undercharge the market. Don't take less than $7 per square foot and try to get $10+.
Don't worry about full saturation prints, lay the ink down thick.
Use good quality products and tell the customers how good they are and why.
Design your banners at 72ppi raster, preferably all vector.
Save everything with notes for reproduction.
Don't forget to kern every letter of everything.
What do you know about color management?
If you fail, we will ec-communicate you...
Or you can choose to step down now.
Hopefully some other hacks search for and use this info in the future also...

 

[Pat Whatley]

Great post....but nobody searching will ever get through the three pages of bullshit we created to get to the info you just offered up.

Maybe you should copy it and start another thread with it to save it so people can find it with a search.

Again, good informative post.