Arlo Kalon 2.0
New Member
2017 was my first year of my "hobby" business of selling smaller hand lettered interior decor signs at craft fairs. My largest take was a little over $500 in 6 hours one Saturday. It's definitely not a financially lucrative endeavor but is a fun weekend outing for my wife and I in our retirement.We get to meet lots of people and have become friends with other vendors.
I recently read an article about the resurgence of sign painting. It seems there are people who've finally realized there was a time when talent was required in this trade and they are willing to pay the prices uniquely and appropriately designed signs sell for. I bought a white cargo van for hauling my wares and displays to craft fairs. I got tired of always having to unload everything from a pickup truck. Now I just leave it in the van all the time for future trips to fairs.
I recently decided to get in on the hand lettering renaissance and started lettering the van with 1 Shot. I designed the layout with Steve Contreras' fonts exclusively. I am also a pinstriper and have lots of sheet metal real estate to stripe remaining. When the weather warms up enough to get that done is when I'll post pics. I have a shop building in my back yard at a new house out in the country. I am living out the glory days of sign painting once again. I still love getting in the zone while painting signs. I still experience quitting time always coming too soon just like in the beginning when I first fell in love with being able to do what 3 master sign painters taught me.
I've gotten custom sign orders at the craft fairs mainly. I have no idea how lucrative it will be going back to how signs were made prior to 1982. The nice thing now is I am financially comfortable enough in my retirement that I have no need to lower prices just to get work. I'll still eat and travel whether anybody pays my prices or not. I'm still hoping to realize a very old goal of passing on my knowledge to a young upstart someday. It used to be next to impossible to find a master painter willing to train you because they were creating their own competition. I have no concerns about that now. I want to teach someone how to do REAL signs, not the scrap fence board things so many people peddle nowadays with their Cricut stencil lettering. Those people hate it when I set up near them and buyers see firsthand the difference in our products. Who knew retirement was going to be so infinitely rewarding? Pics to come soon.
I recently read an article about the resurgence of sign painting. It seems there are people who've finally realized there was a time when talent was required in this trade and they are willing to pay the prices uniquely and appropriately designed signs sell for. I bought a white cargo van for hauling my wares and displays to craft fairs. I got tired of always having to unload everything from a pickup truck. Now I just leave it in the van all the time for future trips to fairs.
I recently decided to get in on the hand lettering renaissance and started lettering the van with 1 Shot. I designed the layout with Steve Contreras' fonts exclusively. I am also a pinstriper and have lots of sheet metal real estate to stripe remaining. When the weather warms up enough to get that done is when I'll post pics. I have a shop building in my back yard at a new house out in the country. I am living out the glory days of sign painting once again. I still love getting in the zone while painting signs. I still experience quitting time always coming too soon just like in the beginning when I first fell in love with being able to do what 3 master sign painters taught me.
I've gotten custom sign orders at the craft fairs mainly. I have no idea how lucrative it will be going back to how signs were made prior to 1982. The nice thing now is I am financially comfortable enough in my retirement that I have no need to lower prices just to get work. I'll still eat and travel whether anybody pays my prices or not. I'm still hoping to realize a very old goal of passing on my knowledge to a young upstart someday. It used to be next to impossible to find a master painter willing to train you because they were creating their own competition. I have no concerns about that now. I want to teach someone how to do REAL signs, not the scrap fence board things so many people peddle nowadays with their Cricut stencil lettering. Those people hate it when I set up near them and buyers see firsthand the difference in our products. Who knew retirement was going to be so infinitely rewarding? Pics to come soon.
