Hello all fellow Design/Sign Pro's...
Im Les Westfall, Design Specialist and Production Artist for a new Design and Digital Printing Shop for branding, signage, and printing solutions located in Springfield, IL. I have been an artist my whole life, a degree holding freelance Graphic Designer since 2005, and now printer/production artist since the beginning of this month.
To say the learning curves are quickly apparent is an understatement. I have specialized and focused in branding strategy, custom graphic design, desktop publishing, traditional and digital illustration, professional photography and layout through out my whole career but my experience in the printing/sign industry is pretty slim to none. As a freelance artist, I normally sent my client's finished pieces to them directly, or to their choice printing specialists and that was the end. Now I AM THE PRINTER and have been unlearning some shortcuts, bad habits and the like since I started.
Our shop is still in start up mode but we are getting production rolling and I need a bit of assistance from other sign professionals on just how to mount this monkey and ride her to the moon.
Where better to ask for help than in a community of potential colleagues, competitors, and comedians?
Just to put it out there. I know my **** stinks. I know I have a lot of learning to do in my field (I NEVER STOP STUDYING/LEARNING). I do have a couple college degree's and years of freelance design experience. And I have a overwhelming feeling that I've been tossed to the dogs in the Sign and Print industry, being that Im the only designer/creative/printer in our shop at the present time. I have many insights, tales, tips and tricks to share in exchange for fair report among other more knowledgeable signage professionals.
That said, I NEED SOME HELP!
Im Les Westfall, Design Specialist and Production Artist for a new Design and Digital Printing Shop for branding, signage, and printing solutions located in Springfield, IL. I have been an artist my whole life, a degree holding freelance Graphic Designer since 2005, and now printer/production artist since the beginning of this month.
To say the learning curves are quickly apparent is an understatement. I have specialized and focused in branding strategy, custom graphic design, desktop publishing, traditional and digital illustration, professional photography and layout through out my whole career but my experience in the printing/sign industry is pretty slim to none. As a freelance artist, I normally sent my client's finished pieces to them directly, or to their choice printing specialists and that was the end. Now I AM THE PRINTER and have been unlearning some shortcuts, bad habits and the like since I started.
Our shop is still in start up mode but we are getting production rolling and I need a bit of assistance from other sign professionals on just how to mount this monkey and ride her to the moon.
Where better to ask for help than in a community of potential colleagues, competitors, and comedians?
Just to put it out there. I know my **** stinks. I know I have a lot of learning to do in my field (I NEVER STOP STUDYING/LEARNING). I do have a couple college degree's and years of freelance design experience. And I have a overwhelming feeling that I've been tossed to the dogs in the Sign and Print industry, being that Im the only designer/creative/printer in our shop at the present time. I have many insights, tales, tips and tricks to share in exchange for fair report among other more knowledgeable signage professionals.
That said, I NEED SOME HELP!
