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Freelance design and Merchant Membership

Arlo Kalon 2.0

Arlo Kalon 2.0

New Member
I mentioned on another thread my idea of offering freelance design work for your layout backlog. I am entire willing to let you decide what the final product is worth to you to pay me, I won't argue with it ever. Before I decide to purchase a merchant membership, I wanted to try and get an idea of how many people might actually avail themselves of the service. The end of my sign career I was a designer at a big electric sign company designing pole, monument signs and channel letters. I did this for four years. Of course, before that I had nearly 30 years of running a commercial sign shop. If you want, I can provide a three tier design approach for your projects. With email today, I don't see why you couldn't get your backlog of work to the production phase sooner by having the
layout work done by me and emailed to you a few days later. Think about the ability to get three or four more jobs paid for and out the door every week? One thing I don't like is waiting for payment - I will want to be paid as soon as you collect for the job. Nothing will be owed ever if none of my designs are selected. Does this sound like a solution you could use in your business? The only thing I don't do is wraps.
 
neato

neato

New Member
Duuuuude! I was hoping you were going to say that.

Arlo, do it! There is NOTHING out there for us who want to learn hand lettering. I just finally contacted a local guy that still does hand painting. I'm hopefully going to spend a day with him so he can get me going with my quills and One Shot.

If these were done well, you'd have a market. Hand lettering is making a comeback.

http://signpaintermovie.blogspot.com/
 
Marlene

Marlene

New Member
it sounds like you could really be a great service to those who want to get into illuminated signs and have no clue. you could design and set it up so all they had to do is send it to their manufacture to make. it takes skill to know how to do what you know how to do. I'd say go for it and give it a try.
 
Rick

Rick

Certified Enneadecagon Designer
My dad has been working for 68 years, and he still gets paid when he shows up to work. If you are going to do this, you should get paid for everything you design.

There is a designer on Signweb who offers unlimited designs for sign shops at a subscription price and there are more shops needing his service that he has time for. You might try that, you will have steady work that you get paid for, and a steady chunk of change. Check out the post and see if this is a better option.

http://signweb.com/forum/seeking-jo...g-production-files-750-month-only-a-few-selec

Starting a blog with your work, or posting your work samples/portfolio will definitely bring you some interest too.
 
TyrantDesigner

TyrantDesigner

Art! Hot and fresh.
neato said:
Duuuuude! I was hoping you were going to say that.

Arlo, do it! There is NOTHING out there for us who want to learn hand lettering. I just finally contacted a local guy that still does hand painting. I'm hopefully going to spend a day with him so he can get me going with my quills and One Shot.

If these were done well, you'd have a market. Hand lettering is making a comeback.

http://signpaintermovie.blogspot.com/
Click to expand...

Most I find are old caligraphy books and an article in the now dead sign magazine (the one that merged with wraps magazine) about how to hand letter. I would love to spend time learning from someone again who knows sign painting ... I know enough to get the job done, but not enough to make a living from it. I would happily pay for instructional dvds on it.
 
royster13

royster13

New Member
I feel bad for folks trying to get work as a designer these days.......

It seems a couple times a week I get emails or phone calls from "out of work" designers......And because of competition from overseas there seems to be way more designers than there is work....

I can remember years back telling one of my young neighbours to learn Illustrator and Photoshop and she would be set.....She had no interest and became an underwater welder....I am glad she made that choice....
 
Pat Whatley

Pat Whatley

New Member
royster13 said:
It seems a couple times a week I get emails or phone calls from "out of work" designers......
Click to expand...

While there are talented exceptions (like Arlo) in the last four years I have never had one of those "designers" have any skills at all. I'd say less than 10 came by with a professional looking portfolio, another couple of dozen who dropped off a resume and a cd and 50 or so who just called and either had nothing to show or wanted me to find their facebook or myspace page. Not one of them showed any level of skill that I thought I could build off of.
 
lexsigns

lexsigns

New Member
I would use you when I needed :)
BTW- I am a signpainter and it is great people would like to learn it but why would it be making a comeback?
I was so anti computer when they first came out and now the one a month or so times I hand paint a carved sign, I say to myself I am so glad I went the vinyl route!
I could never do a truck in a day if I was still painting.

I am near Boston and willing to teach anyone anything they want to know about it. We are a dying if not dead breed ;)
 
Arlo Kalon 2.0

Arlo Kalon 2.0

New Member
I was just telling my wife this morning about my idea (I got from someone on here) to film a DVD series on hand lettering and pinstriping. I will demonstrate a few complete fonts, brush handling and proper thinning of paint. The weather is unseasonably warm right now, but we're due at least one winter blast before it warms up for summer. As soon as that happens, I'm going to clear out a space in my garage around the easel I posted about awhile back and get after this project. I plan on making it as professional a production as I can. Look for it to be available sometime in the Spring.
 
neato

neato

New Member
Arlo, we eagerly await the opportunity to see your expertise.

lexsigns, I guess I should have said that it's gaining a 'cult' comeback. There are still people out there looking for the friendly, warm look of hand painted signs.

www.creativesignmakers.com is forum with a bunch of guys painting signs every day and making a living at it.
 
TyrantDesigner

TyrantDesigner

Art! Hot and fresh.
Arlo Kalon said:
I was just telling my wife this morning about my idea (I got from someone on here) to film a DVD series on hand lettering and pinstriping. I will demonstrate a few complete fonts, brush handling and proper thinning of paint. The weather is unseasonably warm right now, but we're due at least one winter blast before it warms up for summer. As soon as that happens, I'm going to clear out a space in my garage around the easel I posted about awhile back and get after this project. I plan on making it as professional a production as I can. Look for it to be available sometime in the Spring.
Click to expand...

Dude, do it! this http://youtu.be/Oa9aWeeY6dc is about the quality of video I can find that even remotely talks about types of materials to use ... and it's not very comprehensive. most just are "look at how awesome I am ... suck it" videos
 
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