TheSnowman
New Member
Grandparents started the company in 1980, I grew up and was around it my entire life. Time came for them to retire due to failing health, I bought the business from them, still going five years later.
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How did you get into sign making?
- Thread starter shakey0818
- Start date
stephenj148
New Member
Well, I hate to admit but I'm one of the people on this board that people don't like.... the kinda person that just gets a vinyl cutter and thinks they can do everything......
I'm 21 now, started racing dirtbikes when I was 12. And my dad got the idea to start doing jersey lettering for a side type job + a possible business for me to run as I grew older. I used to play around with photoshop, making signatures for message boards, computer backgrounds and manipulating photos... We started with layering cut vinyl onto jerseys, mainly for people we knew at the races, and my own jerseys.
Now, still running out of our basement, we have a Roland 540 and we do motocross graphics. With my dad working full time, Me in school and shattering my femur in 2007, slightly removing me from the racing scene we haven't really gotten a steady flow of business...
I'm in school for Graphic Design (I know, just because I'm in school for graphic design gives me no such leverage in the sign business.... clearly theres more to it than that.) But I do have a passion for design and hope to have my own shop someday, I still have A LOT to learn in all aspects of Designs, Signs, etc.... but thats the main reason I'm a member on this site. I'm not here to start drama or create a bad name for myself or anyone else. I'm here to learn, there are a lot of smart people on this board, some who go above and beyond to help the best they can and thats why I'm here.. To learn and thicken the skin a bit.
** got off on a tangent there...sorry**
so as it is now, my dad and my business is slow, but its also not a full time thing. As much as a PITA motorsports people can be, I enjoy producing things for the industry, and hope to carry on in the sign world and just have fun with it. In any job theres parts that are not fun, I'm sure running a full time, fully moving business is nothing easy and people are frustrated at times.
So thats my story as of now, Not nearly as experienced as the other members of this board, but again... thats why I'm here, Signs101 is a huge learning tool for me. People often posting helpful links that I bookmark and use when needed, people critiquing designs and telling the bloody truth, no matter how harsh it can be, my skins gotten thicker since I've been a member..
Thanks!
I'm 21 now, started racing dirtbikes when I was 12. And my dad got the idea to start doing jersey lettering for a side type job + a possible business for me to run as I grew older. I used to play around with photoshop, making signatures for message boards, computer backgrounds and manipulating photos... We started with layering cut vinyl onto jerseys, mainly for people we knew at the races, and my own jerseys.
Now, still running out of our basement, we have a Roland 540 and we do motocross graphics. With my dad working full time, Me in school and shattering my femur in 2007, slightly removing me from the racing scene we haven't really gotten a steady flow of business...
I'm in school for Graphic Design (I know, just because I'm in school for graphic design gives me no such leverage in the sign business.... clearly theres more to it than that.) But I do have a passion for design and hope to have my own shop someday, I still have A LOT to learn in all aspects of Designs, Signs, etc.... but thats the main reason I'm a member on this site. I'm not here to start drama or create a bad name for myself or anyone else. I'm here to learn, there are a lot of smart people on this board, some who go above and beyond to help the best they can and thats why I'm here.. To learn and thicken the skin a bit.
** got off on a tangent there...sorry**
so as it is now, my dad and my business is slow, but its also not a full time thing. As much as a PITA motorsports people can be, I enjoy producing things for the industry, and hope to carry on in the sign world and just have fun with it. In any job theres parts that are not fun, I'm sure running a full time, fully moving business is nothing easy and people are frustrated at times.
So thats my story as of now, Not nearly as experienced as the other members of this board, but again... thats why I'm here, Signs101 is a huge learning tool for me. People often posting helpful links that I bookmark and use when needed, people critiquing designs and telling the bloody truth, no matter how harsh it can be, my skins gotten thicker since I've been a member..
Thanks!
Rick
Certified Enneadecagon Designer
From a previous thread....
When I was a kid (c.1976-80) I had an oddball neighbor who lettered and pinstripped, a church member also worked where he did and I got to hang around. Later on I started painting window splashes for car clubs in socal, and designed t-shirts for them as well as surfwear for various companies , flyers for punk venues and bands.
My "real" jobs were auto mechanic, pool man, VW performance shop, an Art Center drop-out. I was later hired as an architectural illustrator for an interior designer (he was an original imagineer), he turned me on to themed design.
I dropped it all for a job in construction. I was still designing logos, posters and shirts.
I quite construction and took a chump job at a one man sign shop and worked my way up to senior graphic designer for an environmental graphic design firm.
I have done corporate print design to theme park signage and ride experience at Disney Parks, Warner Bros in Spain, The Henry Ford, Discovery World in Taiwan, Knott's Berry Farm, and Vegas, plus signage packages at various colleges, airports, hospitals and downtown city redevelopments. I also do some page editorial layouts, geurilla graphics, and conceptual architectural elements for various friends in the business. I am currently taking care of my ailing wife and 3 active kids and starting up a design firm specializing in identity, environmental graphics, graphic products and t-shirt line and later getting into posters for events and festivals.
When I was a kid (c.1976-80) I had an oddball neighbor who lettered and pinstripped, a church member also worked where he did and I got to hang around. Later on I started painting window splashes for car clubs in socal, and designed t-shirts for them as well as surfwear for various companies , flyers for punk venues and bands.
My "real" jobs were auto mechanic, pool man, VW performance shop, an Art Center drop-out. I was later hired as an architectural illustrator for an interior designer (he was an original imagineer), he turned me on to themed design.
I dropped it all for a job in construction. I was still designing logos, posters and shirts.
I quite construction and took a chump job at a one man sign shop and worked my way up to senior graphic designer for an environmental graphic design firm.
I have done corporate print design to theme park signage and ride experience at Disney Parks, Warner Bros in Spain, The Henry Ford, Discovery World in Taiwan, Knott's Berry Farm, and Vegas, plus signage packages at various colleges, airports, hospitals and downtown city redevelopments. I also do some page editorial layouts, geurilla graphics, and conceptual architectural elements for various friends in the business. I am currently taking care of my ailing wife and 3 active kids and starting up a design firm specializing in identity, environmental graphics, graphic products and t-shirt line and later getting into posters for events and festivals.
weaselboogie
New Member
My career in porn fell through after a disastrous fluffing accident.
This is my backup plan.
This is my backup plan.
mikey-Oh
New Member
Gino
Premium Subscriber
I don't remember that far back. I had a computer crash and lost all that early information. I can only go back to 1992.
I got into it because I heard the pay was good and many of the painters drank a lot and that seemed to fit in with my requirements, so here I am almost 40 years later. The pay is still good and I drink whiskey now instead of beer. Doctor's orders.
Like some others, my story is floating around here somewhere. I'm just too lazy to look for it.
I got into it because I heard the pay was good and many of the painters drank a lot and that seemed to fit in with my requirements, so here I am almost 40 years later. The pay is still good and I drink whiskey now instead of beer. Doctor's orders.
Like some others, my story is floating around here somewhere. I'm just too lazy to look for it.
ABPGraphics
New Member
Hmmm. Same, but I dont do signwriting for a living.. yet. Working on it. Have a few graf mates who do it now. One still does his work with cans, no brushes, no computers... Been about 15+ years now for me.
Sign-Man Signs
New Member
Why? Hunger. Been at it for over 40 years.Started lettering race cars for my dad. Then he started farming me out. Self taught. When vinyl came out it ruined me. Lost art, brush and paint.