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I owe everyone here an apology

williamson design

williamson design

New Member
I came in here several months back, and was so overwhelmed with all the information and experience here, I completely forgot to introduce myself.

I am Glen Williamson, I live in Moline, IL. I have been involved in graphic design for about 15 years now, and I have been doing signs for the past 10. (all this really started when I was in the 5th grade and was always drawing)

I have worked with everything from newspaper advertising to silk screening. I got started doing signs back in Nov of 96, after moving to IL from California. I hired into a sign/trade display design company, and I caught the sign bug.

I aquired a Roland PNC 1000 in 1999 from my current employer, who was no longer using it, and have been doing freelance design/sign work ever since.

I am getting more and more interested in the "Old School" way of hand lettering signs and pinstriping. Compters are nice, but I want to know how to do it the way it began.

And that is pretty much it. I do enjoy reading about all the experience here, and being able to bounce ideas off of others in the trade.

Thanks again

Glen Williamson
Moline, IL

www.williamsondesign.com
 
Rick

Rick

Certified Enneadecagon Designer
If it's any consolation, I didn't either....of course there were only 4 or 5 members at the time and there was no New Member area.....Welcome!
 
Rick

Rick

Certified Enneadecagon Designer
I take it back, I was the first person to introduce themselves and I was told not to bash the newbies and be nice.....:rolleyes:
 
Cadmn

Cadmn

New Member
Glen welcome to the board & I think you Jumped in just fine & have enjoyed your posts Howdeee from one of them thar Texas guys
 
MAB SIGNS

MAB SIGNS

New Member
I've never seen you bash anyone Rick, your always helpful and to the point. Welcome Glen glad to see another midwest signguy join. I too dropped a sales job to work for a sign shop after reading my first Signcraft in 96' and the hand lettering and striping got me all excited. Too bad I started at an electrical sign shop lol. Again, Welcome to Signs101!
 
ol'goat

ol'goat

New Member
Glen

It's nice to meet you.

I admire your admiration for the hand lettering desire, it is not an impossible dream at all. It would required a very dedicated frame of mind. A tremendous amount of practice an the ability to over come discouragement, for just a few.

Most likely you would not have a mentor to work by your side patiently telling you what your doing wrong and of course what your doing right.

There is no secret formula for becoming a sign writer, some are born into the trade others by association some how. I to was a printer by trade, a member of The International Typographical union for many years, printer at the Dallas Morning News, and a young sign writer by day, composition of newspaper adds helped, being an Linotype/Inter type operator helped, my Dad was a printer and that brought me to that trade, I was dabbing with signs as far back as a sophomore in High School, with the help on week-ends of some very patient and talented sign men, I was lettering well by my senior year in HS, and making money at it each week, when i graduated I continued in printing and sign lettering on the side so to speak, my love was lettering, the printing was to stereotyped for me. That is the short version, the mentors classified me as a sign writer in 1961, I am still learning my friend, every day and not sorry one bit that I made the decision way back there.

Jack
 
Geary

Geary

New Member
Grab a BRUSH~!

Hey Glen, sup?

I will amen what Si and Jack said here....especially Si's suggestion to get to a "Letterhead" meeting. I had the opportunity to meet a few of the "founding members" (there really hasn't or isn't a formal organization per se) way back in the day out in Colorado where I really got the foundation of my hand lettering skills down finely. It all started with a couple guys, like Earl Vehill, Noel Weber, Bob Mitchell and a few others from that area just getting together once in awhile to ONLY share the craft of fine sign painting. (and throw darts and drink coffee or beer) That was around 1974-76. The purest ground swell "movement" in our craft.

And now, even with the advent of the computer, it's going just as strong as one can imagine. My specialty was the "one stroke" letter forms. I was a sho-card man for 10 straight years lettering up to 12 hours or more per day...and working mostly every day. I absolutely LOVED it! Still do. :wink:

If I can help in any way....just let me know. I'm sure the other lettermen here will be glad to share as well. Haven't asked them...but, I just know it....that's the way we are. The craft will not die. In fact, I predict that it will make a comeback (in a small way)....within this next decade. Vinyl is really a cool way to make money FAST in this business and in a lot of ways, it really was a life saver for those of us who were beginning to feel the aches and pains of getting a little older (the old osteo starts to set in naturally). So now, we hand painters get to pick and choose those custom jobs we want....take our time....and get REALLY good money for it now. The demand is now on the "custom elite" realm of our business...right in there with pin-stripers, airbrush artists, and tube-benders (neon guys).

Welcome to the club Jack. :Welcome:

~Geary
 
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