Mike Steven's "Mastering Layout

[iSign]

Just read the damn thing Doug!
Even cheat and just look at the pictures!

ok, ok ...I've made my "confession" here before, but I think maybe I went into my psyche theory, hoping to solicit permission to look ahead at the pictures

Though I haven't formally announced it, I did hire an employee who shows excellent promise, which has turned my mind towards numerous business goals I'd like to turn some of my newfound attention towards. This thread turned up the heat on another one & Mike's book just came off the shelf!

 

[N2Harpz]

Man ! ... I didn't know that this thread would get this much attention. Another reason why I can't wait to get my copy......

 

[N2Harpz]

Yee Hawww ... I just won a bid on Ebay. I got the book for $29.00 INCLUDING the shipping. Can't wait..

 

[Geary]

Here, here!!

Before Mike passed on he signed my copy. It's long gone and I've bought several more to give to newbies who I thought showed promise. I met mike 20 years ago and he had a profound affect on me with relation to sign design.

Without a doubt the knowledge I gained from that book had more impact on me out selling all of my competition because of better design. I've often sold jobs that my competitors lost with three times a higher price.

It's not always about the cheapest price.

Exactly my experience with the book as well. I knew him and visited his spot at the drug store in San Jose before he moved out to work with John Cox at ThoroughGraphics in Kentucky.


I will confess something to you guys though. If you buy a copy of his cassette.....which is basically Mike reading the book.....you will absolutely fall asleep to it. The guy was wonderful. But a more monotone voice...you've never heard! LOL

~Gear

 

[Geary]

Wth?

Yee Hawww ... I just won a bid on Ebay. I got the book for $29.00 INCLUDING the shipping. Can't wait..

What is the deal here? You can get 'em all day long at SignCraft. https://www.signcraft.com/secure/cart/items.asp?cat=7

Oh....and make sure you pick up a copy of his Sho-cards too!

~G.

 

[Replicator]

One of the greatest books ever !

 

[N2Harpz]

SignCraft sells em for $29.95 PLUS shipping .... Ebay had it at a store called signwarehouse for $21 Plus $8 shipping .. Total $29 delivered. Good Deal

 

[N2Harpz]

After looking at the link you sent Geary ... I think I'll have to check out the ShowCard book also. Thanks.

I am a big time photo saver, book reading, picture taker person. I am always digging for new ideas for paintings. I believe the sign business will be the same. Always needing that new idea. I am having a blast with this new business.

 

[Jetmech]

A member here, Craig Sjoquist, suggested I get this book after I had a minor disaster with a banner I was making and it was cut to short, AND layed out wrong after I tried to compromise to fill in the banner chasing a logo I cut to big. That and he realised I didn't have alot of the basics this book provides. I really think this was some excellent advice.

I got it off Amazon used for $12, and read it already the first day. Well, skimmed it as the author suggested, then read it more in depth. You are supposed to do that "in-depth" study a few more times.

The book itself is hard cover and just looks terrific, but the material does seem dated in how it's presented in the book black and white and without mention of computers. It's made for everyone, but certainly at the time not where we had all this wonderful computer technology. The ideas though will never be dated, as they make solid, design sense. Very enjoyable reading.

 

[Geary]

JetMech,

Mike wanted the book to always be printed in the most generic form possible to save on ink and paper. In fact, the pages are 100% recycled....or at least they originally were.

And as far as your comment on "ideas will never be dated" is exactly right. In fact, our "wonderful computer technology" is behind times as there is never any bundled software that would teach people how to do layouts. Mike Stevens was light years ahead of everything in that respect.

Cheers

~Gear

 

[Jetmech]

They looked almost yellow, so that could be it!

My point on the computers is, I didn't have my laptop with me, so I was working on a sign, and had to use a pen and paper, with his ideas. It looked dreadful in a raw scribbled form, and to have the technolgy we all take for granted, would have been too easy to work out, change 5 times, critique, and finalise then and there. I did it when I got home.

The sign makers in the day with a paint brush had some other extra talents for sure.