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My first wall job done.

Si Allen

New Member
If you are planning on more of these jobs .. invest in a few fitches of various sizes. Also a couple of cutters in different sizes. Can't find cutters, get a few short bristle sash brushes.
You will find it much easier to do the lettering.
 

Billct2

Active Member
Looks good.
Ditto on the fitches, lettering concrete block was a PITA till I learned about fitches.
How many times did someone say"Hey ya spelled that wrong"
 

signmeup

New Member
Looks good.
Ditto on the fitches, lettering concrete block was a PITA till I learned about fitches.
How many times did someone say"Hey ya spelled that wrong"
Here's a close up of the brick. The ribs are about 1/8" deep. Nasty little buggers.

Only the one old fella with the "upside down" S.
 

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Freehandan

New Member
Letters like that are pretty basic and a good way to get paid while you practice. I bet that if you get your nerves straight, you can paint that without a stencil Very Easily. Touch up paint and telling the customer "those are free" when they complain about drips will allow you to work in peace!
With not much over-head, I cannot see any other way to write signs!
It will go a lot quicker if you stand on the ladder itself though-:thumb:
 

signmeup

New Member
OK...... I give up.... how the heck would it be faster to move a ladder every 10 minutes verses walking around on my 10 foot plank like I was on the ground?

Oh, and welcome to the forum!
 

Freehandan

New Member
Because I am Like A nimble Ninja! That is how and why. I snap a few lines, decide on how drippy to make tha paint in relation to surface texture, wind, temp and personal speed of my metabolism at the time. I can get an area of about 6' overall to paint while in one spot of the ladder. And holding on to a wall is NO fun!!. If your up there for a while, the wood can flex and give vertigo, ANd the time and effort of luggin boards around!! And having the platform will make you needy in the sence that you will want to take more crao up there with youe and instill risk factors like trippin or droppin stuff. So the ladder is awesome, if you monitor and I watch out for what I call...'Parrot-Foot'! from time spent in one foot position. At this point I don't use any guide-lines for adresses and such. I just start painting. I am not about or never have been about graffiti though. But when you write signs like writing a letter, magic happens! I used to measure and try all other methods but in the past 4 years or so, the 6-7 years prior to that learning on my own have paid off and things are pretty fluid now.
Even with the building texture, it would only take about 10 minutes, maybe 15 to drop-shadow or outline a sign like you painted. even on a ladder.
These days I am looking to go after those pinstripers and their stupid brushes. I Tattoo and have been in that industry as well and have no respect for the graffiti/rockabilly types who have flooded the scene with there hype. I'm just waiting for the computer to take a back seat as well.
It pisses me off when i have worked so hard to learn what is natural and others take the market with tools and un-(L)earned abilities. If it wasn't for vehicle leases the wrap business would be good for not much.
This one took me one day and was all freehand, on ladder only.
"If I could fly-I'd paint the sky!!!"
 

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signmeup

New Member
Dude..... you gotta stop sniffin' the paint! There is no way you can paint an outline on a 14 foot x 2 foot set of words on a ribbed brick wall in ten minutes. Especially from a ladder. A little BS is one thing, out right fantasy is another.
That works out to 42 seconds a letter to outline or drop shadow. Pulease................
 
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Freehandan

New Member
Dude, I can outline a 24" letter with serifs on a stucko textured wall in about 30 seconds from the point of the brush hitting the wall. Add 1 minute for each letter to cover the dipping, looking arround, leaning and I can do 3-5 letters in one standing. I can climb up the ladder to 15 feet, write the word 'sale' in two foot letters in about 8-12 minutes, double coated in most cases, and then climb down the ladder, get a smaller brush and paint, then outline it in about 6 minutes. With cleaning my hands, setting up my junk, and doing the job I can do that in about 30 minutes in a casual way.
If I were to get a real job and show up at 9am, by 10 am I could get a call to paint a 100$ sign that I may even take a day to do if I goof off. 10 of those a month and I cannot even see the point of working. I do get about 3-5 jobs like that a month.
But I am a starving artist who pilfers time. Paint on anything and you can always find something to paint for money. I WISH I could go to a truckstop like in the old days and hang out for a weekend and make 2000$. Damn Vinyl and Leases!
 

Freehandan

New Member
This one took me abut 4 hours from the time I got there to the time I left-
The wall is a peice of crap! So dirty that I had to double triple coat the whites. Some of the crevices are a .25" deep. I did not charge for the boat because in essence, It made my job easier and quicker. The business is facing a railroad track and I have been painting businesses there for about 15 years.
Find industrial districts to practice and hone your skills in. Grease pits are your friend with this, but don't get stuck in the market. I need to graduate to more retail environments myself though-
And I only spell correctly when I'm gettin paid!
 

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