but I'm not charging this school for me to learn. So, I figure a one hour minimum is fair and ethical.
Fair and ethical would be first learning your software, and the basics of design, and then learning how to charge for your work before passing one's self off as a sign maker..
My friend..
Many wish to become signmaker having no previous experience, knowledge or awareness of the industry. This seems to happen in the following steps. One gets a lead on a possible design job. He discusses his proposal with a client. Usually embellishes his ability a little because he has no idea what he does not know. He buys some tackle he thinks he needs to do the job. He spends a great deal of time making too many mistakes that later must be rectified. His work violates every known rule of design.
He spends a great deal of money without taking his baby steps to deepen his knowledge and learning what he will be doing to make a sign FIRST.
Sign making is not an occupation where someone can permit himself to act without paying the price. Too many others will suffer for this false start. As long as the sign panel holds the mysteries, as long as he does not understand the sequence of designs, as long as he does not realize the relationship between lettering, paint, color and layout rules his payoff will never be anything but as an also ran.
It is not wise to approach sign making this way. From whence do these signmakers with their skills rooted in the unknown appear? They appear from self envisioning of producing a nice income working at home and making a piece of work that will let them stand out among their friends and family as having a skill no one else posseses.
In reality this unskilled wandered into uncharted waters of idealism. In the hands of the unskilled the skilled signmaker has to endure the torment and stress and endure the diminished reputation wrought upon the trade by the unskilled idealog.
Only the one who studied, read and practiced signmaking skills and software knows how to avoid the beginners errors. Only a previously trained technician is capable of working within the generally accepted rules of design and assembly. Doing so he builds his trade and the industry. All this makes a successful business and a happy sign maker.
After a period of proper study the beginner steps out and produces a fine product. He will post and let others observe his work and take suggestions.
One day the beginner will have the skill and ability to be called a signmaker. He can look at a design in progress and know instantly what needs to be changed, tweaked, and dismissed. Then he can go out and sell his work that looks professional while he acts as a professional. At that time all those who know what a good panel looks like will stand and admire the great improvement this person has accomplished.
Your order of operation.
Go to Youtube.
Learn your design software
Learn the rules of kerning and layout.
learn paint, and substrates and other media.
Come here. Post designs, Take advice and act on it.
Get good enough. It will only take a few months
Then one will be a Sign Maker.
