Sign Schools ? Any info on them?

[American & Proud]

I have seen threads were people say things like "go to sign school like I did".

I would love to go to one, in fact I have been looking but can't really find any.
I found a workshop in Wisconsin for Hayward school of dimensional sign making, thats only 3 days long.

I did find a school in Canada, I can't find that link again. Anyone have the link handy?

I would like info and links to sign schools/training, prefer the Chicago area but would like any in the USA.
I want to go to school for this if there is real actual legit schooling for signs.

I would like to be able to submit these training schools/programs in hopes of getting workerscomp to pay for it. Or at least include the total costs into a settlement form. So I can then pursue the sign business with proper training.

Thanks for any info you can help me with.

 

[Rick]

What kind of signs do you want to get into?

 

[Keith Rae]

Most colleges teach graphic art programs with the use of digital media programs like adobe They teach you the programs and general design skills after that its up to you to adapt it to the profession your in. Or just post your work on this sight and the members will be brutally honest in there critique. Much more educational than a teacher just giving you a grade. You will receive many more opinions and ideas of how to improve your designs. Some equipment and software companies supply training videos for or with their products.

 

[Mike Paul]

http://www.buteraschool.com/ in Mass.
I did the two year sign program there in 88.

They didn't have housing but worked something out with Fisher College across the street with dorm rooms.
Fisher was an all girl college at that time.... we had the best times of our lives and I would highly recommend it.

 

[Keith Rae]

I want to be a sign-painter's apprentice! What ever happened the the apprenticeship program? Rhetorical question. I got computer and eBay vinyl cutter now I'm owner of a sign business.

 

[American & Proud]

Right now as my sig line shows I have a couple vinyl cutters and Flexi Pro, I practice here at home a few hours a day.
Eventually I want to get a wide format printer for doing outdoor and indoor printing. 54".

I basically have a pretty complete woodworking shop in my garage that would be moved into my future sign shop.

The Hayward 3 day class interest me very much, but that I think would be an added dimension to a basic sign shop.

I have a sand blasting cabinet and a pressurized sandblasting tank.

Eventually a wide variety of signage.

Channel letter and electrical I would sub out if I bid at all. (Electrical work in my area is all Unionized, I am a former Union member in another Trade)

I am hoping to buy a commecial condo unit building, that depends on the final outcome of my case though. (My house gets paid off first)

A basic sign school training is what I was hoping was meant by others saying "Go to sign school."

I placed a classified here to be an Apprentice with no response and am applying for local sign shops too. No luck yet.

Thanks

 

[American & Proud]

http://www.buteraschool.com/

Thanks Mike, thats a start.

 

[Rick]

One thing I would invest in, if you have not seen it is this book...

http://chatterboxdesigns.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=88&vmcchk=1&Itemid=83

at the very least it will give you an idea on the process of sign design that most shops have to go through.

Does your state require a sign contractors license? I have to say your plans sound very ambitious, even with construction skills.

It's very hard for a small shop to do it all. I have a union construction experience, design and sign background, and I can make some really big specialty signs. But I simply can't do it all productively. I just design then send it out for bid and make sure the job goes well, or I design for other shops.

 

[American & Proud]

Thanks Rick,

I will order the PDF or DVD version .

I have the Mastering Layout by Mike Stevens book and the LOGO Design 1 by Dan Antonelli (Book 2 is on the way from Amazon) and subscribed to SignCraft Magazine so far.

I know I can't start out doing it all, but my interests in signs vary.

Starting with learning Good basics, getting proper training I know is a Must.

I am not sure about a sign contractors license in IL. Most likely for large type signage.

I will be starting small like most everyone and hopefully grow. So maybe the smaller stuff it isnt required, but I will look into it, any info on how I can find out?

I am middle aged and after a career ending injury,
I need formal type schooling if I am going to get my lawyer to be able to submit it as actual training to help get me a job in the sign industry. Or start my own down the road.

I know it takes either on the job training (I went through a formal 5 year Apprenticeship program in my former Trade to become a Journeyman working 25 years in that trade. At about 40.00 plus per hour.) or formal education in conjunction with on the job training.

So just general Graphics classes won't due, would have to be a set of classes geared towards a sign career.
WC wants/NEEDS to see it as actually getting me Hired. Or they will refuse retraining, like they have been doing for several years now.

They would rather shove me into some entry level, minimum wage job, No qualifications needed/required, with no real chance of any type advancement or pay, and a settlement sum and be done with me.
Then I would need to QUIT the meaningless job ASAP and go back to some form of Schooling/Training Program anyways.

I want to be able to, through my Lawyer, submit the total costs so they can either pay for me to go now, or the costs be added to any settlement amount and go afterwards.

My lawyer would rather get Them to pay for retraining first, rather than me having to pay for it myself out of a settlement. So far anything else they have flatly Refused to OK.

 

[Rick]

The signs types you describe are generally not taught in a school setting. If you check the sign/trade schools, they may only touch on some of that... like construction, sign construction is an on the job education.

The reason I asked what type of signs is that you have schools like Butera or LA Trade Tech teaching craftsmen and practical skills, then you have places like The University of Cincinnati, Corcoran, Kent State, Drexel or Iowa State teaching conceptual and environmental graphic design...(large sign projects) whatever path you take, you need some serious on the job training. There really is nothing in between.

There is an old survey on the message board about how everyone got into this business.. most were self-taught. It does not give you an idea of what type of signs they are into, but my guess is it's generally promotional sign types (anything that deals with a printer or cutter)

If there is a program (state or federal) that might work with your case, then that is the first place I would look as quite a few schools take some types of re-education programs. But will still need to learn as you go, or earn while you learn.

You don't say what type of construction you were in, but those skills may come in handy. But if you can't do your present job, is signage going to be physically hard for you too? My trade was structural and flat concrete and masonry but I also learned tile/marble/granite fabrication and woodworking/cabinetry. Being middle aged myself, walking up a 25' ladder to hang a banner, post hole digging, yanking off forms on a poured in place monument base or squeegeeing on a bus all day is not my idea of fun.

 

[American & Proud]

A sign trade school is what I was generaly looking for Rick. I was hoping to find one local.

I will be starting out with vinyl cutting and printing, like most do. And the installs that go with them unless it is beyond my skills due to size of project or installation complexity, then that can be Subbed out.
Not real interested in full wraps at this time, but if need be, I will take the classes needed to do them. Or sub them out.

I can see myself and my kids doing installs, 2 of my kids are currently in college and both have taken art and graphics classes. Both are working part time jobs, but could do some part time work for me as well.

My son can run my one man post hole digger when needed for signs that need a 4x4 post or two. I can also see us building basic 4x4 posted type signs, nothing too elaborate, but as time goes on they can get more elaborate as techniques are learned.
I don't plan on doing billboards along the highway type work.
Gotta start small and dream big, but you gotta start.

Like I said I read people saying they went to sign school, so I thought it best to ask about them.

I realize finding a job in a sign shop for two years would do me alot of good, while I keep reading studying and practicing, and i'll keep applying locally when they come up.

Thanks

 

[mrbigcity]

LA Trade Tech

Check out the link below - talks a bit about LATTC - I attended 81-83, no regrets at all. When I was considering it, I stopped in a sign shop in So. Cal. looking for work & the owner told me to go there at all costs, distance no object. Another guy there drove approx. 75 miles each way daily. He's doing great today.

http://www.bigcitysigns.com/page3/page3.html

 

[Si Allen]

+1 for La Trade Tech

 

[MachServTech]

RIT

http://www.rit.edu/

 

[American & Proud]

Thanks guys for those links I will look at them and see what I can find.

My Dan Antonelli logo design 2 book just arrived with my Milwaukee 8988-20 digital heat gun from Amazon. Gotta love new Tools.

 

[petrosgraphics]

as mike said, butera in boston, been around a long time.....not much in the way of computer training but as for hand lettering it is a real good start..

 

[Dan Antonelli]

While meeting clients on the West Coast last month, I was fortunate enough to be a featured guest at a sign shop get together in Costa Mesa, CA - Gerard Signs. He invited Doc Guthrie who runs the Sign program at LA Trade Tech. Doc brought his students to meet me, and it was just awesome seeing all those young people excited about the business.

From what I gather, Doc runs an old-school, no-hold-barred series of classes that really gives them the tools to be good designers. I was very impressed, and so excited to see the passion these kids had for the trade. Reminded me of myself at that age.

 

[Replicator]

i got computer and ebay vinyl cutter now i'm owner of a sign business.

 

[Mosh]

Give me some cash and I will give you an "education".....Mosh's School of Sine makin', I like the sound of that!

 

[KCWells]

Butera School of art in Boston

I went to Butera School of Art in Boston and graduated from their two year sign course - in the days when you had to learn how to handle a brush.

It was an excellent school, I learned my craft and went on to earn a nice living.

I bought a Gerber Signmaker IVb way back when and still use it.