Something everyone should read..

[HulkSmash]

A good friend and Mentor of mine, who is one of the best designers I know,
has started a blog, and has a really good one i think everyone should read.

http://artdirecting.posterous.com/

 

[Kevin-shopVOX]

A good friend and Mentor of mine, who is one of the best designers I know,
has started a blog, and has a really good one i think everyone should read.

http://artdirecting.posterous.com/

 

[Mike F]

cool, thanks for sharing

 

[Kyle Blue]

Love it. Thanks!

 

[SignManiac]

It's a sad fact that today, the majority of people in our industry have zero artistic ability and that fact is evidenced by the proliferation of visual pollution that has destroyed the majority of communities and towns across this country.

That along with the lack of business acumen, has created the downward spiral of the sign profession, and I use that term loosely. It's really a shame.

 

[jc1cell]

the majority of people in our industry have zero artistic ability

HEY!!! I resemble that remark!!!

jc

;-)

 

[Dan Antonelli]

It's a sad fact that today, the majority of people in our industry have zero artistic ability and that fact is evidenced by the proliferation of visual pollution that has destroyed the majority of communities and towns across this country.

That along with the lack of business acumen, has created the downward spiral of the sign profession, and I use that term loosely. It's really a shame.

Therein lies the opportunity, or ease in which one who excels can really stand out.

Least that's one way to look at it.

 

[HulkSmash]

Dan i really like the work you and Joe put out. Some nice stuff. Wish i had more time to design like i use to

 

[John Butto]

uh huh

It's a sad fact that today, the majority of people in our industry have zero artistic ability and that fact is evidenced by the proliferation of visual pollution that has destroyed the majority of communities and towns across this country.
That along with the lack of business acumen, has created the downward spiral of the sign profession, and I use that term loosely. It's really a shame.

You sound like my Grandfather years back when I read this. I think that the sign industry is just the same as it always was from when I started in the 60's with a smattering of people with a lot of talent and some without and some just for the money, and then the majority of us who think we have talent. That is why I surf through Signs101 because you see and read some funny things that sign mags would just not have. And as far as people you will look at pretty but you stare at ugly.

 

[Billct2]

I think that the sign industry is just the same as it always was from when I started in the 60's

I disagree, when I started (in the 70s) the incompetent looked incompetent, even to the customers. Now any dolt can produce "letter perfect" design with all kinds of cool (d)effects and, though it might be visual crap, to the uniformed it can look like genius. Even worse anyone with a half assed design program thinks they are a designer, because the results are computer perfect. Used to be an amateur or professional hack was easy to identify by anyone. Bad hand lettering was easy to spot.

 

[John Butto]

Wall jobs, billboards, plastic face signs cut and sprayed, car window prices are not easy to spot at 50mph going down the road. Gold leaf on glass, yes, but we still have a lot of talent in the industry.

 

[Billct2]

It's unbelievable how many billboards around here are illegible..at any speed

 

[SignManiac]

I recon it's 80% hack and 20% talent, and that's probably being generous. Back in the day most sign painters had some basic artistic ability, but today most couldn't do a pencil sketch if their life depended on it.

It's no skin off my nose, as Dan says, it's an opportunity for those who want to excel. I have no shortage of qualified clients and it doesn't look like that will change anytime soon.

 

[petesign]

Wish I had 1/4 of the talent i see in those sketches. Hats off to those who can draw well.

 

[oldgoatroper]

I disagree, when I started (in the 70s) the incompetent looked incompetent, even to the customers. Now any dolt can produce "letter perfect" design with all kinds of cool (d)effects and, though it might be visual crap, to the uniformed it can look like genius. Even worse anyone with a half assed design program thinks they are a designer, because the results are computer perfect. Used to be an amateur or professional hack was easy to identify by anyone. Bad hand lettering was easy to spot.

Does anyone remember during the 80's when Signs of the Times had their annual "Wall of Shame" issue in which they presented awards for the year's ugliest signs from reader's submitted snapshots? Always looked forward to that. The editor's comments were sometimes even more hilarious than the signs were terrible...

 

[Jillbeans]

I absolutely loved doing layouts in art school all by hand.
Our teacher was a skinny old broad named Mrs. Ziegler, she always walked around with one arm across her waist propping up the elbow of her other arm, carrying a lit cigarette between two fingers and b!tching about everyone's poor layout skills.
We called her Ziggy.
She was tough as nails.
Half of what I still do today I learned from her.
Most of the class had no talent they were there because they had the money to pay for classes and two kids even got paid to go to classes by the state.
All of those classes are now obsolete because any schmuck with a computer can buy their way into the sign business.
At the risk of sounding like a bitter jagoff.
Sometimes I'm struggling with the damn design program to make it do something which I can do by hand in like 2 minutes, and I remember Hey! I CAN do this by hand!
Step away from the keyboard and break out the old ebony pencil, Sharpie, or Rapidograph.
Good times.
Love....Jill

 

[ucmj22]

I can honestly say that I have very little classic Art ability. Getting something from my brain to paper without the use of a computer makes me look like a 2nd grader. I do however believe that it is possible to be a good designer with out classic art skills... I hope anyway. I would actually love to hear what some of you design savvy members would think about my work

 

[OhioSignShop]

I see a lot of really bad layouts on signs and other types of print communication. Ohio Highway Dept printed 10,000 banners to remind people to "Buckle Up" .. Printed red letters on dark blue. Must have looked good "on the screen" but red and blue are both dark colors and the damn banners are almost unreadable. You would think somebody in Government would have proofed these things prior to ordering 10,000 of them. I think the client gets what he pays for now, as in the past. We just have more hacks working at it now thanks to desktop publishing. Good design and thoughtful layout are still going to be the hallmark of a professional in our business.

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

I recon it's 80% hack and 20% talent, and that's probably being generous.

80% hack & 20% tequila.

 

[ucmj22]

I see a lot of really bad layouts on signs and other types of print communication. Ohio Highway Dept printed 10,000 banners to remind people to "Buckle Up" .. Printed red letters on dark blue. Must have looked good "on the screen" but red and blue are both dark colors and the damn banners are almost unreadable. You would think somebody in Government would have proofed these things prior to ordering 10,000 of them. I think the client gets what he pays for now, as in the past. We just have more hacks working at it now thanks to desktop publishing. Good design and thoughtful layout are still going to be the hallmark of a professional in our business.

Proof them? HA! What for, Its government, The have an unlimited supply of our money, they will just order more if they dont like them.