Starting out!

[petepaz]

welcome and good luck
with $11,000 i would look into a left over versa camm this way you can print and cut
left over not used, possibly a demo
ask a lot of questions and read the threads on this site very helpful

 

[skunkplow]

Thank you petepaz.

Anyway, I was thinking... For those of you who are artistic, do you sometimes have conflict between what you feel looks good artistically and what really "pops" and is plain? I'm worried I will have a tendency to go overboard, but I also know that more often than not "keeping it simple" is your best bet...

 

[Rick]

The type you show looks squished or forced oblique, I would also watch the kerning...the color combo works...it may work on the flat black.

When I was reading your idea, I was thinking Sailor Jerry lowbrow style. That style uses certain typefaces, here are some references.

http://www.sailorjerry.com/index.php
http://www.allentattoo.com/2006/10/tattoo_fonts.php
http://cubanica.com/font/sailorflash/index.html

Cubanica fonts are a bit pricey but Font Diners "Queen Rosie" in "The Counrty Fair Picnic" set is very reasonable.

http://www.fontdiner.com/main.html

 

[high impact]

A versacamm is very good but you cannot use it for plotting with any amount of production. It is just plain SLOW! You will need a stand alone cutter even if you have a versacamm. Outsource prints until you build your business up to printing in house as there are many additional costs incurred when you bring a printer in house. You can still do a lot of things with layered vinyl! Digital just never looks quite as good as those crisp lines with layered vinyl when done right.

Welcome! I hope it works well for you...start off part time and add equipment and inventory as the business grows. I recommend spending most of your startup funds on equipment and allow the inventory to grow with time. If it is a part time business you can put almost all that money in equipment so look for some quality used equipment and software - it adds up fast! If you are jumping in full time then you have to save some dollars to be able to survive a while.

 

[Techman]

I can do with it like polar arrays. I have used Corel some, and it wouldn't be that hard to become an expert with (atleast I don't think!). My idea is to use Autocad to draw some of the intricate detals

All of which have virtually no use in sign making.
Polar arrays and intricate details are not sign work. This is a very inexperienced approach as well as one dimensional and narrow minded.

Just because you have autocad doesn't mean you are ready to call yourself a sign maker. My son has autocad and he has never used it for a sign layout,, nor have I.

Your putting the horse before the cart. You need lots more development before you are ready to do signs.. For example. The vinyl world is slowly shrinking. There are a few making money with it. However the plain old vinyl shop is a scarce event these days.

Instead of listening to what others have offered you attempt to justify your reasoning. Your out of your league.

 

[skunkplow]

All of which have virtually no use in sign making.
Polar arrays and intricate details are not sign work. This is a very inexperienced approach as well as one dimensional and narrow minded.

Just because you have autocad doesn't mean you are ready to call yourself a sign maker. My son has autocad and he has never used it for a sign layout,, nor have I.

Your putting the horse before the cart. You need lots more development before you are ready to do signs.. For example. The vinyl world is slowly shrinking. There are a few making money with it. However the plain old vinyl shop is a scarce event these days.

Instead of listening to what others have offered you attempt to justify your reasoning. Your out of your league.

I'm not only doing sign making, but also plan to do vehicle graphics... I already have autocad, and I love the software, so why shouldn't I atleast ASK about it's functionality with vinyl plotters? Is there really any harm in that?

I was given advice about red on black... I repost a rough draft design with orange/red on black, because I was given advice that I agreed with regards to red on black... You say I disregard any advice given to me, but this thread shows otherwise...

Also, I took into consideration and agreed with the "x" being cheesy, but yet you say I am merely "attempting to justify my reasoning". I know there is a huge learning curve, and I'm not an expert. It wasn't my intention to come off snotty, and as if I have all the answers. I do have a plan, but it's not set in stone. My reasoning for just replying back is to criticizm is to simply get a full understanding of their critique, not to argue to to justify myself. I'm settled on my name, I would think it would be great to use autocad, and I do admit that I don't want to just make signs. That's why it's not called "Sacred Heart Signs". I look at all of this even the signs as an art form, but one that can make some dough if I'm good at it, and yes that is a concern of mine. I am a perfectionist, and that is something that alarms me.

Thank you for being blunt with your opinion and actually offering it. You seem to have a good head, and apparantly have been doing this a long time. It is valuable.

 

[Service Sign Co]

Auto Cad was used occasionally at a large electric sign co. for among other things getting approval from city engineers on large projects. The program was designed to be used with plotters(and a lot of other machines) It is terrible for letters, but It's not a totally useless program.

 

[skunkplow]

A versacamm is very good but you cannot use it for plotting with any amount of production. It is just plain SLOW! You will need a stand alone cutter even if you have a versacamm. Outsource prints until you build your business up to printing in house as there are many additional costs incurred when you bring a printer in house. You can still do a lot of things with layered vinyl! Digital just never looks quite as good as those crisp lines with layered vinyl when done right.

Welcome! I hope it works well for you...start off part time and add equipment and inventory as the business grows. I recommend spending most of your startup funds on equipment and allow the inventory to grow with time. If it is a part time business you can put almost all that money in equipment so look for some quality used equipment and software - it adds up fast! If you are jumping in full time then you have to save some dollars to be able to survive a while.

Thank you. I have had that thought, and just as someone has mentioned here latter on I don't want to take that plunge. I wish I could, but my reasoning is that it would take a lot more capital than I am willing to invest right now. If I decide this isn't for me, then I won't be out my entire savings hopefully buy buying a cutter, vs. plotter/cutter. That is a goal though eventually (within two years).

The setup I posted earlier comes with a vinyl starter kit with rolls of vinyl. I would think this would be good, but I also see that there are many rolls on there that are not what I consider popular colors. Would I be better off, buying/negotiating getting more whites/blacks/primary colors in your opinion or just leaving it as is?

 

[skunkplow]

Auto Cad was used occasionally at a large electric sign co. for among other things getting approval from city engineers on large projects. The program was designed to be used with plotters(and a lot of other machines) It is terrible for letters, but It's not a totally useless program.

Does it make them jagged?

 

[Service Sign Co]

If you mean importing a WMF i't only looks ''jagged" on the screen. Get a sign program to make life easier Old Paint is great with roland and Corel

 

[high impact]

We use a ton of red, black and white. Although, you have nothing to objectively determine what you will find will become common for you - I'd imagine that every shop is different. Starter kits are just that - a little bit more than "nothing". No matter what plotter you get you can just purchase as many multicolored 10 yard 15" rolls of Oracal 651 as your budget allows. Then you will have a ton of colors to practice with for very little cash outlay.

Also many suppliers ship out vinyl very quickly - most overnight if they are close enough.

 

[OldPaint]

all SIGN SOFTWARE is CAD....COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN.....so some of the AUTO-CAD is in them, BUT a lot of the stuff in AUTO-CAD makes for a poor SIGN DESIGN program...LOSE IT and the idea your gona do signs ONLY IN AUTO-CAD.
corel/arts & letters express/illistrator are much more usefull!!!! GET ONE OF EM AND LEARN IT.
as far as your religious implications to your name...
SORRY DUDE...THAT LOGO and THAT NAME...dont do anything for a business UNLESS YOUR A HOSPITAL or a CATHOLIC CHURCH or a TATOO ARTIST...look up "Sacred Heart" on GOOGLE...ill bet you get a lot of HOSPITALS!!!
as for RED ON BLACK.....it can be done, but its not for the novice.....which i belive you qualify for.
seem we have another "deep pockets" jumpin in to futher muddy the waters.....sorry.

 

[skunkplow]

The type you show looks squished or forced oblique, I would also watch the kerning...the color combo works...it may work on the flat black.

When I was reading your idea, I was thinking Sailor Jerry lowbrow style. That style uses certain typefaces, here are some references.

http://www.sailorjerry.com/index.php
http://www.allentattoo.com/2006/10/tattoo_fonts.php
http://cubanica.com/font/sailorflash/index.html

Cubanica fonts are a bit pricey but Font Diners "Queen Rosie" in "The Counrty Fair Picnic" set is very reasonable.

http://www.fontdiner.com/main.html

Thanks. I do like that font, and the whole pre-war tattoo art. I dig it man!

 

[skunkplow]

One thing you didn't mention is pricing, that was a big problem for me when I got started. It seems that the sign shops in my area are all over the place with pricing. On some things they are about the same and on other things their pricing is very different. I would suggest that you purchase GraphixCALC Pro and stick to its pricing. I think it is good to be consistant on your pricing! Also, I am a Part Time in home sign shop, have been for about 4 years and I love it. It has been a great second income, but I am working my butt off. But it is something I love doing! Also, be careful posting some of your work to be judged by others, not saying anything bad about the ones who respond, just be ready to listen and take what most of them say. Because I have found out that a lot of the people on here know what they are talking about! Just like the red & black comment. Good Luck!

Thanks. I googled it and bookmarked the page.

 

[skunkplow]

all SIGN SOFTWARE is CAD....COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN.....so some of the AUTO-CAD is in them, BUT a lot of the stuff in AUTO-CAD makes for a poor SIGN DESIGN program...LOSE IT and the idea your gona do signs ONLY IN AUTO-CAD.
corel/arts & letters express/illistrator are much more usefull!!!! GET ONE OF EM AND LEARN IT.
as far as your religious implications to your name...
SORRY DUDE...THAT LOGO and THAT NAME...dont do anything for a business UNLESS YOUR A HOSPITAL or a CATHOLIC CHURCH or a TATOO ARTIST...look up "Sacred Heart" on GOOGLE...ill bet you get a lot of HOSPITALS!!!
as for RED ON BLACK.....it can be done, but its not for the novice.....which i belive you qualify for.
seem we have another "deep pockets" jumpin in to futher muddy the waters.....sorry.

Never said I would use just autocad. Just wondering if it can be used, and if anyone has used it. Don't know where the "only autocad" came from.

Where I live most people I've talked to have no idea what a Sacred Heart implies. I like the name, it is something special to me, so yes I'm keeping that. That is in stone. I find it interesting that you singled out a tattoo busisness as a comparalbe name, as with my company if I do get into a niche it would be comparable to a tattoo parlor.

Don't understand the whole "deep pockets" comment? Sounds like you have resentment toward me...

 

[Onri97477]

there is the religious connotation. It may limit your clientel.

We have lots of Sacred Heart hospitals(catholic) here in O-REE-GUN. Good Luck :Welcome:

 

[ChiknNutz]

I've got a lot of time on various CAD platforms and NONE of them would be useful for typical signmaking. If you are working with Architectural-type signage or similar, then you would likely want a low-end solid-modeling package like SolidWorks or Alibre. Sounds like you are not doing that at the moment. So, you really need a more sign-specific software package such as Corel, Illustrator, SignLab, Flexi or others. Although it CAN be used, A-CAD is simply the wrong tool for this job.

 

[skunkplow]

How well does corell do for instance if you are making your own stand alone text for a sign? I used to do that all the time in autocad, I wouldn't make a font, but just a stand alone text.

Honestly... I just hate corell... Don't know why. I guess it's just what I'm used to in autocad, vs. I don't know how to do it in Corell. LOL. I just need to learn the software more.

I have used Solidworks but I wouldn't see any benefit of it. I like autocad, cause I could do something like this:

easily. I know it's possible in corell, but I don't know it that well. And since I know autocad, just figured I would ask.

Thanks!

 

[Service Sign Co]

You would need to be some kinda expert to do everything that is possible in Corel. It shouldn't be too hard to learn with with your AC bkg. commands are just called different names, like ortho off or on wouldn't be in a sign program.Probably a small but necessary learning curve. The alternative would be a guideline pulled down from the ruler. There are a lot of experts with Corel here,I just get buy

 

[JEngel]

Oh yeah well I don't need CAD or Corel. I can make that design even faster by googling "metallica logo"!