The very first "real" sign I made was:

[TwoNine]

Well - lemme see here.

I needed a job and my roommate from college was working at a sign shop - telling me how awesome it was that they were lettering race cars, and boats, and planes, etc...

Sounded awesome to me too. I showed up one day and asked if they were hiring . To which Fred (My first "sign" boss), asked if I had ever done any thing like signs or window tint before. (SIGNS OR WINDOW TINT?!?! Huh?) I thought it was a bit strange, but I told him that I had - my car was parked outside and he looked thru the glass and I guess saw that they were tinted so he told me to follow him back.

A bit perplexed as a teenager (still am today, but...) - I followed. And there it all was! About, what seemed like 1,000's of rolls - but in retrospect, maybe 20-30 rolls of black vinyl. All of it cut. None of it weeded.

Font: Impact at about 50% normal width.
Tallest letters: MAYBE 3"
The Copy?

Elect Rosemary Quisenberry for City Council District Number One.
Endorsed by the Renton Police and Fire Departments.

-Then there was about 3 lines of reversed copy which I can't remember....

So guess who got to weed, and weed, and weed, and weed, and ............................................

Anyway - about a week later - all 500 signs were done. (And all I did was the weeding!) Front and Back. 18" x 24" coroplast. Black on white.

The sign job was TERRIBLE! I was wondering what the heck happened to all the race cars, the boats, the PLANES!?!?! They never did come at that shop, at least for all the time I worked there. Turns out the college roommate was a LIAR!

But what did stick - and what's kept me going this long I think (thru the rough patches) - Is seeing that(proverbial) sign on the side of the road! OMG that was COOOOOOL!!!! I was stoked.

The first night I was driving home and saw one of MINE! I had to stop and take a picture with it. Granted this was well before there were camera phones, and digital this that and the other. So me, my 35mm Canon, and my tripod all sat down and worked together for the shot.

Where the pictures is I have no idea. I wish I had it. But....Things happen!

What brought you in?

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

My former employer decided that the price to wrap 80 vehicles in their fleet was too expensive... so naturally the fleet guy with tech savvy who loved to draw and play with digital art programs was a natural choice. They purchased all the equipment gave me Flexi and said we want the first one done in 1 week.... its all history from there.

I fell in love with creativity, liked having a finished product at the end of the day to say "I did that!", and kinda came to a turning point where I had to make a decision... I decided to go for it, bought all my own equipment (w/ partners) and started our little shop.

I know I may be chastised by some for my entry into this industry, but please do understand I learn everyday, stand behind everything we do, are committed to quality (save for the down and dirty short term wraps), and try to take advice given to other members here to heart and utilize it.

 

[TheSnowman]

I believe my first sign was a 4X8 for an aviation company at our local airport. I bought a business already 25 years established, so this was just another call that came in. I had just bought my mimaki printer, and I know I had at least a day just to print these two dumb things because I still didn't know Onyx too well yet.

They brought in an aluminum blank, and I remember we laid it down wet because that was the only way I knew at that point. Hadn't been introduced to air release vinyl, or the big squeegee yet. It was out probably 5 or 6 years till the place closed, and they took it down.

 

[Mosh]

4x8 for the Corps of Engineers, 1988. Some vinyl, painted logo. 2x4 painted frame. Remember it like it was yesterday. Took me about 8 hours, I do the same type of signs for them today in about 1 hour. In fact the specs are the same almost 25 years later.

First day and my boss Jim showed me how to weed one line and tape it, that was it. I had to figure the rest out as I went. He is the best guy in the world, but is a heavy drinker. He would get up a 11:00 and start drinking winsor and pepsi. We used to do the thing called "bets on time" pool our money on what time he got up. He lived above his shop and would come down and the first thing we would hear is the ice going into a glass and him filling it up. He was a BEARCAT for the first 1/2 hour of the day, but after that the BEST guy you would know. Kinda strange my life is alot like his...I don't drink during the day...but I do drink alot. Also he inhereted milloins of dollars so he didn't give a crap about making any money, he was doing it for fun. Kinda like I don't do signs for money anymore. The guy was super talented, and I miss hanging out with him. I will have to tell some stories on him sometime, I have some great ones!!! Like when he got his parrotts drunk and one of them grabbed his "junk" classic!!!

 

[Replicator]

I don't remember my first sign, but these were in the top 10 or so back in 2005

 

[OldPaint]

i had 2 unforgettable "sign painters" in my life before i hit 14!!!!! i know it was somwhere between 1957 & 59!!!! my parents bought a bar in 1957. prior to that it was mom n pop grocery store. the 1st sign painter was young man who lived down the road. guy could DRAW ANYTHING. he used to come in the grocery store and i would bug him to draw things for me, then when he left i would try to recreate what he did. he left the construction lines on everything so i could see how it came together. he then went off to the navy and when he came back he started doing signs. we had a big room downstairs of the grocery store, and he asked my mom if he could use it to lay out some big signs he was doing. these happened to be BILLBOARDS. a lot of butcher paper and tape, he made the 10' tall by 20-25' long POUNCE PATTERN. which me being there i learned by helping him. then when he got ready to do the painting, he asked my mom if i could go with him and help him. i was ready for this. we put up the patterns, he pounced it. took sown the paper and he asked if wanted to paint??? damn betcha. so he showed me what he wanted done on the low side, he would cut it, and then let me fill!!!! from that day on.........i been doing signs off and on till 1986 when i quit my job and said i was gona be a sign painter full time.

 

[DizzyMarkus]

Sorry no shop experience -- I started lettering remote control large scale airplanes, helis, boats, small wraps for rc racers etc :0)

Markus

 

[Patrick46]

Heh-heh......."I'm BACKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!" :Big Laugh

I had been painting motorcycles for my friends since I'd built my first one back when I turned 18, so I wasn't completely in the dark. I was also airbrushing T-shirts at motorcycle swap-meets back then too.

I became an over-the road truck driver when I turned 21, and I was parked at a truckstop one day doing my logbook when this new Peterbilt came and parked next to me. It was all pinstriped, and airbrushed, with some tastey hand lettering. (a 'real West Coast special'!!)

"WOW" I said to myself, and I spent the next 45 minutes going over every square inch of that truck with my nose pressed against the work. Nice stuff whoever did it!! The longer I looked, the more I realised that I could probably do this stuff!!

So I called my boss, and told him that I was gonna repaint the name on the side of 'my' truck. "Well...don't make a mess of it" was his response.
Man...was that a learning curve!!!

A few years later, my boss sold my semi truck out from underneith me, so I was now without a job. B'sides, I wanted to stick around home so I could ride more and party with my riding buddies anyways insted of being gone all the time. (it took me 3 weeks to get all my gear back from my truck!)

My main riding brother had a taxidermy shop, and he let me start my business inside his shop. I paid my 'rent' by airbrushing his fish mounts for him, (seeing that he wasn't very artistic...and that I had the ability to really rock these things.)

So my very first sign, was of course, a sign for his taxidermy studio. He had used an old sign blank that another friend had given him, so I recoated it out, and started from scratch.
Looking back, the lettering wasn't so great, but I was, and still am, pretty happy with the layout and the illustrations of the racoons and wood ducks I had done on it. (if I kin find the photo, I'll scan it for yas)

This was in about 1983ish, and it's been downhill ever since!!

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

Some interesting stories.

I had a consignment / record / tobacco /gift shop asking a friend to paint a sign, a sign inspector stopped him said owner or licensed sign shop, so across the street was a paint shop that also sold sign supplies, painted my own sign, neighbors wanted same look extended, next year another store, by this time I had done several and was committed and signed up for sign school.

 

[SlightlyChilled]

First sticker I ever cut was a target in my toilet for my son 3 years ago and it is still there.

 

[James Burke]

I engraved a company's logo into a boulder out by their driveway.


JB

 

[Brown Cow]

There is debate about this one...I say the first sign I made was a window graphic for Farmer's Insurance in our tiny little town. I am reminded though that I did not actually make that one...I attempted to weed it and cut through the backing paper after being told to cut carefully ;-) I don't always take direction well. Besides, if I remember correctly, I did cut carefully...I tried to cut as straight a line as possible in the backing paper!

I am reminded that the first actual sign I made was a SALE banner for a small store front in the town next to ours. White banner, large red block lettering. Impressive, right? Even this one I had help on. The hubby laid out the design, the cut file, setup the plotter and cut the vinyl. I simply weeded, masked it (maybe) and applied the vinyl to the ugly bandanna banner we used. Anyway, this topic brings back fond memories of our fabrication table, aka kitchen floor, and our humble start.

This is all pretty new to me still, and will be for many years to come. But I love what we do and am happy to be able to support my hubby in making his vision and our dreams come true!

Cheeze ball, I know...but I had to share.

 

[SignosaurusRex]

Okay... I'll play....

My grandfather was a signpainter and artist. As far back as I can remember, I was fascinated by what he could do with a paintbrush, pencil, pen or even a chisel.
He was always working on a project of some sort, be it a sign, illustration, fine art painting or a piece of furniture....he was always creating something.
He was a wonderfully patient, kind and telented man. Unfortunately he lived very far away and I only got to spend time with him a few times a year. He passed
when I was 11 years old. When the family (that was quite large) got together for his funeral, grandma gave me his brushes and books. The books I read often but
the brushes sat unused. I was almost afraid to touch them and there was so many. I didn't know what some of them were for or how to use them. I didn't want to
ruin any of them...he took such good care of them for so long. Eventually I matched some of them to pictures in his books and began to play around with them
and attempt to create something that looked legible.
About that same time, I traded a .22 rifle and some motorcycle saddlebags to a "hippie" that lived up the road for a '36 ford pickup that didn't run. I figured
I'd get some help and fix it up in time and have something kinda cool (in my eyes) by the time I was old enough to get a license. Needless to say, dad wasn't
to keen on my ideas and informed me that I would need a job if I intended to continue with my crazy ideas. He wanted me to be a doctor and mom wanted me to be a
Lawyer...yah right...NOT ME. With my box of brushes strapped to the rack, I pedaled my bike into town and out to some old geezers place that was the only signshop
in the area. "Buck's Signs", here I come! Old "Buck" was quite the guy and later on became my surrogate uncle. He taught me all he knew. Looking back, I think
that the smell of paint and turpentine kept me coming back, it sure wasn't the grunt work I did. Everyday, when I was done, he would teach me something new and give
me some money and then I would pedal the 5.5 miles back home. I didn't mind....It was summer and I had cash in my pocket. My "First Sign"...was for the local Tavern.
My Dad ordered it...supposedly on behalf of the bar owner. It was a hand-painted Shocard on Crescent Board, advertising the daily "Happy Hour". It was awsome
at the time...looking back, It was hideous! I'm convinced that dad paid me to do it for him, to just give to the bar....something to support my goal because he knew
I was foreverlost to the sign trade. He never mentioned "Doctor" again after that.
I wish I had that old '36 Ford today!

 

[ForgeInc]

Wish i had some pictures of all the signs for safeway I made when i was in high school through about 2nd year of college.

I still think that was one of the more fun jobs i had...coming in doing pretty much whatever i wanted throughout the store, all by hand, though i think my dexterity and
strength in my hands is totally diminished because of it. Those dang coupon book shelf signs were the worst! 3" x 5" and hundreds of em in the store. My hand hurts just thinking about it.

 

[Billct2]

I worked for a a local signpainter/carver right after high school '72-'73. He talked me into going to Butera School of Art Sign Painting program. I went for a year and got the job as the sign painter for the town. Hrad to say waht my first actual sign was, but while attending clsses in Boston I did my first paid side jobs, window signs for a florist, calligraphy for some framed inspirational sayings.

 

[TyrantDesigner]

god, my first real sign was multiple signs. the shop I started out in just got the job on a ton of those back sprayed acrylic signs (you know, vinyl on the back, then painted a solid color so it's a nice deep clear face with lettering flush with the paint and no air bubbles, good stuff.) ... i ended up doing 100 of those buggers with text 1/2" tall ... god that was fun, cut 100 of them, apply 100 of them and weed 100 of them ON the acrylic. after a while you hate life.


God I miss doing that tedious ****.

 

[DrCAS]

The first sign i painted for money was two signs for the American Cancer Association in January of 1973 for my art teacher. I got paid $20.00. Big bucks at the time...

 

[RobbyMac]

I'd done plenty of signs as far as weeding or installing... but my first design was a job where my boss asked me to 'wing it' because it was needed in a panic.
The town of Pittsboro wanted a reflective 'welcome back jeff gordon' sign to hang up during the brickyard 400 in the inaugural year. Fairly simple, I figured letter heights, & fonts, cut and applied, then striped it with a ton of reflective on the fly. Of course I took way too long making sure it was 'just right' lol.
A week later, they called back and wanted another identical to it because someone stole the sign. Luckily we had a picture of it before it went out the door, because I wouldn't have been able to match it from memory.
Each year they'd put it out, and each year I'd smile thinking back on that first 'real sign' I did.

 

[TwoNine]

These are all cool stories! Kinda fun to hear all this stuff. But stories like Signosaurus Rex's, Mr. CAS, Billct2, and OldPaint's is where it's at! I almost get envious that I didn't get my start like that.

But it's easy to say things like that, it's a complete other to actually live it. I know. The achy hands, the HOURS of practicing strokes, being the 'clean up kid' - all that stuff. I had my version of it - but it can't hold a candle to the image I get in my head of the boy sitting at the production table, cleaning brushes, sweeping floors....That kind of stuff that, I guess for me, is very nostalgic.

Hell, to this day I still would love to own my own sign company.....I love the IDEA of being able to 'work for yourself' (ROFLMAO)

Then I realize I do. :| - and I wonder...WTHeck was I thinking!!!?!?! This is SO not my original idea of 'living the dream'! But I wouldn't change it for anything at this point.

These stories are great. Thank you to everyone who has shared, it's nice getting to know you all a bit better!

Thanks,
-Chad

 

[Graphics2u]

First one I did was a 4' x 8' Sign that said "Wall Drug 586 miles the other way". The other side said " Wall Drug Free Ice Water". We've probably all seen them along the highways.

This customer was a Wall Drug fan and he actually got Wall Drug to pay for half of the sign.