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To all Newbies Part 2

MotorCityMan

MotorCityMan

New Member
thank you

I'm new to sign making and I appreciate the great advice, thank you. I bought the mastering layout book and have been studying it. Great book amazing info.
 
petepaz

petepaz

New Member
can i get something besides a mai tai ?

i think alot of the advise applies to any business not just the sign business
i used to own a gym and it went under. went through bankruptcy not the end of the world but if i knew then what i knew know about business(mostly stuff i have learned from my present employers over the past 11 years) i might still have the gym open. sure i knew how to work out and i was in good shape, got certified as a personal trainer and massage therapist but that didn't help in the business aspect (also it didn't help that my partner was spending money we didn't have along with the small amount we did have..haha) good thread should really help get the newbies pointed in the right direction
 
Z

Zonka

New Member
3dsignco said:
You have to start someplace. If you want learn you need to do some reading. Here are some good references to get you started.. Listed in order of importance. (In my opinion) There's a bunch more but these will get you started.. Best of Luck
Bill

http://bookstore.stmediagroup.com/bo...Books&Key2=075

http://bookstore.stmediagroup.com/bo...Books&Key2=009

http://www.signcraft.com/home.aspx (Subscribe)

http://www.signcraft.com/store/product.aspx?pid=381

FREE Downloads if your a Premium Member of Signs 101.
Click to expand...


Any chance of updating the links for the first two books? Or providing the book names? I'm looking for a good read :smile:

Only bringing this back up since it is a sticky.
 
D

DPD

New Member
3dsignco said:
So your New to Signs101 and want to start a Sign business and Join the rest of us in Sign Nirvana where we sip our Mi Tia's and kick back and watch the Green roll in. Well.... Welcome to OZ and if you believe that last statement.. Well your an Idiot and you have no business making signs.

So to avoid being Flamed, Ridiculed, Harassed, Carried Away by flying Monkeys, or wraped up in the worlds largest ball of Vinyl and Flushed down the worlds largest toilet by some of the fantastic members here on Signs101.

Please read the following.

Read the Sticky's before posting the same questions we have all read before, Search the site a little. 10 to 1 your question has been asked before and answered. (Probably with sarcasm but your a grown up so you can ignore those posts)

Read, Watch, Look and Listen..Look around your town. Your not an Idiot (See above statement you made it this far) You can see what signs work and what Signs don't work. Just around your town probably. Look at the portfolio Pages. You don't have to copy a design but there is a wealth of Ideas that you can tie into your own work.

Make a Conscience Decision of what type of Sign Maker you want to be and start heading that direction.. Learn your software, How to use your brushes, Chisels, Routers or what ever media you want to work with. Don't try to do everything under the sun right off the Bat. (Unless you have absolute control over your ADHD) Pick one or two items and get proficient with then then pick 2 more..

(Many people may argue with me about this but Real Estate Signs are Ideal for this.. You will learn how to Prioritize copy and develop good contrast as we all know that Realtors want everything from the book of Exodus jammed onto one 18x24 with a rider to be seen from 500' for $5.00 a sign, Including Frame) When I hire Designers, This is one of my tests for them. You will be surprised how many FAIL (At Least to my standards) And if they are Hired the will do real estate signs for many months before I allow them to work advanced projects. And Yes I had a High Turnover since everyone wanted to start at the top. And you know what. That's Great as it is my Business just like it will your business and you can run it anyway you want. All I want is the best for my clients and so should you. And in the end maybe we will get our Mia Tia's

You have to start someplace. If you want learn you need to do some reading. Here are some good references to get you started.. Listed in order of importance. (In my opinion) There's a bunch more but these will get you started.. Best of Luck
Bill

http://bookstore.stmediagroup.com/bo...Books&Key2=075

http://bookstore.stmediagroup.com/bo...Books&Key2=009

http://www.signcraft.com/home.aspx (Subscribe)

http://www.signcraft.com/store/product.aspx?pid=381

FREE Downloads if your a Premium Member of Signs 101.

This is just a start of some Sarcasimic insightful posts I will be writing and adding to this thread in the future. Take it as Face Value.. I am no Sign Guru, and are of my own opinion I have had Big shops and Small shops and Failed at many endeavors. Coming out of Bankruptcy as I type. I found out I was a lousy at the Business side of Signs, But I do know the Sign Business.


Fred Make this a Sticky if you would.
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Incorrect assumption made in your rant. I've been in the business for years and the only place I seem to be able to ask questions is in the Newbie forum. Am I doing something wrong?
 
Moze

Moze

Active Member
DPD said:
Incorrect assumption made in your rant. I've been in the business for years and the only place I seem to be able to ask questions is in the Newbie forum. Am I doing something wrong?
Click to expand...

Other than responding to an 11 year old post?
 
Fred Weiss

Fred Weiss

Merchant Member
DPD said:
Incorrect assumption made in your rant. I've been in the business for years and the only place I seem to be able to ask questions is in the Newbie forum. Am I doing something wrong?
Click to expand...
You can click into any thread shown in the Home page thread list if the topic interests you and reply, you can browse any of the past threads by going from forum to forum or you can start a new thread in the forum of your choice by clicking on the New Thread button.
 
kcollinsdesign

kcollinsdesign

Old member
What I miss most is the magic. Back when I was handpainting signs, you had to be an artist. It was more like performance art - you had to be able to walk up and pull this stuff out of thin air. Like a performing musician it had to come off - not too obviously labored and with a full measure of "sprezzatura." Sometimes I would get butterflies in my stomach, but the show had to go on and I would often amaze even myself!
Outside of a very (very) few dedicated sign artists that continue in this tradition, most of that magic is gone. 95% of the work I do is boring and mundane. It's a job like any other. I stay with it because I know the business, but the thrill is gone.
 
kcollinsdesign

kcollinsdesign

Old member
kcollinsdesign said:
What I miss most is the magic. Back when I was handpainting signs, you had to be an artist. It was more like performance art - you had to be able to walk up and pull this stuff out of thin air. Like a performing musician it had to come off - not too obviously labored and with a full measure of "sprezzatura." Sometimes I would get butterflies in my stomach, but the show had to go on and I would often amaze even myself!
Outside of a very (very) few dedicated sign artists that continue in this tradition, most of that magic is gone. 95% of the work I do is boring and mundane. It's a job like any other. I stay with it because I know the business, but the thrill is gone.
Click to expand...
What I do for fun these days is draw cartoons. I'll do a stack of them on copy paper (in pencil) then send them into this magazine in New York whose editor says she laughed her ass off but they aren't right for the magazine. I don't care. Sometimes I just circulate them around the office, or hang them in coffee shops. Every once in a while I'll post one on the internet. Then I toss them. Advice to the kiddies: DO NOT EXPECT TO MAKE ANY MONEY DOING THIS. Just have fun. It's remarkably liberating to do stuff just for the hell of it! potato head.jpeg
 
Pauly

Pauly

Printrade.com.au
What needs to be added is:
Q: My printer doesn't print the right colours / My printers don't match each other with colours.
A: Calibrate your damn printer. Better yet. Calibrate your screen & Printer... since the most entry level device can do both.

This topic comes up once a week.
 
Boudica

Boudica

I'm here for Educational Purposes
Pauly said:
What needs to be added is:
Q: My printer doesn't print the right colours / My printers don't match each other with colours.
A: Calibrate your damn printer. Better yet. Calibrate your screen & Printer... since the most entry level device can do both.

This topic comes up once a week.
Click to expand...
Bump. Not sure how, but I just stumbled upon this. Re-reading through... It all feels so cival in comparison to our current dumpster fires...
 
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