We get certain types of jobs that come into our shop that we turn down all the time. Jobs that we aren't really setup to handle, or jobs that aren't worth the trouble to take on. In our case they are usually due to our limitations when it comes to fabrication, or perhaps anything that has to do with electrical signage. We are just not that type of shop, and there is no shame in saying that.
But really who is more qualified to do design work? I've seen "Ad Agencies" or "Marketing Firms" produce bad designs (or what I thought were bad), I've witnessed folks that have gone to 4+ year art schools that struggle to come up with a good design. Don't get me started on some architects or fine artists. On the flip side, I've seen beautiful design work created by some belonging to all of these different types of professions and that goes for sign artists too.
So why not sign makers? Why worry so much about your job title, and what that means you should or shouldn't do? Why limit yourself? If a sign maker is passionate about design, If they are willing to educate themselves and soak in all the information needed to do good design work, why not? Sign makers can be at an advantage when it comes to design because design isn't about just making something look nice, it's about creating something that looks good while it accomplishes something, while it works for the owner of that design. Having a design work well and accomplish something is the most important part. If it can't do that, then it doesn't matter how good it looks.
We are at an advantage because sign makers should know more about making things legible than about anyone else, We understand taking a design and actually working with it on a physical application. People come to us to purchase a visual product, so we are in a great position to sell design services. I would go as far as saying that it should be our responsibility to make sure we providing good design.
When it comes to sign makers that appear to be bad designers, I think it comes down to two different types. Someone who is new to design, in which case it just takes education and practice to improve, and those who are just lazy and at one time in their career became satisfied with the level they were at.
I also think some sign makers worry too much about just making things "look good" and forget about what is needed to make those same designs "work". Things like legibility, contrast, the right color combinations etc. Those sign makers that focus on just making something work, may not be creating artwork that will be featured on the cover of the trade magazines, but at least they are actually providing a real worthwhile service to their clients. Once you can establish a design that just works, using the basic design principals, you then can take it to that next level, but the second you ignore those principals is the second that design goes from good to bad.
But I say why not be a sign maker that can design?
