Hi everybody, my name is Jim Brannen, and I am new to sign making. I have looked at the letterhead site a few times now, and I really appreciate the wealth of information that is shared here. I hope to be able to contribute.
I am 28 years old, and I live in San Diego, California. I started in graphic arts as a freshman in high school doing mostly screen printing, and some offset printing. I studied marketing at SDSU, and worked in a dot com startup business for three years durring the big boom. That's when I found computers and digital art. I have been doing web-design as a hobby and side job since y2k when our dot com went under. I am an avid off-road racing fan, I like surfing, and fishing too. I decided to try my hand at computer aided signmaking because my current job managing a parking business is losing it's appeal, and I want to be doing something creative. I have always felt that making something tangible is very rewarding. I bought a vinyl cutter to make custom decals, and graphics for off road race cars. Now I find myself checking out every sign I see and asking "how did they make that one?" So far I have made only a few signs, some magnetics, and a couple of a-frames, some etched glass signs for a hotel, and some custom decals. I hope to make a transition soon to full-time sign making. I hope to learn how to use a paintbrush in the near future, for now I am strictly digital. I fancy myself to be very good with computers. I use Mac and PC at home. I use Adobe Photoshop 7, and Illustrator 10 for art - Dreamweaver mx for html - some flash (but I favor a meat and potatos approach to web design using more content and less fluff). I have a summa d60 cutter, and cut from Illustrator using co-cut. I had never even seen a cutter in person when I ordered mine. When it arrived I set it up and I cut my first decal about two hours later. I am so happy with it. I am having tons of fun so far doing this. My most current project is a boat name for the transom of a fishing boat. Well, Thanks to everybody who is here to share and help each-other. I think that this kind of a community is is rare, and I hope to be able to participate often and contribute whenever I can.
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
Welcome aboard, Jim. Check out the "Future Live Meets" part of this site and schedule a few days to go to one. You'll see some serious eye candy that will inspire you to want to master even more techniques. You will also have plenty of help to begin learning them.
Posted by John Lennig (Member # 2455) on :
Hi, Welocme Jim! San Diego, nice place... what part of town are you in?
John Lennig / SignRider
Posted by Joe Rees (Member # 211) on :
Hi Jim. I wish you well. You are in the right place to get your priorities straight. As a student of marketing you may have an advantage over some of us when we started - namely in putting a professional dollar value on the selling power of signs. A common pitfall we see of newcomers (in addition to graphical inexperience) is underpricing, selling cheap to gain exposure.
This is also an excellent place to view a crossection of styles from seasoned, established shops and speak with the principals on a broad range of topics. They sure didn't have this when I started. I hope you make yourself a regular. Ask for what you need, share what you can. Welcome.
Posted by Jim Brannen (Member # 4605) on :
Thanks for the welcoming words! John, I live in Point Loma, right next to Ocean Beach. I really love San Diego - it's a nice place to live. I will go to a meet as soon as I can, that seems like a great place to learn and meet other signmakers. Thanks again.
Posted by Dan Streicher (Member # 4515) on :
welcome aboard! not only is there a ton of information here, but a ton of artistic inspiration as well.
Posted by Chuck Peterson (Member # 70) on :
Hi Jim, I'm in Cardiff, right up the road 20 miles. Look me up anytime. I'm always happy to share share info.
Posted by Judy Pate (Member # 237) on :
Welcome to Letterville, Jim! You have found the best place to begin your journey into signmaking. Once you attend one Letterhead meet, you will be addicted. Looking forward to meeting you at a meet one day! Judy
Posted by Amy Brown (Member # 1963) on :
Welcome! I was stationed on a ship at the sub base on Point Loma 1990-91. Is the sub base still there? Somewhere I have a picture of my sister and I acting like we're hanging from the wall at the Cabrillo National Monument.
I loved San Diego but man is it expensive!
Best of luck to you. Posted by PKing (Member # 337) on :
Very good intro Jim. WELCOME Background of knowledge learned,intrest in things to come,realization of where you are at now! ALL without mention of... dollars,deadlines,or substrates! Visit "letterheads" close to your area in order to proceed in this wonderful journey!
hope this helps
Posted by Randy Campbell (Member # 2675) on :
A warm welcome from Ontario Canada.Youv'e picked the best site to visit.Great people and a lot of fun as well.Take your time learning from the best in the world,I'm learning every day. Posted by Sonny Franks (Member # 588) on :
Welcome Jim - Letterville is the place to be- we're always ready to help, whether it's a simple paint tip or revenge on a rotten client, somebody here's been there and done that.
San Diego should be a great market. Whenever my wife has a trip out there, I always go with her and we have beer and BBQ at the Top Gun Bar near the harbor. Some very interesting stuff nailed to the ceiling there.
Posted by Jim Brannen (Member # 4605) on :
Thanks again to all for the kind words!
Amy, The sub base is still there. Since the Clinton adminstration cut back heavily on our military bases in San Diego, it is less populated, but still an awesome sight to see. I have read that In the later years of the cold war, there were more nuclear weapons on Point Loma than any other single place in the world. (12 + subs at the base each holding a couple dozen missles.) Pretty fascinating stuff.
Sonny, my current "regular" job has me downtown all the time - right next to the Kansas City BBQ. They have really neat ambiance, and good happy hour beer specials. For the best BBQ in San Diego (imho), try Phil's BBQ...mmmmm, Phil's...
Posted by Andrew Duke (Member # 4659) on :
Welcome Jim, I think maybe you have already realised that there are some great people in here to learn from and share with. I am a "newbie" myself for about a month now and I feel as though I am one of the family. Nothing but open arms here. Jump in the chat room as I have found it to be extremely interesting and informative as well and a little "different" at times too.
Look forward to chit_chattin with ya, Andrew Duke
Posted by Dave Cox - That Sign Guy (Member # 3517) on :
Jim, Have you ever worked at Earthlink? I worked with a Jim Brannen at Earthlink in Sacramento... he was a supervisor... same guy?
either way... welcome! We are vacationing in San Diego pretty soon... be down there on the 26th
Posted by Jillbeans (Member # 1912) on :
Hi Jim. Welcome to Letterville. I have relatives out your way in LaMesa and have been out there 9 times. Last time was 1978. My uncle Vince Welsh retired from the Navy and had a big rental place out there. (renting motor homes I think) He used to call me Gilligan. I'm glad it didn't stick like Jillbeans did. Love...Jill
Posted by Sheila Ferrell (Member # 3741) on :
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