Anyway, they asked me to fill out a survey about the Expo even if I didnt attend ...
The SGIA registration & post-Expo survey ask very tight questions which can lead to a very UNinformed summation of what your shop really does - that's because it's apparently geared towards larger shops with more equipment.
And probably why there's no post about the Expo here ...
In my opinion, they're leavin' some good cards on the table as the industry drives further and further from the fundamental & sound foundations of creativity, designs, and the ability to use one's own trade skills ...
Thought you might like to read the comment I sent them ...
"On question 6: You only allow for ONE description (of my job) to be checked ... but as a sole proprietor, I do ALL those functions, and more. The survey is indicitive of how the SGIA leans towards excluding or disregarding the small sign shop.
I have been in business since 1989. I finally got a plotter in 2003 to cut my own vinyl. I design & use digital prints in some of my signs. I order those from another local shop or online. I still hand-letter with One-Shot. If you don't know what One-Shot is, then the problem is implicit.
I could have come to the Expo on Thursday, and continued on with my extended weekend plans ... but I just decided to go straight to a Letterhead meet. If you don't know what that is ...
The meet was held in Alachua, Florida at Pro Signs, the shop of Douglas Hancock. He has all the hi-tech equipment. His new 3-D HDU sign was made on his big router.
One guy came to this meet from Wisconsin. Another sign guy from Birmingham, Alabama stopped by your Expo for a day, then came and spent the rest of his weekend at the meet.
There were only 10-20 people at this small meet. An irrelevant number of people compared to your big, 'record-breaking' Expo, I'm sure. And no one really mentioned the Expo at our meet either. And we did'nt spend the weekend looking at hi-tech equipment, or discussing it, or even using any of it at Doug's shop.
So you may be wondering, what DID 10 or 15 people do at Douglas's shop all weekend ...
We did real sign painting stuff. Amazing huh? There was an 8x20 mural hand painted. The shops store-front window got new gold-leafed signs ... all done by hand. The guy from Birmingham that stopped by your expo? He spent the entire weekend with a lettering brush in his hand, as did pretty much everyone.
Look, I love the routers & plotters & printers ... but there is STILL so much that will always have to be done by hand. There is still the lovely, organic, real, foundational simplicity of PAINTING or guilding that routed HDU sign. There is still the brick wall which suits the roller & brush.
And even as the tech stuff completely takes over, it only makes hand work more special, unique, and in demand ...
If you don't know what that means ..."
Posted by John Byrd (Member # 825) on :
Hate I missed it. Had to 'Adult' that weekend
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
