I see a lot of "New" Sign people coming on board.And I was wondering how long some of the other Letterheads have been in this business. As far as myself, I have been making a "living" at this trade since December of 1955. Either Signs, Custom Paint and Pin Striping or related Art..Technically I am supposed to be retired at this time, however I usually work from 40 to 60 hours about every week on some type of sign or art that will generate income for me. And I manage to walk at least a mile on the beach every day....And when I am not "busy" I work on my three wheeled project car...or build Custom Wet Bars, or Market my new line of Automotive Furniture...etc.etc.
------------------ Arvil Shep' Shepherd Art by Shep Oak Island, NC shep@ec.rr.com http://artbyshep.homestead.com/index.html " As long as they say your name, you will live forever"
Posted by Pierre St.Marie (Member # 1462) on :
Graduated Graphics college, spent 8 years in an advertising graphics studio in W.Germany, returned to the states and went into the sign business in 1979 after getting an ulcer in the Graphics Studio. I don't miss it at all.
------------------ St.Marie Graphics & Makin' Tracks Sound Studio Kalispell, Montana stmariegraphics@centurytel.net http://www.stmariegraphics.com 800 735-8026 We're chiseling every day of the week! :^)
Posted by Rob Larkham (Member # 2105) on :
Got a degree as a graphic designer(that and 50 cents will get me a cup of coffee)and when I graduated found I didn't want to work in a graphic house sitting on my ass. Started lettering race cars for friends six years ago and the rest is history. (recent history)Love the biz!!!
------------------ Rob Larkham RL Graphic D-Sign Chester, MA rldsigns@aol.com
Posted by Judy Pate (Member # 237) on :
Shep, I have been in the business since 1972. First I worked in a silk screen shop,where I learned to layout,hand cut Ulano film,and make silk screens. From 1975 till 1980 I worked in area shops where I learned to handletter. Openned Signs By Judy in 1980 and been loving it ever since! I handlettered exclusively until 1995. I began to buy vinyl letters from local shops until I bought my own system in 1995.Today I still handletter windshields at carlots ,paint walls, and some vehicles.I use more vinyl than paint these days. Vinyl is just another medium. I enjoy creating signs! Judy
------------------ Judy Pate Signs By Judy 110 LuMac Road Albany,Ga 31701 229-435-6824 Letterville is my HOME! Life is like a canvas...you do the painting.
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
Rob, can you really get a cup of joe for fifty cents there still?
I've been converting sign labor to food and rent since 1970. Still not sure that qualifies as "business."
------------------ The SignShop Mendocino, California "Where the Redwoods meet the Surf"
Posted by Tyler (Member # 2093) on :
I used to silkscreen shirts for friends bands out of my parents basement way back when I was in high school (97-98). Also started using corel at version 4, just for fun. Got hired at a silkscreening/vinyl sign shop after their other employee had to go to jail, and that was the first time I was introduced to signmaking. Stayed with them a bit over a year, and then started out on my own, in October 99. I love it, wouldn't want to do it any other way! So I have been in the sign industry for about three years. So basically, I just got my feet wet.
------------------ Tyler Malinky
A Step Above Signs Cleveland, Ohio 440.479.8129 440.842.1894 fax
www.astepabovesigns.com tmalinky@astepabovesigns.com or exmayors@aol.com
Posted by goddinfla (Member # 1502) on :
Got into it in 1977 through my then father-in-law. Did mostly hand routed signs. Been in it for myself since 1986.
------------------ Dennis Goddard Excalibur Signs & Graphics Tampa Fl
Posted by Jerry Mathel (Member # 526) on :
I painted my first sign for money in 1948 at age 12. In high school, I pinstriped cars and I was the kid who painted all the banners and paper signs for the football games and dances. Attended the sign trade school at San Diego City College in 1954/55 and served my apprenticeship with a large outdoor advertising company and a large commercial sign shop. Of course I also moonlighted on the side. I opened my own shop here in Oregon in 1972 and I've now pretty much retired and turned the business over to my two sons.
------------------ Jerry Mathel Jerry Mathel Signs Grants Pass, Oregon signs@grantspass.com
Posted by cheryl nordby (Member # 1100) on :
1976 at age 20. I had worked for Dairy Queen for a couple years, as a waitress for 4 HOURS, then at Payless as the signpainter. Like Crazy Jack says....."That's it"
------------------ surf or MoJo on mirc Cheryl J Nordby Signs by Cheryl Seattle WA.....! signsbycheryl@hotmail.com
Well I dont consider what I do to be in the sign trade as much as just "graphics" in general, but I do a few signs here and there.
I'd have to say about 8 years, since I was 17. I started out training other people how to use AutoCAD. That led into doing freelance CAD/3D Rendering/3D Animation work to supplement the income I needed for engineering school, which I wasnt getting from Mc Donald's.. =) That led into setting up a website to showcase my work to draw more work which meant getting into photoshop.. Web design led into doing layouts for brochures and flyers for the local yokels, which led into using Illustrator and PageMaker for layouts.
Finished school, got a job at an engineering firm, continued "playing" with the other stuff on the side.
Then one day I had a thought (scary).. "It would be so cool to be able to make my own graphics for my jetski."
Picked up a refurbished Roland for about $500 or $600..
So now.... I've got ALOT of experience running my own business and I still do everything, from the CAD training to the 3D stuff to all kinds of layouts and now custom graphics for vehicles..
Soon to come.... mass produced screenprinted graphics of my own design.
------------------ Mike Pipes Digital Illusion Custom Graphics Lake Havasu City, AZ http://www.stickerpimp.com
Posted by Tim Barrow (Member # 576) on :
I always seemed to be tha kid who was content with a pencil & paper doodlin or sketchin'.My dad started me in art classes at a local boys club at 12,& then made me spend summers at a local sign shop by the time I was 14 in '68 somewhere between then and '78 I managed ta git in a few years of fine art college & an apprenticeship of sorts witha local oudoor firm. Struck out on my own in 1978 & haven't had a dull moment since. I can remember there was this one guy who was always paintin' hot rods or custom cars down on Waughtown St. as kids we would sneak by there & peek in,....think they called him "shep"!
------------------ fly low...timi/NC is,.....Tim Barrow Barrow Art Signs Winston-Salem,NC http://artistsfriend.com/signs
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
Heheheheheheee....and I thought I was ancient! Shep and Jerry make me feel like a kid! Been at this game since 1967, as a full time signpainter...can't think of many other things that I would rather do (and still stay out of jail)...so I guess I will stick to being a signpainter!
------------------ Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA (714) 521-4810 ICQ # 330407 "SignPainters do It with Longer Strokes!"
95% of all accidents occur immediately after the words "Hey...watch this."
Brushasaurus on Chat
Gladly supporting this BB !
[This message has been edited by Si Allen (edited July 30, 2001).]
Posted by Rosemary (Member # 1926) on :
I used to follow my dad around the car lots with his brushes and rags and a can of thinner. I think I must have been about 7 years old. I grew up in the studio, so I guess it's been about 13 years since I actually began relly helping make signs. I learned to paint really early, then the vinyl stuff came along and I learned to use my blade to from letters.
------------------ Girls carve too! Behind every good Woman, there's a man.............waiting.
http://www.stmariegraphics.com
1911SRs and Paul Reed Smith Bass Guitars!
Posted by Bob Burns (Member # 268) on :
MY FIRST PAYIN' JOB WAS IN 1953....PISTRIPING A NOSED AND DECKED '51 PACKARD!
------------------ Bob Burns Bob Burns Signs
1619 Oregon Ave. Prescott, Az 86305 1-928-778-5879
Posted by jimmy chatham (Member # 525) on :
been at it since 1969 and still learning
------------------ Jimmy Chatham Chatham Signs 164 Poplar Rd. Commerce, Ga 30529 706-335-2348 Fax 706-335-3378 icq#11718273
Posted by Stephen Deveau (Member # 1305) on :
My first painting was sold to a gentleman from Germany in 1967... All for the sum of $50.00 dollars! I was 11 years old at this tender age! I have been hooked on Graphics since.
I'am stuck on Bandage, because Bandage is stuck on Me!
------------------ Raven/2001 Airbrushed by Raven Lower Sackville N.S. deveausdiscovery@sprint.ca
[This message has been edited by Stephen Deveau (edited July 30, 2001).]
[This message has been edited by Stephen Deveau (edited July 30, 2001).]
Posted by Arvil Shep' Shepherd (Member # 2030) on :
Timi, You are right,I am one and the same. My shop was at 2648 Waughtown St.... I always left a light on in the "Showroom" so as the people stopping by could see the latest "Offering" It must have worked, for I stayed booked for about 18 months in advance.....THanks for remembering..you have made my day !! Shep' PS the (SHARK) on my website was one of the cars in the "Showroom"
------------------ Arvil Shep' Shepherd Art by Shep Oak Island, NC shep@ec.rr.com http://artbyshep.homestead.com/index.html " As long as they say your name, you will live forever"
