posted
*DISCLAIMER* I tried to contact Steve and Barb to ask for permission to post this. They haven’t gotten back to me yet, so I assume they have more important matters to attend to. If for what ever reason they feel that they don’t want this message on their forum they have every right in the world to remove it. I just can’t wait any longer to get this project moving.
Hello Letterheads… but more importantly, in this case, Hello Walldogs!
I’m calling all Dogs to help us finish the New Official Walldog Website. www.diazsignart.com/client_jobs/walldogs We need photos, testimonials, and anything else you guys can get your hands on. The goal of this site is to act as an informational guide and sales tool for the Walldog Movement. Its target audience is the towns interested in hosting such events. Many of the veteran dogs have agreed that they don’t want to form an association; they want to keep this movement loose and free like in the past. But… It’s key that everyone is on the same page. It’s important that a consistent message (that can be constantly evolving) is being pitched to these towns. That is where the site will hopefully come into play. We are hoping that it will act as the voice of the Walldogs.
We’ve gathered up a lot of information but not nearly all of it. That is where you all come in.
Here is what we need: - Host information - Everyone who was a host I need your photo, shop information, the name of the meet you hosted and contact information. If you want, we can include a “contact artist” button that can be linked to your website or email address.
- A list of project leaders - The project leaders will be listed under “More Dogs” on the About page. We are going to remove all the people that aren’t project leaders from that list. I think it will be too difficult to maintain a list of every Walldog. What are your thoughts?
- Adam May said he would help develop a map of sorts, that will show towns where the closest Walldog is to their location. Also Adam has purchased the domain for this site, which we will move this to once the site is ready to go.
- Past Events - We need to gather up info for this section. So far we have borrowed all of our info from the Letterville site. I need the hosts of those events to get me three things: their contact information, contact information for that town and testimonials if that is possible. - Photos - We need to gather up photos for each event’s own gallery. Right now we have started Algoma’s. Send any photos that you want to make sure ends up on the site to my email address or to our shop by mail. 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, IL 61764
- Testimonials - Like I said, we need testimonials from the towns we’ve hit. I think it’s important to show future towns the benefits of these events. If one person or a group of people wouldn’t mind helping us gather this content, that would be very helpful. I suggest each event host could contact the town they hosted to ask for this information, and then email it to me. - Media page - The Media page can be what ever we decide to make of it. Youtube videos, I have a PowerPoint presentation I put together, Wallpapers… you name it.
- Headers – also, I thought it would be cool if we had alternate headers for all of the pages. If past Project leaders want to design one, they can email me an EPS AI or Corel File. This way the site will reflect us as a whole and show a diverse variety of our different design styles. This is optional of course. As long as the designs say “Walldogs” in there somewhere and fits a 737px by 233px space we would definitely love to see it on there.
So it would be fantabulous if we could get a little help with this site. If every one pitches in a little we can get this site up and going in no time. Not only is it a lot of work for Ben and I but it’s important that every Dog, especially Walldogs who have hosted an event, get a chance to pitch in. It’s everyone’s site!
-------------------- Joe Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, IL 61764 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 538 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
UPDATE: I just finished talking with Steve and Barb on the phone. Our plan is to develop an “About Letterhead” section and include it with the “About Dogs” section. The section will have a short blurb about the letterheads, which is important because Walldogs are Letterheads too and if we want to fully explain the history of who the Walldogs are we should explain where the modern Walldogs came from.
Included in that section will be links to Steve’s “past meets” pages that he developed and also a link to the “letterhead history” page.
Any other suggestions?
Si, It’s going to be a resource for Walldogs to use to inform these interested communities on what to expect and how to host an event in their town. It won’t show case everyday stuff. Only murals that were painted as apart of a Walldog event. We will include contact information for past event hosts so that inquiring towns can talk to people that have firsthand experience with pulling off one of these events.
If you’ve never been to a Walldog meet, they are great, but they are a lot of work and difficult to pull off. This site can be used as a tool to help Walldogs that want to host an event supply that town with information and content. Seeing is believing… and the gallery of past events will not only show the final products of these events but show the photos of the events in progress.
-------------------- Joe Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, IL 61764 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 538 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
If the Past Meets link to my walldog meets is good enough, that's fine. Steve did a great job on those. Please let me know if you need any more info from me, I'll be happy to send it along.
This could be a very useful tool to show to the Town Fathers when proposing a walldog event. I wish I'd have had this resource. For me, it was like pulling teeth! (anyone who has been through this can attest)
I felt like The Little Red Hen. Nobody in town wanted to plant the wheat or knead the dough, but they all wanted a piece of bread!
I think the website is a great idea, please let me know if I can do anything to help. Love....Jill
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
That's the idea, Jill. There will be no forum or sharing page...just information! This is something any Letterhead/Walldog can use to pitch the idea, but more importantly to save time. We get calls ALL the time from potential town who want the walldogs to come to THEIR town...who wouldn't! In our first contact with many towns, they have heard about these traveling vagabonds who show up, paint all these cool things all over and do it for free and then THANK the town for giving them this great opportunity We just want towns to be realistic about their expectations, see what is involved and know that they have to PARTICIPATE in this EFFORT!! People are welcome to set up a walldog event where ever but this should be a good tool to direct people to so we don't have to explain it again and again, to every town that calls. AND we can all start on the same page if we are going to pitch this to a town.
[ May 30, 2008, 05:19 PM: Message edited by: Jane Diaz ]
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
There are no rules, Jon. Send it! This should be a tool for ALL to use.
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
| IP: Logged |
I have a good collection of photos from the several Walldog events that I have attended. I will try to email you copies of them on disc as soon as I have a few minutes of free time.
Sounds like a great resource you are putting together, as I would like to organize an event in the future myself.
Thanks a lot for all the time and effort you are putting into this. If I can help in any way drop me and email.
posted
Joe, The page is awesome and the catalyst to a new world of info for those who don't know as much as they should. A picture is worth so much as it's a long story to explain everything. Folks are usually visual too. thanks for all your hard work and ingenuity! and Bushie is absolutely correct. I imagine their walldog meets to be as fabulous as their panel meet. OMG, was that awesome from end to end. A lot of old country charm and new fangled up to date technology with the materials...and their hospitality is oh so grand. You must include the Aussies and Kiwis and the UK, and everyone! What a wonderful world it is, and what great folks to know in our lifetime!
[ May 31, 2008, 10:52 PM: Message edited by: Deb Fowler ]
-------------------- Deb Fowler
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible - Walt Disney (1901-1966) Posts: 5373 | From: Loves Park, Illinois | Registered: Aug 1999
| IP: Logged |
OK... could you cut me a little break here .....I just relocated across the country, said goodbye to old friends and hello to new ones, started a new job, found a new place to live, bought a new car, spent the last week in Sedalia, MO, and need to get a concept put together a for the Minneapolis Walldog meet this summer.....all while I have no idea where any of my belongings are at the present moment.
Plus, I am trying to figure out how to squeeze in an Indy race with Danica patrick tomorrow at the MIlwaukee Mile?
C'mon now bud, I just added one little bitty letter in there.....but hey I'll watch it from now on Otay?
posted
ohh wow thats right do I want to be in Mpls this july thanks... something to go after, been along time since there, can see all my ol sign buddys maybe since I grew up and learned the sign business there , thanks again for reminder hope to see ya all
posted
The purpose of the site is informational and should help, as Jill stated, lesson the stress of hosting a coordinating such an event. We have enjoyed helping towns. I guess that is what it is all about -- helping areas in need, that may be dying because of modernization ... communities that lose their best and brightest, because jobs have gone elsewhere, schools have closed, retails stores have closed ... the list goes on and on.
But have walldogs in your town and paint a few well placed and well conceived wall advertising murals and boom -- now people come from surrounding towns to visit and drop a few bucks. It must be working, because the list of towns wanting the dogs to help is growing.
I hope that this becomes an even more international thing that helps promote our trades to the masses. You Aussies, Canadians, Irish, Scottish, Brits and others I'm not aware of are certainly with us on all this as you are all apart of what makes our trades special.
It is such a hoot to get with fellow letterheads and paint these projects and watch the townfolks eyes well up with happiness.
-------------------- Bill Diaz Diaz Sign Art Pontiac IL www.diazsignart.com Posts: 2107 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Dec 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Joe, I've got a ton from Algoma...I'll dig them out tomorrow...I believe even the unfinished (at the time) panel installation, which I believe only Dave Petri & I have seen completed.
Until tomorrow...
-------------------- Nikki Goral Image Advantage Signs 4050 Champeau Road New Franken, WI 54229 920-465-4500 "Finish every day and be done with it. Tomorrow is a new day."-Ralph Waldo Emerson Posts: 928 | From: New Franken, WI (East Green Bay) | Registered: Jun 2007
| IP: Logged |
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
The site has been moved to its home www.thewalldogs.com Thanks Adam for your help. Keep the stuff coming guys! I’ve added a paragraph or two about how to become a Walldog. Let me know if that sounds good to you all. I thought it would be cool explain the different tiers, as it were, of Walldogs. The dogs, the project leaders, and the hosts.
[ June 03, 2008, 04:06 PM: Message edited by: Joseph Diaz ]
-------------------- Joe Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, IL 61764 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 538 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hey everybody! Just checking in. I’m giving this post a little bit of a bump. We haven’t been getting as much help with this site as I would have hoped. I did get two disks from Don Hulsey full of photos but that is about it. There are still some meets that we have absolutely no photos from.
Ben, the folks and myself didn’t get a chance to make it to every meet, so if we weren’t there, we don’t know much about that event. Some photos, testimonials, or any other types of media would be extremely helpful. We need help filling in those blanks.
Also, it’s extremely important to get contact info not only for the dogs, but from the towns. Send that info to joe@diazmedia.com or bring it along when you come to the Minneapolis Meet
Thanks!
[ June 23, 2008, 12:00 PM: Message edited by: Joseph Diaz ]
-------------------- Joe Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, IL 61764 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 538 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Joe, Did you get the pics I sent from Algoma? Some nice process pics on the Net wall...
-------------------- Nikki Goral Image Advantage Signs 4050 Champeau Road New Franken, WI 54229 920-465-4500 "Finish every day and be done with it. Tomorrow is a new day."-Ralph Waldo Emerson Posts: 928 | From: New Franken, WI (East Green Bay) | Registered: Jun 2007
| IP: Logged |
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
| IP: Logged |
-------------------- Jack Wills Studio Design Works 1465 E.Hidalgo Circle Nye Beach / Newport, OR Posts: 2914 | From: Rocklin, CA. USA | Registered: Dec 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Joe - think of how many photos were taken pre-digital camera days . . .
Walldogs dates back to 1993 - so there is probably a treasure trove of photos in people's photo collections (including mine!!) - and THAT may be a harder thing to dig up or get people to move on.
So maybe that's the reason for the lack of posts too?
Your Mom and Dad should have some from the first meet at Nancy's - and also 1995 in Kenlake - our meet in Belvidere in 1997 (all pre-digital) would help fill things up some. But some scanning of pics will be necessary.
What would you like to see?
-------------------- Jay Allen ShawCraft Sign Co. Machesney Park, IL jallen222@aol.com http://www.shawcraft.com/
"The object of the superior man is truth." -Confucius Posts: 1285 | From: Machesney Park, IL, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
Thanks! I sent a huge file...maybe I'll zip them and send again, unless you have an ftp???
-------------------- Nikki Goral Image Advantage Signs 4050 Champeau Road New Franken, WI 54229 920-465-4500 "Finish every day and be done with it. Tomorrow is a new day."-Ralph Waldo Emerson Posts: 928 | From: New Franken, WI (East Green Bay) | Registered: Jun 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Jay, We DO have a bunch of photos and we are scanning some but we were hoping for some help on not only the meets we did not attend but also some different photos and some help in general with scanning photos of certain meets. We have already spent HOURS on this site. Some info gathering by others would really help us out and help this site get done quicker and online to benefit us all.
We also need some help on some of the information on the site. We still need contact info from people. What year did you host what and who can you contact in that town that might be a testimonial person. Could you get them to write a couple paragraphs about how the walldog meet affected their town? Generally, if it's not on the site now, we don't have it!
We don't want this site to be a chore for anyone (including ourselves!) we just thought it would be something positive for the whole group. If we don't get any info from people, it's not the end of the world, it just means the site won't get done as soon as we had hoped. We realize most of you are busy this time of year.
So if any of you have ANY info you could send, please do so as soon as you could. THANKS!
[ June 24, 2008, 11:35 AM: Message edited by: Jane Diaz ]
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've got photos since Lincoln and though they're the same meets it's a different set of eyes behind the camera. I'll try to send some of my favorites but no guarantee when. I'm just a wee bit busy right now.
How many can I send at a time so as not to overload you and what size.
-------------------- Carole Bersin Carole Bersin Painting 3527 24th Av S, Minneapolis, Mn 55406 cbersin@visi.com Posts: 211 | From: Minneapolis, Mn USA | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Just got a 2.8 gig DVD full of pics from Adam today. Thanks a lot bro! These are great.
-------------------- Joe Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, IL 61764 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 538 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Joe, I have a big CD of pics from Lodi to send you I just haven't had a chance. I'll do it as soon as I can.
-------------------- Kimberly Zanetti Purcell www.amethystProductivity.com Folsom, CA email: Kimberly@AmethystProductivity.com
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” AA Milne Posts: 3722 | From: Folsom, CA | Registered: Dec 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
That would be awesome Kimberly! We have absolutely no photos from Lodi right now. Very much appreciated!
-------------------- Joe Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, IL 61764 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 538 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thought I'd bump this up. This site "may be" the future of keeping our people together for the cause.....cause we like to get together, create, and have fun. Help Joe finish this website with what ever he needs. Thanks Joe, Ben, Jane and Bill!
-------------------- Tom & Kathy Durham House Springs, MO Posts: 654 | From: House Springs, MO | Registered: Apr 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thanx TomKat for the kind words. The friendships we have developed working alongside folks such as yourselves are priceless. We think your home away from home in Herman, Mo. should be on the list of future walldog meets -- what a super picturesque setting ... Oh my gosh!
We are hoping a website will help guide folks interested in having an event. It is only a guide and we will listen to any and all ways to improve this site.
There is a great deal of work involved in hosting one of these meets, and anyone interested in doing so should fully understand that. If you are one who volunteers your time for civic events, you can be sure that in these hard times you will be making many, many people happy that you have given something of yourself.
We are trying to give more and more perks for participation to make it worth your while to come. As gas prices increase I see these things become very regional with perks being a must.
If you have never painted wall advertisements or murals and would like to expand your services then this kind of an event is well worth your time and IT IS A GOOOOOOOOD TIME! You can work side by side with veterans while learning the ends and outs of it. When you get back home you can sell a wall or 2 and create a new market. You also will have a network of folks to visit with to help you figure out your projects or help lend a hand. We have helped friends with their projects and everyone shares the dough.
These things are only as good as we make them. In the past they have not been as good as they should have been, but coming off the great meet in Algoma, Wi last year, I see them getting better all the time.
We have bundled a couple of these meets into extended vacations. This helps us see parts of the country we haven't seen before and we write some of the expenditures off in doing that. It's a hoot to work with folks from other regions and other countries and I really enjoy the different accents and conversations.
[ June 30, 2008, 12:42 PM: Message edited by: Bill Diaz ]
-------------------- Bill Diaz Diaz Sign Art Pontiac IL www.diazsignart.com Posts: 2107 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Dec 2001
| IP: Logged |
![[Thanks]](graemlins/thanks.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Bash]](graemlins/bash.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Rolling On The Floor]](graemlins/rolf.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic