posted
People who go to a walldog meet and call themselves walldogs are like the ones who call themselves 'letterheads' because they bought a machine that makes stickers.
posted
Be nice Glenn,....hahahahahah For once I kinda agree with Billy but in the same sentence there's alot more folks in both groups who use those monikers who very well deserve them,...
-------------------- fly low...timi/NC is, Tim Barrow Barrow Art Signs Winston-Salem,NC Posts: 2224 | From: Winston-Salem,NC,USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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My mind wanders. And that's not a good thing, 'cause it's too small to be out there alone. Posts: 3129 | From: Tooele, UT | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
I like to think of myself as a Letterhead having attended so many events over the years. I love going to Walldog meets, most of my Letterhead friends are there. The Pinheads are a special group, even though they invite me, I feel they are specialists. Bill
-------------------- Bill Riedel Riedel Sign Co., Inc. 15 Warren Street Little Ferry, N.J. 07643 billsr@riedelsignco.com Posts: 2953 | From: Little Ferry, New Jersey, USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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posted
Russ,...Its probably because the term was a derogatory one originally because the men who practiced the trade were not the highest skilled but the ones with less skills who were delegated to do the "dirty" dangerous work in a sign shop.
edited to add,..Bill,..you,ve earned the right to call yourself anything you want to in this trade,.... and I seriously doubt any one here will dispute you hahahahahaha
[ April 29, 2011, 08:41 AM: Message edited by: Tim Barrow ]
-------------------- fly low...timi/NC is, Tim Barrow Barrow Art Signs Winston-Salem,NC Posts: 2224 | From: Winston-Salem,NC,USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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That said, I've always believed that being a Letterhead was more about spirit and passion and not exclusive only to those who use a brush.
In the last 30+ years, I've hand-lettered billboards. I've dangled 150ft while handlettering silos for Cargill. But I've also sandblasted and handcarved signs, screen printed a gazillion decals and shirts. I've produced vinyl lettering and done vehicle wraps. I've designed logos and websites and produced complete marketing packages.
In the end, I found that only two things mattered. I did a good job and I got paid.
If a person who only cut and printed vinyl but has a passion and an appreciation for good design and gladly shares it wants to be known as a Letterhead, that's fine by me.
In the old days.... walldogs were looked down on by the shop sign guys!
................... BUT ......................
Now days with the vinyl and printers people cutting prices to keep the doors open ... walldogs are commanding a premium price because . . . . . . . . . . . "Stickers don't stick to stucco!"
-------------------- Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA
(714) 521-4810
si.allen on Skype
siallen@dslextreme.com
"SignPainters do It with Longer Strokes!"
Never mess with your profile while in a drunken stupor!!!
Brushasaurus on Chat Posts: 8827 | From: La Mirada, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Well call me what you want....but if I make letters and stickas from printed vinyl and I'm making a decent living from it...who fkn cares about the title "Letterhead"? I'm so over it! The people bytchin about how vinyl and printed vinyl are undercutting the business need to get with times...technology happens folks...jump on the wagon or be left in the dust! Video killed the radio star....lalalalalala dee fkn da!
-------------------- Karyn Bush Simply Not Ordinary, LLC Bartlett, NH 603-383-9955 www.snosigns.com info@snosigns.com Posts: 3516 | From: Bartlett, NH USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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posted
Well, you need to check with the Letterhead headquarters, the President of the Letterheads, and the board of directors for an official definition.
Of course, they will check to make sure that you are current with your dues and certification before giving you an answer.
This is a very select group and not just anyone can qualify for membership. Have you taken the oath? Do you know the secret handshake and hand signal?
The Letterheads were founded upon superiority and breeding. The ivory tower has limited space.
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I bestow upon you the title of David Harding Wallhead Letterdog. Please treat this title with the dignity and respect it deserves. Under no circumstances share it with those you deem to be inferior to thineself.
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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posted
Did someone stir the pot again? Just when it was quiet. I am with Karen. Call me what you will, I've done it all, and in the end, I didn't starve, and my wife, son & grandkids still love me, and I get to do what I want with my time.
Frankly, Billy....I dont care!
PS: I have 2 plotters, but then again, I'm a big guy.
""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3484 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Seems to me that anyone wd have to look up to a walldog, except maybe a roofer or steeplejack.
-------------------- dennis kiernan independent artist san francisco, calif, usa Posts: 907 | From: san francisco, ca usa | Registered: Feb 2010
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posted
When I apprenticed there were card men, gold men, wall dogs, bench men, etc. Most guys remained in their categories of craft. I don't know anyone any more that just does walls or cards. There are a few that just do gold though. I know of many that just make stickers and never refer to themselves as stickerheads. So I surmise we grab the label of whatever the meet is that we're attending and hold on to it for a while.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6713 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
So Sick of this Attitude, and yes I just stuck a 8ft x 24 ft decal on Concrete block wall in a gym, and I dear anyone to try and get it off, also after heating it, it looks to be hand painted, because it shows every bump and crease of the wall, I did 2 of these prints, and yes I certainly do know how to Hand Letter, did it for years! But this had to be done in one day, so I had 2 guys show up on Saturday Morning and they were out by 2 in the afternoon and still got about 3 grand. There's always someone stirring the pot, oh oh, I'm the kettle here, I'm sure I've done it a few times.lol
-------------------- "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
I thought the whole idea of the meets was to share the trade and keep the skills alive. I own a title or even know where the outline is to show me the skill level to be called such. I kind of like to think that it is anyone who apreaciates the trade and tries to keep it alive. I am always trying to learn new techniques new or old. I guess the best would be to mix the best of the two. Just my thoughts.
-------------------- Jack Wills Studio Design Works 1465 E.Hidalgo Circle Nye Beach / Newport, OR Posts: 2914 | From: Rocklin, CA. USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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posted
IF you have "Tucked" a wall before prime..Then yooz iz a wall dog.
-------------------- Jack Wills Studio Design Works 1465 E.Hidalgo Circle Nye Beach / Newport, OR Posts: 2914 | From: Rocklin, CA. USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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posted
Jack I wuz taught ta leave the mortar joints alone as it is what holds the wall up in the first place,...now if ya ever had to remove loose parapet tiles and then loose brick underneath them due to the pigeon manure deteriatin' the motar to find a solid wall portion to hang yer hooks on yes I've done that,... but now that ya mention it that might keep some of them old loose brick from comin' down and hittin' ya in the head while priming,..
-------------------- fly low...timi/NC is, Tim Barrow Barrow Art Signs Winston-Salem,NC Posts: 2224 | From: Winston-Salem,NC,USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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We had to re-tuck around our area in river town. Ice would form between bricks and cause trouble. Usually the work was handled by a contractor. But We would go in and "smooth" it over... Our walls had to look good. We were an outdoor advertising unit. All about the paycheck !
-------------------- Jack Wills Studio Design Works 1465 E.Hidalgo Circle Nye Beach / Newport, OR Posts: 2914 | From: Rocklin, CA. USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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posted
I've attended a bunch of WallDog meets, always as a leader of a wall mural. I've painted another 110 large historical murals on my own across Canada and the USA and yet I've never referred to myself as a WallDog.
I've attended a bunch of Letterhead meets. I've spoken or done demonstrations at a few along the way. We even hosted what we referred to as a Letterhead Picnic at our own place a few years ago and much to my surprise people came from across Canada and the USA.
I've painted plenty of letters with a brush through the years but don't consider myself especially good or accomplished at that task. I've only applied vinyl a few times and know for a fact I'm not very good at that task. I've never owned a plotter or printer.
I know my way around a few computer programs just enough to generally fake it. After enough tries and repetition to remember for the next time I manage to get by.
I've applied more than a few boxes of gold leaf through the years, but don't consider myself to be overly proficient in that field either.
I can sculpt and hand carve pretty good, but would rather let my CNC router do the bulk of the rough work. I do most of the detail work by hand, but then again, those who have seen my work up close know for a fact I don't overly sweat the details.
I can't draw or paint a straight line for the life of me and I've been drawing, practicing and put more effort into it for longer than anyone I know.
I have a real problem getting things level too.
I don't often read directions. I hold no papers, have no degrees and am self taught for the most part. Some would argue I pretty much always do things wrong - or at least not the way they are supposed to be done.
While everyone else seems to be marching in one general direction I am plodding off in another - just having fun.
On my business cards I have no title. Janis is president of both our companies. My job is to work out in the shop.
I'm just not qualified nor experienced enough to call myself anything but grampa dan and I made sure that was OK with Phoebe too.
I'd hate to offend anyone by assuming a title not earned or deserved.
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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-------------------- Lynda Yoder Wayne Yoder Signs & Designs 4735 List Rd Grass Lake, MI 5176884951 Posts: 154 | From: Grass Lake, MI | Registered: Feb 2007
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... and with all that I have done (or not) the last thing I would want to do is prevent anyone from calling themselves whatever they wanted to or thought they might deserve.
The title of Letterhead or Walldog is one that is somewhat obscure. I've always heard that if you paint letters and have a desire to improve your skills one could assume the title of Letterhead if you wish. Painting on a wall at a walldog meet would presumably allow one to assume a 'walldog' title if you so desired. As Raymond states above in his spoof post there are no dues, or a controlling body. There is no one to officially vote or judge and we shouldn't.
But this 'honorary' title also makes no assumption the modern day 'walldog' is what has historically been a 'WallDog' and that is one who painted the large outdoor advertising of old and made their living doing the same.
Pointing fingers or calling names serves as much good as railing against those who make their living doing vinyl. It only creates division and strife. The medium we may do our art in has little to do with the passion in our hearts or the art of creating the designs we do - it is only the medium.
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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