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reading the post dave started and seeing how many of us started in this line of work by "working for some older artists" how many of us TODAY........ARE TEACHING or have anyone interested in learning, like we did in our youth? theis really bothers me as i have offered to give what i know FOR FREE.....to a few young people, but they just never show up. time is ticking and when we go..........what we know is also gone. sad....
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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Last year I went thru a phase where I pulled out pencils, markers, pens, light board, etc. and went back to some "old school" cartooning and illustration. I started as a designer "BC" (before computers) and saw first hand how the computer tool came onto the scene (both good and bad).
I recently gave a seminar talk on "creative doodling" and how sketching, drawing, doodling can spark and enhance creativity- it was a tech/design conference that was made up of 20-30 year old tech savy hipsters- I was amazed at the response: first off they could choose which seminar topics would make the cut, then could chose from multiple topics to attend- my presentation was in the last slot of the day and it was standing room only- many told me later that they had never picked up a pen to doodle or sketch, they only knew computer- and a few told me they really liked the concept, they had never thought of "sketching out ideas" on paper.
I really enjoy teaching drawing and cartooning- I have taught both middle school and high school students- even taught a course on video editing and computer illustration. This year I have been asked to teach a small course in photo editing...
-------------------- Michael Clanton Clanton Graphics/ Blackberry 19 Studio 1933 Blackberry Conway AR 72034 501-505-6794 clantongraphics@yahoo.com Posts: 1735 | From: Conway Arkansas | Registered: Oct 2001
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"sketching out ideas on paper".... ha ha, hard to imagine not knowing that, but you opened their eyes, Michel, good job! we take it for granted, like not having to think about opening our mouths when the loaded fork/spoon approaches...we just "know"! ;o) re: "teaching the younger"...If i am aware of someone that is keen on pursuing lettering, i may send them my "lettering sheets", hand lettered alphabets in various styles...so they can better observe letters painted...rather than fonts, printed. who knows, they may show up on American Pickers next century?? ))
-------------------- John Lennig / Big Top Sign Arts 5668 Ewart Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada bigtopya@hotmail.com 604.451.0006 Posts: 2184 | From: Burnaby, British Columbia,Canada | Registered: Nov 2001
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I taught Lettering years ago at Illinois Central College. It began as a Union Class, which I took over from John Berg,and eventually became a curriculum class for the school.I still do some idea exchange, but that's about it... A machine cannot pin stripe a car...
-------------------- 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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Most of my life has been connected with teaching what I know to some degree or another. Back when it was all hand done there were those that worked with me and picked up a little of what I was doing.
Then along came SignCraft and the Letterheads and I began writing articles and doing workshops for the the Letterhead gatherings. For over 15 years I have been teaching workshops through the educational program of National Business Media.
Also, I've done some teaching through gatherings of ShopBot users.
Some of my teaching is through a fee basis but a lot is just sharing what I know with anyone that will sit still and listen.
Right now I have a young man helping me a few hours each day and he is picking up some of the techniques that I use, although those don't include hand lettering, at least for now.
None of these things are done because I know more than someone else, but just because I came about what I do through the generosity of others and it's fun to pass that along.
Most of us teach much more than we think we do.
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Kinda reminds me when I had two acres of river bottom soil behind my auto restoration shop and planted watermelons way out back in the spring. By august, I had forgotten them as the weeds were six feet tall way back there. One of the young men who worked for me started bringing in melons in September and at one point I had over a hundred of them up on the showroom. I banged out a sign which said "Free Watermolons" and only had a few takers. After another 50 melons arrived up front, I changed the sign to read "Watermelons $1 each" and they sold like hot cakes!
OK. I still had about a hundred left and then the darn pumpkins and squash. I traded for an old worn out Dodge truck that I sent to the auction, but filled the bed with the extra harvest. I figured it would bring a hundred bucks. It sold for $375!
Never under-estimate the value of a nice harvest, if priced right!
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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Raymond, if I didn't need to make a living here, you'd need a pet rattlesnake to keep me out of your shop "helping". I know ...... "helping"? LOL Way back when our kids were little, our oldest boy wanted me to do something for him ... I don't recall what but it wasn't something I felt the need to do. So, I said ( he was 5) "what did you do to help Daddy today?" his reply, after a few seconds thought ........ "I helped you eat the chips" ! LOL
-------------------- Rodger MacMunn T.R. MacMunn & Sons C.P.207, Sharbot Lake, ON 613-279-1230 trmac@frontenac.net Posts: 472 | From: Sharbot Lake, Ontario | Registered: Nov 2003
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That is Bogus Joe, there are more hand letterers and pinstripers today than you can imagine. Everyday I see a new name on facebook in some paint site catagory and you'll be able to see this as well when you stop BSing about politics, get off your political soapbox and get with the program you have so much interest in and start getting into the trade you lost interest in when you got that friggin computer and plotter.
I remember a saying something like “ Those who can’t do, teach. ”
well teaching is something many have missed but all is not gone and forgotten or maybe it is in FloraBama...
-------------------- HotLines Joey Madden - pinstriping since 1952 'Perfection, its what I look for and what I live for'
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I started teaching woodcarving when I was 14 as the handicraft director at a scout camp.....also taught leatherwork and basketry. I carved 5 or 6 kerchief slides each week and sold them thru the camp auction and made pretty good money.....for a 14 yr old.
When I entered college and looked for a teaching major (I had really enjoyed teaching in scouting) I thought teaching industrial arts would be my thing because of my carving/teaching experience......I was hooked! We studdied in 6 different areas and I majored in wood, metal and graphic technology.
I taught for 9 yrs. in highschool (and coached track) and got my MS in technology education. I was was married with 2 little kids and the pay for teaching was so good, I was elegible for food stamps!!!!! We lived in a small house in a dying, industrial city that was getting more and more dangerous.
I tried a few small craft shows with my photography and passed the time by doing a little carving at my booth.....hmm, there seemed to be some interest in the carving so i did a few relief carvings and hung them and they SOLD!!!! next I developed a product line (including signs) and a nice booth and booked a few serious shows. I taught one more year and then I quit (along with 10 other young IT teachers from the same school system) and started my own business....late 70's-early 80's.......do you remember THAT recession????
We sold our little house and bought a big one with a second mortage, in the country. View, acres.....heaven.
Fast foward to 2000 & Letterheads. I so much wanted to teach someone.....anyone production carving. You could make a good living at this!!!! Wrote articles for the trade mags....taught at meets etc (I did 12 meets one year)
Nada!
When I'm gone, what I have to teach that I've learned over the years will be gone too. It's too bad, but I don't loose any sleep over it.
Joe,
Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!
-------------------- Joe Cieslowski Connecticut Woodcarvers Gallery P.O.Box 368 East Canaan CT 06024 jcieslowski@snet.net 860-824-0883 Posts: 2345 | From: East Canaan CT 06024 | Registered: Nov 2001
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It's never about the starting point or the finish line......It's "the journey" or the trajectory that you followed and how you enjoyed what you were doing, while in the journey, what really molded your life.
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I live in rural southern Oregon and the school system here is all about 'lip service'. I have approached the school district about all kinds of classes put on by myself and others in the area with like skills. You might as well be yelling at a brick! Their canned response is ALWAYS no funds! We get this even though my group has never once mentioned anything about funding! Our group is artists, computer cad/cam, wood workers, and other very talented crafts people. So our next step was to approach the local community center to see if there was an opportunity to do something with them, NOPE! Not interested. What's frustrating about that is the community center has incorporated within it an Art Gallery! I have also tried to get a couple of the kids interested in coming over to my shop on the weekends and we would teach them there, still no movement. I haven't given up but after awhile . . . . .Russ
-------------------- Russ Wood Hobby-Tronics Chiloquin, OR Posts: 13 | From: Chiloquin Oregon | Registered: Dec 2010
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I teach quite a bit these days and have no trouble finding eager students. While I hold back nothing as far as techniques and methods my intent is not so much to teach the things we do as to fan fires of passion for the craft.
I come in contact regularly with plenty (many hundreds) of people eager to learn and do my best to help them through my writings in SignCraft, and on the five blogs I keep up regularly plus our workshops.
This coming week I fly to New York to teach a class there about dimensional sign making. Two more workshops are well on their way to sold out here in my studio in April.
-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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I've enjoyed several apprentices over the years that have gone on and loved the life. At this time, I'd like to meet the right young person that would suck up the info and love the craft and buy my business. The cleanness of motive seems to be changing.
-------------------- 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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There is a big movement around here that puts on small, one day events- most of the focus is on technology, etc., but it provided an outlet for me to give a talk or 2 related to design or "old school" techniques.
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