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The first sandblasted signs I ever encountered were in Newport Beach around 1969. Walter's Sign Studio was turning out these dimensional signs that were killer. The design was hot. The lettering was top notch. The wood treatments were more than intriguing. The finish work seemed beyond appropriate for the situation needed.
Walter put together a team of some top notch artisans. A cabinet maker, a wood turner, a lettering artist, a designer, a salesman, etc. As a team, they all got to do their mark and the designer could pull them all together.
I tried to learn some of his secrets and found friendly closed lips. My friend Larry Miller and I started doing these with two opposing layers of duct tape for a mask. I think this was before the 3M buttercut rubber. We never quite got the depth that Walter achieved, and never got the warmth of his finishes. He seemed to always glaze his backgrounds, so they had multiple shades and were captivating.
Over the years we became better friends and enjoyed laughing about those early years. There were magazine articles dubbing Walter as the father of sandblasted signs.
Wednesday morning Walter lost his German accent and took his final breath. My life is richer because of knowing him.
-------------------- 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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Sorry for the loss of your friend, he has left you a legacy.
-------------------- Len Mort Signmaker1.com 11 Juniper Drive Millbury, MA 508-865-2382 "A Good Business Sign, is A Sign of Good Business"(1957) Posts: 811 | From: Millbury, Ma | Registered: Dec 2006
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Sorry for your loss, Rick. The one thing that bothers me when I hear of these losses, is that all of the knowledge, talent, etc. had to die with them, regardless of their teachings while they were with us. RIP Walter.
-------------------- Donald Miner ABCO Wholesale Neon 1168 Red Hill Creek Dobson, NC Posts: 842 | From: North Carolina | Registered: Apr 2006
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Even though he was somewhat tight lipped about his methods, I can't even imagine how much extra money he helped sign makers earn throughout the world by coming up with the idea to blast out the background of a sign. RIP Walter, and thank you.
-------------------- Dave Sherby "Sandman" SherWood Sign & Graphic Design Crystal Falls, MI 49920 906-875-6201 sherwoodsign@sbcglobal.net Posts: 5396 | From: Crystal Falls, MI USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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Yes, well said. Thanks for the commentary. I'm sorry for your loss.
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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I never met him but remember hearing about him and reading about him, probably in SignCraft. And I remember using duct tape back in the 70's at Cal Neon in San Diego making signs for the new Wild Animal Park.
I'd like to see those multiple shade backgrounds.
-------------------- Chuck Peterson Designs San Diego, CA Posts: 1050 | From: San Diego, CA USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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There's a 3 page pdf download of an old SignCraft article about Walter's work. Anybody who has been getting SC that long will remember this one. Unforgettable work.
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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As I've gotten older i've come to envy the writers. Somebody like Stienbeck can really leave a big chunk of their real selves to the younger ones, but other artists leave little besides the expertise in their art and what can be seen in it to anyone except those who knew him personally.
-------------------- dennis kiernan independent artist san francisco, calif, usa Posts: 907 | From: san francisco, ca usa | Registered: Feb 2010
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