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This was written by Marty Happy. SCROLL DOWN!! Picture is on the NEXT ONE DOWN (sorry Marty......)
Check out this photo circa 1977 not long after I graduated high school. Photo quality sucks but what did you expect from those little 110 cameras that were in vogue then. It's yellowed somewhat as well but it tells quite a story. Check out my 'way cool' rainbow stripe railroad engineers cap.(LOL)
If the colour isn't apparent the signs are icky purple painted 1/4" hardboard with yellow/gold, blue, red, black and white enamels for lettering. At this point I had never even heard of 1-Shot nevermind real lettering brushes. I used those cheapie touch-up brushes and half-pints of colored enamels right from the hardware store. I grew up in the sticks of Northern Saskatchewan up here in Canada ehhhhh! I made up most the letter styles and copied several others from printed matter. It wasn't until a bunch of years later that I even seen a real signpainter in action. We didn't even have art classes in high school. I was entirely self taught and kinda fell into the biz serendipidously because people heard of my artistic ability and sought me out.
By the way collecting for these signs was quite an adventure. They were for a small-time traveling amusement midway show operator from an nearby town and I could never track him down for payment. Eventually at a small nearby community fair where he was operating I enlisted a half dozen or so of my buddies and we discretely followed him around until we noticed that one of the ride operators handed him a wad of cash. Then we approached him with my copy of invoice in hand. He peeled off two 50's from a wad in his pocket which was 5 bucks more than I'd billed him for and he walked away. Yep I did all those signs for 95 bucks. He had me do more signwork in the following years but it was always COD. I was the only signpainter around and a bit of a local hero. Great times!!!!!
Note my younger brother's Falcon in the background. It was originally a really gross green so we ordered a small spray paint outfit from an agricultural catalog, drove the car into a barn on the farm, hand sanded the entire car and spray-painted it white, added a fade stripe on a panel on the side and flames on the hood and hand-painted rose artwork on the trunklid. It attracted quite a lot of attention and not long after my brother sold it to a girl who apparently still has it stored at her folks farm. I doubt that it's collectable but it's one of a kind!
What a trip looking through my first portfolio! I have no idea where the photo of my first ever sign is though. It's buried somewhere in boxes of old photos.
Happy Signing......Marty
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Marty....those signs don't look so bad!(sorry about the problems posting your picture) Here is me...when I lettered my first vehicle. (pretty dang funny huh?) and there I am lettering a small banner....yep....on the floor. Gee, come to think of it....I still letter on the floor.......hmmmm.
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Cheryl, No art in high school, no lettering brushes and self-taught? Girl you are a natural! I checked out your website and found some good stuff. Keep up the good work and take care of those boys.
Kathy
------------------ Kathy Joiner River Road Graphics Ponchatoula, La. Old enough to know better...Too young to resist.
Posts: 1891 | From: Ponchatoula, LA | Registered: Nov 2000
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NO!!!!!! THAT IS MARTY HAPPY! He wanted me to post his picture...and the first post are MARTY's words!! You see......I had problems posting his picture...I told him how easy it is to do....and looky there...I messed up sorry Marty!
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Glenn.... I do believe I still have that hat in one of many boxes of hats I have collected over the years and just haven't been able to part with. One of my idiosyncracies.
Happy Signing.....Marty
------------------ Marty Happy Signmaker Since 1974 Happy Ad Sign & Design Regina SK, Canada S4N 5K4
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Marty those signs are many things but from what I can see "ugly" i'nt one of 'em. I think you did really well especially bearing in mind the anecdote. I don't have any photos of the signs I made for my Dad in the early 70's done in my own home brewed bubble writin'. If I did I would easily win this one hands down! I think it might be fun to start a "bad hats" topic , or even better a "bad hair" topic. (Now how can I make it sign related...?)
------------------ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "If you find that you can keep your head whilst all others around you are loosing theirs, then you obviously don't understand the situation." (Hal Roche) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Karen Tighe, Strandhill, Sligo in the Wild Wet West of Ireland.
mIRC = cafe_cruiser
Posts: 238 | From: Great Britain | Registered: May 2000
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Bill, I remember meeting you at Banff. You're much too kind in your comments. Must feel sorry for that homely looking young farm-boy showing them off. I cringe when I look at those signs. It's not evident because the photo quality is so bad but the lettering is quite shakey. I guess the general layouts could be worse. I've come a long way since. Maybe in the next few days if Cheryl is willing, I'll ask her to post a huge dimensional one that I'm installing tomorrow.
Happy Signing.....Marty
------------------ Marty Happy Signmaker Since 1974 Happy Ad Sign & Design Regina SK, Canada S4N 5K4
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Marty..... yah you betcher boots I will post it. (and this time it won't take me so many tries!) I am looking forward to seeing this big dimensional sign you have been working on. (when you become rich and famous, I will remember your invite to Regina to learn the tricks of your trade) Good luck with the install....hope it all goes as planned.
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Suelynn,You must be younger than I, your eyes are better. I thought it was Cheryl! I even wondered how she got so attractive after being such a "tomboy" teen! Sorry Cheryl!
------------------ Kathy Joiner River Road Graphics 41628 River Road Ponchatoula, La.70454 PH. (504)386-3313 casey@i-55.com
Old enough to know better...Too young to resist.
Posts: 1891 | From: Ponchatoula, LA | Registered: Nov 2000
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, or even better a "bad hair" topic. (Now how can I make it sign related...?) 
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