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I hear you guys talkin 'bout 'Chicken Scratch' markout and i imagine it's a very rough quick illegible scrawl of the text to be written.....right?
So, how many prefer this method? How many use pounce patterns off the computer? Pounce patterns hand drawn? And how many prefer to mark out accurately by hand....within reason? I prefer my markout as accurate as possible because it means I can complete my brushwork as fast as possible.
I believe the secret to speed lies in as few reloads and as few brush strokes as possible.
Wadda you think?
RobC
-------------------- Rob Clark Rob Clark Design 11 Lassig st Moore Park Queensland Australia 0741598092
Posts: 421 | From: Australia | Registered: May 1999
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I use all of the methods you have discribed, choosing whichever one fits the siuation. The "chicken scratch" method is for loose layouts and knockouts. It only works with letterstyles you are real familiar with. In the case of some guys/gals thats a lot of letterstyles It is the quickest method of handlettering. I'll use a carefully drawn layout if it's a one time deal. A set of tight truck doors or a d/f and I'll make a pattern. However, if the pattern contains lines of letterstyles that fall in the familiar catagory they will be done in a "chicken scratch" manner. I find my casuals and a lot of scripts come out of the brush better than the pencil.
-------------------- George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@bigriver.net
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
I never heard the term "chicken-scratch" layout until it turned up here on the BB, but I think you are right in that it is a rough stabilo layout directly on your sign, truck door, or whatever.
For most of my early years in the biz, this was my preferred method of working, 'specially on simple layouts. Draw the horizontal lines , draw a vertical line at center, count up the letters and spaces, figure out which one was at center, and rough out both ways from center. The main line was often on an arch, so I used to let a small nail live in the end of my shoe sole, slip the little metal thingie on the end of a chalk line over the nail,line up the string on the vertical line on the panel by scooting my foot around, wrap the string around a stabilo at the place I wanted the arch lines to be placed, and swing the arch lines. Just don't move your foot whilst doing this, and keep even tension on the string when swinging the lines. A crude method but it worked for a lot of years.
These days, the work is mostly computer generated, and I'm a bit out of practice on direct layout. One other thought on pounce patterns-- if you have a long line of copy say on the side of a truck-- tape the computer-generated layout paper above the layout lines, and just use that as a reference. In other words, don't perforate the paper and dust thru the holes at all.
-------------------- Bill Preston Fly Creek, N.Y. USA
Posts: 943 | From: Fly Creek, N.Y. USA | Registered: Jan 2000
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Yeah "Chicken Scratch" layouts, "One-stroke lettering", "Thumbnails", "Boat-Colors"(doctored-up for coverage), and other terms were quite common in a Sign Shop that was concerned with production. It was hard to justify spending alot of time to hand letter a Parking Sign or a Quickie Sho-card.
"Chicken Scratch" layouts were especially popular with those doing card work, using charcoal you very lightly score your layout lines and quickly simulate your copy. If you were off you would adjust as you lettered. Sometimes in your spacing you would have to "cheat" by gradually increasing or decreasing it's space along that line of copy to achieve what would look like perfect spacing. I did much of my layouts this way and even had people who were watching say "Do you ever follow the layout", I would say No. One can get quite good at this after awhile. The next step up fromthat would be "chicken scratch" patterns. Going the other way there were jobs such as Grocery Store paper signs ie. Eggs/$ per dz. and car windshield lettering where you did'nt use any layout at all.
That was a time when speed was king. But to know when to make a clean pattern how to execute a perfect letter would make an individual a valuable signman. buck-buck-bah!
-------------------- Rich Stebbing RichSigns Rohnert Park CA 707-795-5588
Posts: 755 | From: Rohnert Park, CA | Registered: Nov 1998
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As every job is different as in pricing.So is the use of time and tools involved."Chicken Scratch" layouts are done for the quick/time saving jobs, (that were usally priced too low) relying on your expertice in brush handeling techniques, ie...allowing the brush to form the letters. This is viewed by the general public as "Freehand" The rest is History!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hope this helps
-------------------- PKing is Pat King The Professor of SIGNOLOGY
Posts: 3113 | From: Pompano Beach, FL. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Hi Rob. I use all the methods available depending on the job. Apart from using the computer to generate pounce patterns I also use it to 1/10th scale layouts on paper if the job is big enough.
"Chicken Scratch" is used on everyday stuff like windows, car screens and "blackboard specials" real budget stuff but lucrative if you are quick
Worked once with an "old signie" who was magic ... he could eyeball a 20ft wall ... ping a couple chalk lines and start lettering helvetica, roman or script from one end. Same with truck doors, he only ever used chalk lines no scratch layout. Result was perfectly spaced and centered lines ... maybe one day I might get as good
It is the quickest method of handlettering.
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