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Changing Tastes

Hand Lettering topics: Sign Making, Design, Fabrication, Letterheads, Sign Books.

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Doug Bernhardt
Posts: 1077
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:29 am
Location: Ottawa Canada
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Changing Tastes

Post by Doug Bernhardt »

Not sure if others are noticing this but I did see a post on Facebook some time ago and the author was annoyed to find the client was looking for something other than what he was used to doing. I too had seen this and in the last few years had been asked to make a sign with supplied artwork that I disliked. I suppose it's a generational thing as much as changing taste but I do admit it was one (of many) of the reasons I decided to pack it in.

Also .....There seems to be no standards for using the various design programs and was seeing mistakes in the afore mentioned designs. Things like the bowl of an "R" that hadn't been selected during a nudge or move...and worse the client/designer couldn't see it even after I pointed these things out. More often than not I simply adjusted and sent them the replacement so they at least weren't repeating these errors on their coffee mugs and so forth.

Here's a sign I made a number of years ago and the replacement which the clients younger general manager was looking for and done by another sign shop.
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vance galliher
Posts: 321
Joined: Mon Apr 12, 2004 11:38 pm
Location: springfield, or.
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Re: Changing Tastes

Post by vance galliher »

well doug, at least they used your panel shape.
style is such a period and personal matter. and remember doug, you're 100 years behind the times.
hummmm... and your "style" is uncompromised ... you are the very definition of fine artist and craftsman !
vance
dimensional and glass art signs
http://www.vancegallihersigns.com
vance galliher
Posts: 321
Joined: Mon Apr 12, 2004 11:38 pm
Location: springfield, or.
Contact:

Re: Changing Tastes

Post by vance galliher »

(I somehow sent this before I was finished )

... I love your seeing you style, but I like the "new" logo as well. maybe better in a different shape panel (?) it's more my style.
I just sent the following e-mail to a designer in california...

Hello Vance /


Thank you for the compliments.


FYI: My heroes were always sign painters.


Good luck with everything!


Thanks again -


/ M


Sent from my iPhone
415/ 517-6660







On Nov 13, 2017, at 9:00 AM, Michael Schwab Studio <studio@michaelschwab.com> wrote:




Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:


From: "Vance Galliher" <vgalliher1@comcast.net>
Date: November 12, 2017 at 9:16:34 PM PST
To: <studio@michaelschwab.com>
Subject: your style is a delight ...


you are in my favorites...I really love you work ... the simplicity is overwhelming !

vance
http://vancegallihersigns.com
541 726 6196 I want to be the person my dogs

I hope you're enjoying live doug...take good care !
vance
dimensional and glass art signs
http://www.vancegallihersigns.com
Doug Bernhardt
Posts: 1077
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:29 am
Location: Ottawa Canada
Contact:

Re: Changing Tastes

Post by Doug Bernhardt »

Well Vance....thanx for the good words but all to say this "IS" the new way. I guess it settles into..... are we manufacturers of other peoples designs or do we work on our own ideas? I for one wasn't ready to hand my favourite part of my business over to often less than competent craftspeople regardless of "style" dictates. This is "not" to say the new ideas are less important in the grand scheme but I'm willing to admit I wasn't ready to change my ideas of design. I recall a great article in AMAL a few years ago with Charlie Thames recalling his first years with Frank Atkinson where he described a similar style idea differences with him...should we all be that lucky! ;=)

Here's couple of photos of other days
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Dan Seese
Posts: 324
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 11:29 pm
Location: Fort Collins, CO
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Re: Changing Tastes

Post by Dan Seese »

Oh my, Doug.
There's simply no comparison.
While I agree with Vance that there's a certain attraction to the clean starkness of the newer design, even that is executed poorly. The panel shape doesn't arise from the design so it's an obvious retrofit inside the panel from your previous design. And if one is going to use a minimalist black & white style, at least attention should be given to close that space on either side of the "A" so that it isn't standing out in the cold. But maybe you get what you pay for.
Thanks for sharing this, Doug. Always love seeing your stuff and especially the work in progress. I haven't any idea what you've charged for your masterpieces, but I doubt that customers ever fully paid for what they got. There is tremendous satisfaction achieved in job well-done - a significant and intangible reward - but it doesn't put beans on the table.

Vance - Michael Schwab is one of my favorite designers. His stylized simplicity is a genre I've always admired, but achieving that is much more difficult than it appears. My attempts have never come close.
Dan
"The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne."
Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340 - 1400)

http://DanSeeseStudios.com
http://www.DanSeeseStudios.com/blog/
http://www.facebook.com/DanSeeseStudios
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