Hello everyone - I'm new to the site - From Illinois

[Rob Schramm]

Hello all,
My name is Rob Schramm and I am from Central Illinois, I am new to the site so that thought my first post should be a hello and to introduce some of my work.
Well I am no where near the artist on glass as some or many of you are hear but I am trying to beef up my mirror and sign business to hand painted signs, art glass and more decorative mirrors. My trade for the last 20 years has been a decorative painter (faux finisher) and though I am not a master by any means I am always teaching myself new stuff to stay a cut above the rest.

Here are some pictures of my work.

BEFORE

damron_and_mirror_022.jpg (47.61 KiB) Viewed 8337 times

[Rob Schramm]

Here is some more...

[Rob Schramm]

Here is a differnt mirror - same house.

[Mike Jackson]

Hi Rob,
Welcome to the Hand Lettering Forum. You may say you are not a "master" decorative painter, but any of us here would probably consider you one. Wonderful work!

Mike Jackson

[Jerry Berg]

Hi Rob, and welcome.

Your work looks very good to me! Might have to pick your brain on some of the faux wood techniques some time.

Jerry

[Wayne Osborne]

Excellent excellent work- Welcome

[DAVE SMITH]

Excellent work Rob. You made that look outstanding!
Thanks for sharing......
Dave

[Danny Baronian]

I'd like to be around when a new owner decides to strip the 'wood' in order to stain it lighter.

My first encounter with a well grained piece of furniture was when I bought an old quarter sawn oak cabinet. Beautiful grain and color.

The varnish was peeling badly, so I stripped it only to realize it had been grained by an expert. Once stripped and cleaned the real wood shown through: douglas fir.

Never looked the same again.

[Rob Schramm]

Thanks all, I have been sitting on the sidelines afraid to post on here because you guys are just so seasoned and your work is just so amazing! I am glad I am not going to get shunned for being new to this group. I primarily do antique mirror glass, some with designs or artwork but I have picked things up mostly by trial and error and not so much getting taught. Thank God for Google.

I was wondering if there was some good classes that go over silkscreening glass, chipping glass and many of the techniques that you guys do as I really have gotten a lot of work in the last couple of years doing mirrors and this year I plan on being my best. So far I would consider myself a starving artist as most of the money that I can spend goes back into the learning curve, newer and better software, large format cutters and so on so I kinda run on a tight budget but somehow if I feel that it is worth it I find a way to pay for it.

Mike Jackson, I am the knucklehead that called you yesterday thinking I could just leave you a message but insted got to talk to you. I am going through all your stuff and talking to my wife to see if I can just buy all the software at one time, she is my budget guru - if you know what I mean! Man I really love your stuff, I am actually doing that freebee on your site right now and should if I am lucky be done with it tomorrow or Wednesday and when I am done I will post pics. Thanks for that as I think it will steer my wife in the right direction as I really want the entire set.

Rob