Posted by Mike Jackson on May 19, 2003
Danny BaronianI just returned from a three day workshop in Denver. David Butler ran an intensive class showing "How He Does It". We've all seen those wonderful full color designs on T-Shirts, web sites, and other printed materials. Over the last couple of years, a lot of people have asked him to show how he goes about doing them. The Denver workshop had a long list of talented sign makers glued to their screen, watching David and then attempting to recreate it on their own computer.
The event was hosted in one of the large seminar classrooms at the Sign Business headquarters. Besides the information learned, it was great to see so many long time friends. Just before I was heading out to to the parking lot to drive home, I caught David to congratulate him on the event. He said he would "do it again" if others wanted to take a class.
There was so much to do in such a short period of time that I did not get all of the people in front of an Internet computer. I had hoped to do that sometime during the three days so everyone could see how easy it is to post here, but I did manage to explain that fact to many of them. Maybe we will see more posts later.
Have a good week,
Mike Jackson
John YarnellGreat class! David and Susie are two nice folks! Got a nice shirt out of it too, or maybe that was because we were the trial run class! I'll bet David and Susie learned as much about putting on a class as we did about PhotoShop!
Nice to see a project from pencil sketch to final output materialize. Had to work hard to keep up with all the new information.
Danny
Raymond ChapmanWow what a great time! I truly feel privileged to have been able to attend a top notch workshop put on By David & Susie Butler. David did a tremendous job explaining a very complex graphics program. To a class that had experience levels from new PC users to people who have used Photo shop extensively and managed to keep us all on the same page. David thank you so much I’m already working on a piece with the skills you handed me this weekend. I know my investment will pay itself off hundreds of times.
Also to everyone whom attended I had a great time. I can’t wait tell the next gathering to spend more time with you all.
Your friend John
Mike Jackson - Workshop and WeatherDavid and I have discussed the possibility of doing his workshop here in Texas, but no details have been worked out yet.
David needs 10 people (minimum) in order to make the trip.
If anyone is interested, please let me know and we will start putting something together.
Probably in the Fall or Spring. You don't want to be in Texas in the summer. Temperatures already in the upper 90's and it is only May.
Ah, Com'on Raymond. You Texans are tough. You can hold a workshop in a small, unairconditioned metal building in August can't you? I know you will get me back in January when it is frozen here.
I remember coming down to the Waco meeting in the middle of the summer. Luckily, John had the airconditioned convention center rented and it didn't seem quite that bad if you got there in the morning and didn't leave until late at night. One day, I took a quick trip to K-Mart to get some duct tape with another sign maker. We walked out side about 1 PM and hit that wave of super heated air coming off the asphalt sea they called a parking lot. The person I was with mentioned something that related the experience with something about experiencing ..
Record low of 16 degress here this morning with a dusting of snow.
The design David did for the seminar related to "Denver Gold". I am sure he would have a field day with armadillos, cactus, & tumbleweeds for a Texas seminar. Oh yes, you need to throw in a token Lone Star in there somewhere. Have FUN!
Mike
Raymond Chapman
Mike, it's not me that I worried about - it's you Yankee wimps that can't seem to survive a little warmth.
But, the workshop would be held inside an air conditioned building, whenever it is held. We might even be able to find a place with indoor plumbing.
There you go again with that preconceived idea of Texas - "cactus, & tumbleweeds". It is true that we have armadillos...and maybe some prickly pears (no cactus in this area), but the tumbleweeds are far out west in "no man's land".
Did I hear you right? If we have it in January, you will come back to Texas? That would really be a treat.
Robert Beverly
Jay AllenDefinately a workshop I look forward to!...and I have a few more lined up as well Raymond that want to attend!....and the place to pull it off...
Mike,
I saw David in Indy a few weeks back for the NBM/SignBusiness show. He showed me his workbook and CD for the class and I noticed that he still uses the pencil for all his concepts. How refreshing to see that he still lets the mind and the pencil do the work first - then uses the technology to make it happen.
Also, I design the exact same way (though not with his talent) and I felt reassured that my way of doing it was the right way to go about it. The pencil and the mind are still the best places to start the creative process.
I hope those in the sign business who first sat down with ONLY today's technology available to them take his class to see that by using those techniques, a design looks less 'machine-made-perfect' and has more personality. Much like brush lettering.
I didn't learn brushwork until I got involved with Letterheads. Then I felt like a 'pretender' in the sign biz because I didn't understand the idiosyncracies of the brush. As I learned to brush letter (my O's and S's still suck) I realized the importance of kerning, stroke width, etc. Then design started to make sense. But you can imitate the same thing with a pencil (plus, work out the weak areas) if you grab it BEFORE the mouse!!
Congrats, David. I hope it catches on!!
Jay
Denver Chapter of the Letterheads