Painting Envy

[Site Man]

OLD FORUM POSTS

Posted by Cam Bortz on September 16, 2002

In the course of a crazy, busy day today, I had to stop by another shop, in Willimantic, Conn., where a sign painter was hand lettering a bunch of 4x8 political signs.

It was the most basic of basic jobs - "Kevin Kennedy" in big red letters, and beneath it in blue, "judge of the probate court" and I was at first surprised it wasn't being done in vinyl; but almost immediately I had the almost overwhelming urge to stop whatever else I was doing and just pitch in and help letter those signs.

The painter said, "oh, these are just 'bang 'em out fast' signs", but I would have gladly traded all the stress and bother of my day, to have spent it standing there with a #8 grey quill, lettering.

I think sometimes we can all forget, with the demands of being "busy", or "successful" or "productive", how nice it can be to just be a sign painter, swinging a brush, getting into the rhythm and swing of lettering, just bangin' it out.

Rick Sacks

Oh Cam, that feeling arose in me as I read your comment. In a time when I need to keep employees that can't letter lettering and so much of my time is spent selling and designing and managing the production of others, doing some knock out brush work does sound like a trip to Disneyland!

Kent Smith

Just to keep my sanity, I try to schedule a job a month or so which at least uses some hand lettering and better if it is all by hand.

I can still hammer it out some but not like the old days when that was all I did. The one last week was an old standard 4x8 construction site sign and all hand lettered, for my sole, not for the profit. It only took 2 hours so maybe it was profitable anyway.

Billy Bob

Right-on brutha. Hand painting signs is so much fun, that it's not even like working. And it also (still) pays the bills.
It's amazing to me that most sign people these days think that vinyl is the ONLY way to make signs. Don't they remember that before computers came along in the '80s, hand painting was the ONLY way to make most signs. A majority of sign businesses were successful solely from the talent of their hand letterers. NOT marginally talented amateurs, sticking plastic letters on everything.

Mike Languein

Thanks, guys - you've made my day. I just oiled my French Masters and put them to bed...now it's my turn. I sleep well, knowing I have no payments to send in to Gerber.
But Rick, I have my own opinion on what a trip to Disneyland is like - ha ha ha