Handpainted Signs - we still got it!

Along with all the "New School" Sign things we do, we are also trained and still work the "Old School" brush styles. We consider ourselves as a rarity in the modern Sign game as we have retained the old hand-painted Sign skills while still killing the new print/wrap era.

Bossman on the brushes. Hand painting signs in the Solid Signs workshop.

Being in the Signage Industry we believe its incredibly important to appreciate and embrace where the industry has come from and use that in modern day to be progressive.

Branding tip.
Make every job out do your previous. It will become the most valuable & free advertising you will ever have.

Below is a collection of Signs we painted over the past 3 weeks, with one job leading to another. A nice change of pace from sitting at a computer and operating machines.

Locky Naef - Owner and everything- Solid Signs

Signwriting has a deep and interesting history with some creative and interesting characters. Here is one of them below!

WACOM CHRISTMAS = INVESTMENT IN BETTER GRAPHIC DESIGN

Santa was good to Solid Signs this year.

So I'm pretty big on sketching ideas and images and have piles of books of sketches boxed away collecting dust. But now with this handy little gadget, I sketch right into my design software and can make a finish product much quicker and cleaner. No more pencil sketch / scan / pentool = long process.
Initially I found this gadget quiet hard to get used to as the pad area is set out in absolute mode, as in where you touch your pen tip is matched to the area of the desktop. Its not as simple as swipping your mouse 5 times in small movements to get from one side to the other. You have to draw the whole way across. It took some time and frustration, but now ive got my head around the concept. It feels more true to real sketching. And i was up until 2am many nights amazed at the capabilities of this gadget.
To see what the gadget is im talking about check out www.wacom.com
Its become one of those things instantly, Why did i wait so long to try this!
If your a visual Artist or a graphic designer and you have never tried a Wacom pad, I strongly recommend it.

I'm currently going to be working on some graphics I've been asked to create for various projects which are in need of true one of a kind artworks, no more Google, no more long draw out processes. Very excited!

Below is some sample images of the first image I created for a new car wrap. 0nly have a small amount of shadow touches left to make with this image.
 

Signwriting Movie - Signwriting industry coming full circle

So if your wondering about the history behind Signwriting this might give you some insight.
A couple of guys over in America have been gathering with some of the old school Signwriters and got some words and history on film for our pleasure. Now screening around Australia and worth checking out if your nearby any of the stops.

OUT NOW AT WWW.SIGNPAINTERSFILM.COM This the official trailer for SIGN PAINTERS a documentary by Faythe Levine & Sam Macon. For information regarding screenings, and other news please visit www.signpaintersfilm.com About the project... There was a time, as recently as the 1980s, when storefronts, murals, banners, barn signs, billboards, and even street signs were all hand-lettered with brush and paint. But, like many skilled trades, the sign industry has been overrun by the techno-fueled promise of quicker and cheaper. The resulting proliferation of computer-designed, die-cut vinyl lettering and inkjet printers has ushered a creeping sameness into our landscape. Fortunately, there is a growing trend to seek out traditional sign painters and a renaissance in the trade. In 2010 Directors Faythe Levine and Sam Macon, with Cinematographer Travis Auclair, began documenting these dedicated practitioners, their time-honored methods, and their appreciation for quality and craftsmanship. Sign Painters, the first anecdotal history of the craft, features the stories of more than two dozen sign painters working in cities throughout the United States. The documentary and book profiles sign painters young and old, from the new vanguard working solo to collaborative shops such as San Francisco’s New Bohemia Signs and New York’s Colossal Media’s Sky High Murals. The book published by Princeton Architectural Press in November 2012 features a foreword by legendary artist (and former sign painter) Ed Ruscha. We encourage you to pick up a copy at your local book shop, or directly from Princeton Architectural Press - http://goo.gl/aTZLq

If that just tickled your eye buds, then check out their website www.signpaintermovie.com.au
Seems to have got people into the art behind signs again, there's workshops and galleries popping up showcasing traditional signwriting styles everywhere.

This shows a slight sign of an industry coming full circle, back to its roots.
Signwriting has its roots in typography and hand painted letter dating back to god knows when, I don't think anybody could date when it all began. Vinyl plotters and large format printers have come about the last handful of decades and made Signwriting a more commercial industry plastering prints on everything, billboards, vehicles and entire 40 story apartment walls. Have you walked through an airport lately?

You know what I mean?

But in the small business's people are bringing back that personal touch.  People are appreciating the results and its talked about with their customers. Many more comments are made after something is done by hand and brush in store.

A more creative and personal sign is a talking point with your business and its clients. Its something which should be considered to improve the vibe within your store, be it painted or the digital print.

At solid signs you can expect this kind of creativity and traditional approach. We also do the modern day digital, but as you may have just witnessed, there's something organic and alive about having an artists hands work on your walls and it receives a greater appreciation for its effort.

There is a benefit today with having a range of options and it all comes to down to what works best for you and your business.

Locky