A Kilted Sign Guy?

**Surly Dave** · 27th December 07, 10:05 PM

Well, the curse and bane of my life has come to and end: My insane cut throat boss decided that the way to save the company money was to let me go. Actually, there were a lot of issues involved, mostly involving a chemical imbalance (mine or hers? I'm not saying).

Actually, I'm not as bitter as that may sound. It's been a tough go lately, and I saw the writing on the wall. I was planning on looking for a new position after the Holidays, but now I have to do it with out the comfort of having a job while looking for a new one.

Perhaps I can find a job that allows me to go kilted. A kilted sign guy perhaps? I'll just have to stay off ladders.

Who knows. Anyone need a sign guy in Minnesota?

**Bugbear** · 27th December 07, 10:10 PM

Good luck finding a new and better job.

**Andrew Breecher** · 27th December 07, 11:02 PM

Graham is a kilted sign guy, and he climbs plenty of ladders!

Andrew.

**Riverkilt** · 27th December 07, 11:39 PM

Do you think you'd like living in Tasmania...Graham, the kilted sign guy, might need an experienced hand...never know...

Ron

**auld argonian** · 28th December 07, 08:27 AM

You're a sign painter?

Thus the "seeing the writing on the wall...", eh?

My Granddad (the Scottish side of the family, in fact) and his brothers were all sign painters. They did most of their work lettering trucks. We'd be riding in the car and he'd point out one of the Phillips 66 (Humpin' To Please!) or Navajo semi trailers that the family painted...he could tell his and his brothers' work from a distance.

I love computers but it's a sad thing for me that they've cut into the lettering business and made hand work virtually obsolete. I used to sell art supplies to several calligraphers here in Chicago who did a steady business doing framed testimonials and certificates. They were older and probably gone by now but I'm sure that any work they would have done is being done on computer now. They were all very nice people and real "characters" in the nicest sense of the word. Whenever I'm in an art supply shop and see the display of Sure-Shot enamel, I think of my Grandfather doing an "All Day Electric" van in his garage at home...mahl stick and wee little cup of paint in one hand and brush in the other.

It's always difficult to find another market or niche. Some creative thought is called for...I hate to use the cliche again but "thinking out of the box".

One of my buddies used to do bike tanks...lot's of scooter afficianados hereabouts wanted a custom lettering and airbrush job on their tanks...do people still do that or do they just do it at the factory now?

Get the organic paints and do "temporaty tats" for the faint of heart?

Best

AA

**MacMillan of Rathdown** · 28th December 07, 09:20 AM

Kilted or no, it seems it is almost impossible to find a "proper" sign-writer here in America. I've been looking for almost six months for someone to (a) letter a window in gold leaf, and (b) do a bit of heraldic painting on half a dozen shields. Seems as if it can't be designed on a computer and laser-cut on plastic, it can't be done. Good luck finding a job!

**cessna152towser** · 28th December 07, 10:47 AM

Congratulations on the great escape and wishing you find a more fulfilling and satisfying job where you can go kilted.

**Alaskan Kilted Guy** · 28th December 07, 12:41 PM

Good luck with the job search. I too had a similar experience a few years back, at this time of year. My boss decided he couldn't afford to keep me around and let me go. The next week his wife showed up driving a brand new SUV. Go figure. Anyhow, keep your head up, things have a way of working out for the best!

**Sciuropterus** · 28th December 07, 02:03 PM

I have worked for some real head cases in the sign business (both bosses and customers).

I was a sign painter in MN for years, I attended, then later taught, at St. Paul Technical College when they used to have an evening sign painting program. Even carried a union card for a while.

I really enjoyed hand lettering, I would not consider myself especially talented but I could work at a commercially proficient level.

There will be a big sign painting meet in Minneapolis this summer.

**Surly Dave** · 28th December 07, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by Sciuropterus

I have worked for some real head cases in the sign business (both bosses and customers).

I was a sign painter in MN for years, I attended, then later taught, at St. Paul Technical College when they used to have an evening sign painting program. Even carried a union card for a while.

I really enjoyed hand lettering, I would not consider myself especially talented but I could work at a commercially proficient level.

There will be a big sign painting meet in Minneapolis this summer.

I'm not particularly proficient either, though I've gotten better since wearing the bifocals.

There's not a lot of call for hand lettering since you can do it in vinyl or digital print for so much cheaper. Actually, it's been a couple years since I've picked up the brush.

Maybe now is a good time for a career change. The business is filled with loonies, and I've had about all the insanity I can handle for a while.

And yet, I'm thinking about reviving my catering business...

Maybe I'm just in the mood for a different sort of insanity.