joe
12-29-2013, 12:43 PM
Brass Rings,
We all choose one of these, knowingly or un-knowingly..
:Novice class: That's playing around, learning the equipment and software to make a interesting projects and having fun. I like that idea.
Novice with Intent.. This is a much larger group where the purpose is to supplement one's income by making a few dimensional sign and moving into a real business down the road. With an unlimited amount of information and techniques to explore it's easy to get lost in this level.
Going into Business. Lets say a person is accomplished with the software and CNC, that's only the tip of the ice burg. Unless a person has an advertising campaign, lots of good sample pieces to show the clients, and a budget to sustain for a few months it's likely to fail. Even the best 3D artist has a hard difficult time mounting a client base large enough to support a family.
One of the important steps, at this level, is judging the time to it takes to produce a salable
product. A savvy business person can figure full 3D work devours time. There are lots of
shortcuts to harness this problem. I've found dozens of ways to get the same effect in less than half
the time. It's necessary to throttle back some techniques for more efficient ones. Many shops
supplement their offerings with a vinyl printer by making vehicle decals, yard
signs, realty sign, etc.
Perhaps, understanding the time and money it takes to produce a good sign is the turning back point that keeps more people from entering the sign world. Even with a good retirement or 401K this can be an expensive venture. If you were give a new big expensive router and had all the software in the world that's of little avail for success..
Custom Class: It's the practice of making only dimensional work. That may seem difficult but not necessarily. The requirements are to have the techniques and vision to march through their work with efficiency. It takes time to acquire this knowledge but it's also required to be matched with layout skills While layout can be learned good, taste comes automatically.. And without that you'll have a difficult time. The artists are always on the prow-ell, investigating “Economy of Style”. When a new fertile idea appears, work is there to expose it. That's the real job.
Melissa, Noel Weber, Doug Bernhardt, and others in this trade will attest to the pleasure and enjoyment of building exculsively dimensional signs. Once set on this path there's no other life. For many of us it's the ultimate goal. You get there by constantly reaching for the Brass Ring which is always a stretch.
We all choose one of these, knowingly or un-knowingly..
:Novice class: That's playing around, learning the equipment and software to make a interesting projects and having fun. I like that idea.
Novice with Intent.. This is a much larger group where the purpose is to supplement one's income by making a few dimensional sign and moving into a real business down the road. With an unlimited amount of information and techniques to explore it's easy to get lost in this level.
Going into Business. Lets say a person is accomplished with the software and CNC, that's only the tip of the ice burg. Unless a person has an advertising campaign, lots of good sample pieces to show the clients, and a budget to sustain for a few months it's likely to fail. Even the best 3D artist has a hard difficult time mounting a client base large enough to support a family.
One of the important steps, at this level, is judging the time to it takes to produce a salable
product. A savvy business person can figure full 3D work devours time. There are lots of
shortcuts to harness this problem. I've found dozens of ways to get the same effect in less than half
the time. It's necessary to throttle back some techniques for more efficient ones. Many shops
supplement their offerings with a vinyl printer by making vehicle decals, yard
signs, realty sign, etc.
Perhaps, understanding the time and money it takes to produce a good sign is the turning back point that keeps more people from entering the sign world. Even with a good retirement or 401K this can be an expensive venture. If you were give a new big expensive router and had all the software in the world that's of little avail for success..
Custom Class: It's the practice of making only dimensional work. That may seem difficult but not necessarily. The requirements are to have the techniques and vision to march through their work with efficiency. It takes time to acquire this knowledge but it's also required to be matched with layout skills While layout can be learned good, taste comes automatically.. And without that you'll have a difficult time. The artists are always on the prow-ell, investigating “Economy of Style”. When a new fertile idea appears, work is there to expose it. That's the real job.
Melissa, Noel Weber, Doug Bernhardt, and others in this trade will attest to the pleasure and enjoyment of building exculsively dimensional signs. Once set on this path there's no other life. For many of us it's the ultimate goal. You get there by constantly reaching for the Brass Ring which is always a stretch.