Why Graphic Designers are NOT right for the job!

Years ago I was in school, because I had a knack for learning Adobe programs. So I hedged my bet and went full force into graphic design. I even finished college. 

But I was naive, green and sometimes intolerably optimistic!

Years later, close to 20 years after learning my first Adobe program, I’m thinking back, was this the right path?

Are you ready?

You can google it, your typical “graphic designer” is portrayed as some primadonna, overly artsy and temperamental. Realistically designers are typically quiet, introverted and sometimes hard to read.

If you are a primadonna, being a graphic designer isn’t the route for you. Being a designer is to be a distiller of information to communicate to a specific audience.  You won’t always have the luxury to create what you want, you’ll need to communicate effectively with your clients. Your clients will pay you if you give them what they are asking for. Sure get creative, but always make what they asked for.

Step 2: You can do it for free, are you willing too look?

Your still reading good, lets move on. I went to college from 1999-2006, my first years I had no clue what I wanted to do, so I started in one direction and decided to move at least three more times before I committed to graphic design. Then I went to a private college for my bachelors degree. 

What a fucking waste of time.
Turns out I could have learned close to everything  I use in my day to day knowlege if I would have just taken the classes at my city college and got a job at a sign shop. With a bit of commitment I could have read some books and watched a bunch of YouTube videos. I watch YouTube videos almost daily, and that is where my continuing education is.

You can have a passion as a designer and gain all the knowledge you want. All you have to do is spend the time, focus, and practice…its free for the taking. Heck even a few hours of helping out at a local sign shop or marketing department would be well worth it.

Step 3: Don’t pidgin hole yourself as a “Graphic Designer”.

So why are you doing this? Do you really enjoy making something and seeing it out in the world?  If your like me your answer is YES! So I’m curious are you willing to do the long hours and not very much pay to gain experience that will send you to a career that will shape you in to the designer you will become? Or will you take the route of someone giving you a piece of paper and telling you that your a graphic designer. Adding to the ever increasing number of entitled, ignorant graduates that keep getting pumped out.

Its your choice, and yes its scary that you won’t have a degree to put your foot in the door at that big company or to show up your friends, your parents or even yourself someday. Going to school means you did something and you accomplished it, right? Its not just going to sit in some filing cabinet to be looked at on the occasional spring cleaning.

  

Update and Happy Holidays!

Hi everyone. Some of you may have noticed the blog was down for a while over the past day, I had been making some changes and moving from a WordPress free blog to my own .com. From this point on my blog posts will be posted at www.cmykthis.com, if you have any trouble finding this, let me know so I can make sure the site is visible to all users.

Thanks again for all the visitors lately, I am honored that you will come and read my posts.  I hope your excited, December has just begun and I will be getting ready for Christmas! I hope you are excited as I am.

Happy Holidays!

Am I a perfectionist?

Its hard for me as a sign professional to walk around a mall or a store or … wait crap! Everywhere there is a sign, so its everywhere! I can’t seem to walk by and not critique a barricade wrap, or know when that window display was not put up correctly or just when those half done signs are put up on a 8.5×11 piece of paper that’s todays “new special” or “sorry bathroom out of order”. In any case I always seem to have an opinion, but sometimes I don’t think these are critiqued enough.

So, am I a perfectionist when it comes to the craft of making a half decent sign??

Sure I can tell when an installer didn’t give two shits if the directive and the graphics didn’t match exactly. Or a designer couldn’t just find a higher res image of a corporate logo and replace it instead of putting up a pixelated monstrosity.

Ive been in both boats, and I can see where this can happen and why, but there are better ways my friends!

For you graphic designers out there, here is a link that has saved my butt way too many times and is such a great resource every designer should know about.

Brands of the World

If they don’t have it there ( which I must admit, not everything is there but you can sure find any major corporations logo on it). Check it out its not going to bite.

This one I think is obvious but I’ll mention it here, Google it! Even if the designer you happen to have to deal with to create the project doesn’t really know what he/she is doing.. A quick google search wont hurt. I assume this, if a company is requiring a sign and the art provided is… Lets just say “un-useable”, then I have the permission to go out there and make it useable, by any “legal” means necessary.

Take Pride

I have pride in my work, anyone who has ever worked with me can attest to that. I expect that other sign makers do too. So take some pride in your work people.

I came across this the other day that just made me stop and shake my head.

Ok, the overlaps were not done well, and one section looks like a complete patch job. And what just irratated me the most, un-weeded areas of vinyl, applied to the window. Common how professional is that?!

Here is what I would have done.

Ok I didn’t do a site survey, but this is a likely scenario any designer can follow.

Orange area would be your cut file. Each part that moves into the next window/ panel would have a slight overlap, for etched vinyl its not recommended to overlap a translucent vinyl, it just looks tacky. This drawing represents a 52″ cut area.
As you can tell if each panel is cut for a separate window/panel and if the installer doesn’t mess up, this entire piece would go up without a problem.
Its also recommended that you use water/ soapy water to apply etched vinyl since its typically very aggressive.

Here are some examples of a job that I did. So you can see, I’ve been there I know what you need to do.

So I hope this helps with anyone coming across this type of work in the future. Again, you can email me your questions or feel free to leave a comment.

So am I a perfectionist or do I just expect that you and I as sign makers make a effort to produce quality, professional looking work that does our industry proud. You tell me.

CMYKthis Podcast Episode 1

Episode 1: Intro

Hi everyone. Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog. Im bootstrapping right now and I wanted to provide some more unique content for you sign professionals out there. In my first episode I give you some background on me and a tool that I use almost daily. Hope you enjoy. Please leave some feedback for me to help provide the best content for you all.

Here is the link I promised.

HandyMath.com

Lessons in Ordering

So let’s get down to business. I order materials for my company and we have clients that are all over the place with their custom needs. Today I needed to find Chrome Vinyl for UV Printing. Simple right?

Not exactly, not only do I need to find it in rolls as wide at 48”, but I needed to make sure that if I ordered it and the client liked it I would need to order more. Now that’s making sure the stock of the exact same material is available, at the same width and within a reasonable ship time to get it to my shop.

So I work with a number of vendors lets call them Vendor A, Vendor B and Vendor C. Now Vendor A is where I typically get my cut vinyl from and some specialty items, so this is my first call. Come to find what we spec’d for the client is not only un-available now, but the manufacturer doesn’t have any and there isn’t going to be any for 4-5 weeks.

Ok, that’s not going to happen.

So moving on what’s my next option. Some brand I haven’t heard of before, but it will take UV Print.

Ok, so now I get my price, where is it shipping from and what stock they have of it. So it’s a 2 Day ship, and I need to test this immediately to get it back to the client. So I get a sample roll, 10 yards and get the price to ship it Next Day.

So I take this information to the Sales Dept. No good, need something we can print on today if possible.

Ok, I say and back to the search.

Located 2 other vendors because my B and C Vendors didn’t carry this type of vinyl, these guys are off my radar and find out they have no Chrome vinyl that can’t be printed on and I have the guy selling it to me over the phone telling me it peels up if you rub it too much.

Ahh, ok? So you don’t want me to buy this stuff?

He tells me it’s a cheap imitation vinyl, that’s good for a month outside. Moving on…

So I get back to Sales and say “Hey, for what we need, we can’t get it here until tomorrow if we order it before shipping closes for the day.”

Sales Dept. “Ok, we’ll get back to you.”

Tick Tock Tick Tock

So an hour past the last delivery time a email pops through “ We’re good to order it now, we missed the deadline, so get it here for the following day”
Ah, really!? Okay, placing the order…

Lesson is, people are primed to get things done as fast as possible, until they are forced to see what options are actually available.

If you have fallen into this trap, your obviously not alone.

Have any stories you’d like to share. Shoot me a email anytime CMYKthis@gmail.com.

Happy Street Signs

Are you happy with what you see around you? The signs are always, NO PARKING or NO LOITERING, you will get FINED if you disobey! Like a lot of you out there I feel that this should change. Shouldn’t we develop a world of Love, Happiness, Courage, Creativity? Well if you feel like I feel, then I think you are going to really love what is happening in Newark, New Jersey.

I am happy to announce that yesterday Killy Kilford, installed the first of a series of street signs in Newark New Jersey called Happy Street Signs. Happy Street Signs? You say? Yup! Killy has been working with the children of Newark for the past few months to develop kind, loving and courageous signs to install all around Newark, NJ. These signs have sayings like “Skip Drugs, More Hugs” and my personal favorite “The Future Is Ours”.

Happy Street Signs I know will effect some change in a city that is known for one of the highest crime rates in the nation. If a little positivity can change a city like this around, this idea will spread like wildfire to all other cities. This doesn’t have to be just for the cities with high crime rates but for anyone. I’d like to see a happy sign before I get to work, I think it would make my day.

I personally support Killy’s efforts and his desire to create change. Killy if you are reading this, I got your back brother.

Support Killy by going to his site and check out his facebook and twitter @killykilford as he updates us on his progress in this endevor.

Check out this video to learn more about the project.

What’s Your Ideal Sign Shop

Hey guys!
So I wanted you to know a bit more about me today. I was thinking the best way that you could get to know me better would be to describe what my ideal sign shop would be.

Comment below and let me know what yours would be too!

Ok, so I think my shop would be a converted log cabin. Floor to ceiling wide windows that would look over a forest or a lake. It would have a nice light brown suede interior from the logs. I would have some steel beams and a satin chrome floor. I would have a design center/ conference/ sales office and the walls would be made out a clear acrylic in panels with brushed steel stand offs and some simple etched design on the surface. Then the back area would be a flat bed, my media substrates and roll stock a wide format printer and rip station. My ideal clients would be in the outdoor hiking/ camping industry.
I can sit back and sip on my coffee with that setup!😀

Ok I just shared a vision of what kind of a shop I would like to have, tell me about yours? Who would your ideal clients be? Would you have the same equipment? Where would your location be like?

CMYK to Pantone

The scenario, you need to convert a color to pantone and all you have is a CMYK color values. Where do you go, what do you do? Here are some great resources for just the thing!

CMYK to PANTONE
Straight to the point, just put your CMYK numbers in and your good to go with a few varieties to choose from.

How to convert Pantone to CMYK in Photoshop and Illustrator
With this handy guide you should be able to locate any color combination from RGB to CMYK.

As anyone knows depending on rip software, media, printer and laminate you can’t guarantee a match until you’ve taken all necessary steps and test before any color match can be made. I hope this can help you get there faster.

7 Habits of Highly Effective Sign Makers

So you are sitting in front of your computer screen. You need ideas. You scan google images; you type in “signs that are great” and it pulls up the same old blah clipart and images that even if you wanted to use (legally) you would still have a low-res image on a wide format banner. So what to do? Where is your inspiration? Or do you go the dull road and slap some cheesy drop shadow and a arc to the typeface to the oh so often “Birthday Banner”.

Don’t give up hope just yet, here are some great ideas to get you back in to your zone!

The 1st Habit: Walk Away
I can go on and on that I have been there and done that, but your in a place right now where you are ineffective. You need to clear your head. So, walk away. Go weed some vinyl for another job, or hell take 15 minutes and walk out of the shop. Don’t worry it’ll all be there when you get back. Take a second to yourself, your brain needs to relax, see the world around you. Get some fresh air and a walk through some grass or maybe to a coffee shop around the corner. Wherever you go, your giving you brain time to relax and not get so caught up in the moment.

The 2nd Habit: Start An Idea Book
Ok, I need to start another project to get out of the project I am doing? Yeah, I know it may seem like double the work, but follow along. When you are creative you are at your best, you get the concept from the client and you are ready to rock. We’re not like that all the time and when we are not in the “zone” we need to have our little helpers to guide us through, or at least re-inspire us to get back on the horse. This is basic, grab a 3 ring binder, get some blank sheets of paper in it and when you are feeling the creative “spirit” inside you jot down some ideas in this book, this will be right there next to your monitor or in your desk drawer ready to receive your genius whenever it happens. Also, grabbing images online that inspire you and tale a screen shot and print it out. Or maybe a type face effect you want to try out the next time you have an opportunity, bookmark it in your browser and print it out. Cut out the images or ideas and paste them into your Idea Book. Give it time and you will fill that little bugger up until its time to start organizing it into categories.

The 3rd Habit: Revisit Your Best Work
We all have it, a job or small project that just took you in and consumed you because you were so involved in it from concept to completion and its always something you look back on and say “ Man! I enjoyed that!”. So take a peak back in the past, revisit what it was that took you in, re-ignite that flame you had that pushed you so hard to become so involved with that project. Its there just waiting for you to find it all over again!

The 4th Habit: Sleep On It
The long days of getting those last minute posters out for your best client, drags you in to an overnight shift that drains you of any energy for the next day. I know we all push ourselves, we are men and women of our word and we have integrity and we will always get the job done. But there is plenty of reason to finish what needs to be done and call it a day. Save the errands for tomorrow or ask for someone’s assistance. Get home, kick those shoes off, play some of your favorite tunes and drift off into slumber. That sounds good right now! Doesn’t it? You know that after a good night’s sleep or even that quick nap, siesta anyone? You are so re-charged, almost ready to take on the week in 1 day! You feel like a conqueror standing on top of a hill with a massive army behind you, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING!
So, swap the energy drink or the double espresso out for a nice and fluffy pillow for a change and see what a change it can do for you.

The 5th Habit: Stop and Ask For Help
You have projects to get to, a WIP that could keep you going for weeks and still more coming. What do you do? Stop, and ask for some help. Sometimes we all zig and zag through life, even the best intentions and trying to get to a creative zone isn’t enough, sometime the project picks us some times we pick the project. So as my daughter would sing to me “Let it Go!” Trust me, a designer friend or another co-worker may have just what’s needed to get that project going.

The 6th Habit: Clean
Now this may seem like, what are you talking about, have you ever been in a working sign shop before? To answer that, yes, I’ve been in many and I can honestly say that the cleaner the shop the better it does. Maybe your desk is exactly how you need it to be, paper stacking up on one side that could probably be found in chronological order going 6 moths back. Maybe you have befriended that little dust bunny that shakes around a bit when your monitor fan shoots a breeze towards it. Or maybe that cup, wait, what the hell is in there? Eh! Clean up, when you know where to find the things you need, then I think you’re where you need to be, and a little disinfectant may go a long way.

The 7th Habit: Quiet
Now I am not a preacher and I didn’t write this for me to get all holier than thou on you. But we all have something in our being at times that just longs to be heard, something that only sitting in a quiet room, walking at night, or going for that early morning walk can awaken. A zone of peace and quiet that just re-sets all the other things that were clouding your mind, like a rush of air came through and blew away all the fog and now you can see where your headed, its right over there!

I would hope that a couple of these habits inspires you to try them out, or who knows maybe you want to do them all. Lets hear about it, share in the comment section.

You come to my blog to read and I want you to read what you want to hear about, shoot me a comment and let me know if there is a topic you’d like me to talk about. Thanks.

Top 5 Knifes for Sign Professionals

In all my years of sign making there has been several tools that I have needed.The most important one is the knife.

A brief history… knifes have been around for the past 2.5 million years. I know thats a long time. So why is the knife so important? Well in our industry the knife is our daily tool.

From cutting open a box, to slicing a sheet of vinyl off a printer and cutting down a banner to the final size. The knife is in all of our lives all day long.

So what is your favorite knife?

Top 5 Knifes that are used daily in sign production. Here is a list of knifes I have used and continue to use today.

1. The XActo Knife

The XActo knife is probably
The most useful tool in the sign industry and here is why.
First is weeding. This tool is very good at getting the piece of vinyl you need weeded off of that backer, or it will give you a knife-up on your fingers! You can easily place this blade and slightly puncture the vinyl and peel up quickly and efficiently.
Second as a puncture tool. There are plenty of “poker” tools out there, but when you get a gnarly bubble you need to carefully attack, the XActo is your friend to the bitter end!
Third utility. So when the blade has become dull and the blade is still half useful it can help you out as a box cutter and a pre mask trimmer.

Even having the ability to replace
Blades quickly and efficiently, this knife us a do-it-all.

If you have a hard time with the standard metal holder there are a variety of holders that will give you the comfort your looking for. As well as high strength blades that will take a lickin’ and keep on going.

2. Olfa Knife
3. Zippy Knife
4. Box Knife
5. Rotary Knife