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... I was a "talented art student" once too. And it took me a long time to convince someone in a sign shop to give me a job, and that was way before computers and vinyl.
...These days the skills an art student will need (to work in a sign shop) is to be able to push buttons on a keyboard, look at a TV screen (monitor), and stick things to other things.
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Whoa, calm down Al, it'll be allright. I didn't sense anything negative from Billy's reply, and appreciate the irony and maybe just a touch of sarcasm in his otherwise mostly true observations. I'm 'BC" too, and being 'another art student' in the day was not necessarily an asset to a shop full of crusty journeymen painters. But it's a different world now. whatever minor foundation of typography and computer skills a student has would have more value to a computer-driven shop. (At least that's how I took it).
SONGPAINTER Original Sign Music by Sign People NOW AVAILABLE on CD and the proceeds go to Letterville's favorite charity! Click Here for Sound Clips! Posts: 1974 | From: Orleans, MA, Cape Cod, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Anyway, Shirley - any other info you could provide might help get more responses: how far of a geographic area she could consider, how much computer skills she might have (programs she has knowledge of), how long and what days/hours she could work, things like that.
There are a whole lot more sign shops in the Boston area than the ones who visit here. If none of us can use her directly, maybe someone could refer you to a shop who tends to hire temporary help. I've got a feeling I'm way too far away being on the Cape. Good luck.
SONGPAINTER Original Sign Music by Sign People NOW AVAILABLE on CD and the proceeds go to Letterville's favorite charity! Click Here for Sound Clips! Posts: 1974 | From: Orleans, MA, Cape Cod, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I certainly appreciate where you're coming from. I too, in the mid-seventies, was that proverbial art student, looking to get into the sign business.
It's the sarcasm that seems to be so acceptable here, from a handful of participants, that is getting to me. There is certainly much more that a potential employee of a sign shop needs to have these days than the "hitting keys, looking at a screen and sticking things to other things" that W.R. spoke of. As tradespeople, we should be bending over backwards to help people get into this business "on the right foot". If nothing else, the initial, sarcastic response that was posted here would discourage someone from viewing this as a legitimate resource for the sign trade.
A couple weeks ago, I read where one person told another here to "go perform sexual acts upon himself" or some such nonsense.
If this is acceptable in this forum...as I stated earlier; I just don't have much use for that kind of malarky. Belittling, ridiculing and speaking poorly of each other here just detracts from the good things this website has to offer.
That's what I meant...I just thought I could get away with the "abridged" addition.
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Thanks to all for the response. She has computer skills. She is also a student in architecture.
I will need to find out how far she would be able to travel and obtain the computer programs she has worked with.
As for the sarcasm. . . This is a fine young lady. One who is eager to learn and certainly has the ability to excel in whatever field she endeavors.
Joe and Al, thank you for coming to my defense. I simply felt like this would be a good avenue to travel for some imput regards the Boston area.
The sarcasm if simply not necessary. Whatever happened to just being "nice" to people. If you don't have anything to offer, then why bother to post your sarcastic remarks on the bullboard?
I wish your cousin well in her venture and education. I am a big fan of nurturing a young person to help them reach their goals. Our secretary is a going for a business degree and is a fine assett to our organization. We have had art school students too. If I was in the Boston area, I'd sure consider it! Take care.
""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3489 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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My protoge happens to have BOTH qualities of art student & airtbrush artist.Along with computer skills! She has went to the trouble of learning the "BASICS" from LA.TECH (under Doc Welbey)and personally being mentored(one/one)by myself with 35+ years exp.
NOTE: Sarcasm is NOT limited to the sign industry!
IF ones "feelings"get hurt by mere words,they might be a little to close to the skin.
Hope this helps and does not offend
-------------------- PKing is Pat King The Professor of SIGNOLOGY Posts: 3113 | From: Pompano Beach, FL. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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just received this message from my cousin giving the times available for work and computer programs she has worked in.
"I am done with class at five PM Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, but I am done at one PM on Thursday and have no class on Friday. I can work on the weekend. I have only taken one graphic design class, so I have some experience with flash and photoshop but not a lot. What I have had the majority of my classes in and feel very comfortable with is the fine arts (drawing, painting, etc.). I will be back in Boston on January 18. Thank you so much for the help, let me know how it goes."
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That's a pretty busy schedule... So she's really only available Fri, Sat & Sun unless someone was running an evening crew. Aside from the spotty timeframes it's a tough sell as the learning curve invested to get her up to speed on anything technical wouldn't pay off since she's likely to move on after her semester is up (at least that would be my initial concern).
There are some low-tech and unskilled positions in a busy production shop but they aren't very artistic or glamorous. Weeding and cleaning up for instance, probably not what she has in mind. If her goal is primarily financial there are easier fields to break into. I worked in the ad-makeup department for a newspaper for a couple years and was shocked at how little real graphic ability any of those 'layout artists' had, and at how little real value the paper placed on producing anything graphically correct. In other words, you could get away with a lot (or not-much as it were). However, one really cool thing did happen for me in that position - I let it be known I could draw, and got to submit many illustrations that ended up being used for editorial columns. That was extremely gratifying! Maybe she could look into newsprint too.
Now, if she's bent on entering the sign trades and wanted to learn some sign-specific skills she might get more play offering herself as an intern. It's hard to learn - and get paid - at the same time. Best of luck to her.
SONGPAINTER Original Sign Music by Sign People NOW AVAILABLE on CD and the proceeds go to Letterville's favorite charity! Click Here for Sound Clips! Posts: 1974 | From: Orleans, MA, Cape Cod, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Thank you so much for your interest. Any other suggestions anyone has would be very much appreciated. I am passing along all suggestions to her. I am the one who got her interested in the sign business to begin with and would like very much helping her get into a position so she can use her graphic skills.