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They look so sincere when they ask it. I have had it happen 5 times this week. It is a question that beckons a yes, but rather draws a 10 minute explanation of computer language that ends up blowing in the wind. I am thinking about printing up an explanation to hand to them, because they are beginning to wear me slick......Even computer artists in print shops don't understand the vector CNC need by signmakers. Anyway, what do any of you think about the flyer to take up their time reading, instead of ours explaining it? Bronzeo
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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I printed up a bunch of copies of "The Boy Who Cried 'Wolf' " and gave it to all the jerks who "Had to have" their stuff 'Yesterday' and then let it sit for three weeks, and a friend of mine had an explanation of how second hand oats were cheaper than brand new ones, but it all falls on deaf ears. Do it, anyway - it will make you feel better.
Posts: 1859 | From: / | Registered: Nov 1998
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I used to work as a designer at a sign shop where the owner was not very knowledgable (a very charitable description...) He would not let me "dictate" to customers how to send their art in, after all, they are always right! I would often overhear him taking orders and saying things like "we don't need your logo on a disk- just fax over your business card" I would meekly comment that a faxed tiny logo is hardly camera-ready and are we going to bill the client for me to spend the rest of the day cleaning up the "art" and he would explode and say "so you're saying I bought all that fancy software for nothing?" He sells hot tubs now.
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Wow Jeremy, your ex boss sounds like a piece of work. Hot tubs, hehe. Jerk.
Jack, I hear ya. I'm shying away from web work lately for much the same reasons. The explanations of how and why things work the way they do and need to be a certain way get very tiresome, and every minute spent educating is another dollar lost, because you're right, they just don't get it. Not that there's any reason they should - it's total Greek. And it's always the same questions over and over. It takes so long sometimes to explain myself that It gets real tempting to take it all the way down to bare basics - "Nope, I only do one color vinyl layouts on Corex". "I don't know nuthin about no logos or scannin". "It's $65 and if you'll have a seat right there, I'll have it done in about 15 minutes" "NEXT!"
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Perhaps a blown up outline of a scanned item would show them what the computer sees. A printed out diagram showing the nodes and their need for a great deal of editing would be good, if only I knew how to print screen, like we used to be able to. I have seen the Corel window printed out by some. Dave Grundy has done it a few times. How do you do this?
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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Jack, to grab apic of the screen press the "Alt" key and "print scrn" key at same time, that puts the screen in the clipboard ... then paste it into your software (PShop, PPaint)
-------------------- Compulsive, Neurotic, Anti-social and Paranoid ... but basically Happy Posts: 2677 | From: Rochester, NY, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Jack, about screen grabs... I had downloaded a free utility for that from ZDnet.com at one time (long gone in a hard drive upgrade and I can't remember the name).
Corel's utility is called Corel Capture. If you did a typical install when you set up the program it is probably in the program group. If not, you can add it manually from the install disk. It is a stand alone utility you can run at any time for any screen on your monitor - pretty versatile too, allowing you to capture the full screen or just the selected window, and lets you specify resolution and file format to save in. Try it.
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I think the blown up segments of a the scanned image (bitmap), the traced image (vector but in terrible shape) and the finished vector image would serve as a great visual aid while you're explaining it to them. I'd go so far as to put the time required to get from traced to final under the sample you display.
And you're right about even graphics people not getting it. A few weeks ago I had three different logo images arrive as bitmaps. When I inquired about the original vector format (figuring probably Illustrator), I found out they were all created in Photoshop - text and all! Yikes! They were spectacular images taking full advantage of everything a computer screen can display, with absolutely no thought to how it was going to work anywhere else.
-------------------- Diane Crowther, Metaline Graphics Ltd., Hubbards, Nova Scotia, Canada,
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Every minute spent explaining is one less minute cleaning up the crappy art work to get it to where you can use it. Tell them the price and get to work. If they don't like it they can find find someone cheaper who will spend hours doing it and eventually go belly up! After I have done the job and received payment I often will "visit" with the client when they come to get their stuff.
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I do a lot of work at some of the NASCAR tracks. I have a request sheet that I send to the customer, ( this inclueds ALL other customers as well) that I require vector artwork. If it not supplied, I have a charge of $125.oo per hour to scan and prepare their artwork. Kendall Oil needed some billboards done last summer and could not figure how to get the proper art to me, they called and said "just do it!" Since I have sent this request sheet to customers, I have recieved CDs from Pepsi, Chrysler, Budweiser and other companies! I think you just have to be forceful in requesting the proper artwork or they pay! Some will pay, others, as if a miracle happens, come up with the artwork!
Tony
-------------------- Tony Vickio The World Famous Vickio Signs 3364 Rt.329 Watkins Glen, NY 14891 t30v@vickiosigns.com 607-535-6241 http://www.vickiosigns.com
Posts: 1063 | From: Watkins Glen, New York | Registered: Sep 2001
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Actually, I think your old boss quit selling hot tubs and possibly bought another sign shop in Az that I worked for awhile back....Beware, 'they' are out there.
Back on topic...by George, I think that sample of the three stages of artwork would be great...so many customers can't visualize at all what you are talking about unless it is right in front of them. One guy I had years ago wanted a sign reading 'Bike Shop in back'in 11" letters, I explained that the sign code wouldn't let us make a sign that went all the way acros the street (it was a hanging sign in front of his building)...he said he knew about computers and you could just condense the letters...so I finally printed out a drawing with his 11" letters condensed enough to fit his sign space..LOL just a bunch of lines on the page...and he FINALLY got the drift.
Karen
-------------------- Karen Sartain,'Pisel' on chat 11699 E Hwy 181 Willcox, Arizona 85643
We are not human beings on a spiritual journey.We are spiritual beings on a human journey."-Stephen Covey
Posts: 336 | From: Chiricahua National Monument, Az | Registered: Nov 1998
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Hey Jeremy, where does your ex boss work? probably working for my Cousin up there sellin them hot tubs.
I gotta agree with whomever said it in a previous post, if you show em the three pieces of work and how you took something from one format and made it usable, then showed em how much it cost then maybe they might wake up and find a way to do the work for you, sometimes they probably have access to exactly what your looking for but if they dont see dollar signs they figure you just wave the magic wand and the finished work appears.
I work fulltime as a Mechanic (Technician) and it never ceases to amaze me as to how many people think that Snap-On sells a Magic wrench that can fix anything, at warp speed. We Technicians would pay TOP dollar for that model wrench if they made it. But then if they made it, everyone would be a Technician and I would be unemployed sitting next to all the fools that bought a vinyl cutter and had NO artistic ability and expected to make a living working cheaper than the professional sign person.
-------------------- Harris Kohen K-Man Pinstriping and Graphix Trenton, NJ "Showing the world that even I can strategically place the pigment where its got to go." Posts: 1739 | From: Trenton, NJ, USA | Registered: Jun 2001
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Good post! Whenever I have to explain that the process of 'converting' thier biz card to 'something the computer can cut' thier vinyl sign with...
I also tell them that although the 'initial outlay' may be 'expensive',,,the good news is that I only have to do it 'once', then it is saved on disk for all thier 'future signage needs'....(i.e. banners, magnetics, flyers, etc.)
That usualy takes care of it and makes them think you are doing them a 'favor', which....actually...you 'are'!
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