Signs of the Times - December 2013 - (Page 54)

The Hands Have It A roundup of traditional and new-school signmaking applications By Steve Aust Signmakingprofession. Many is truly an underappreciated laypeople perceive sign fabricators as a wisecracking, hard-drinking, temperamental lot that holes up in their shops like mad hatters until their latest project is finished. Today, the equipment has largely changed - and, hopefully, beliefs about signshop alcohol consumption have as well - but the unsung-hero status of signmakers lingers. Wouldbe customers invariably ask signshops to produce designs free of charge - and have even less compunction about subsequently taking said design to a rival shop. Fine artists and architects encounter no such blasé attitudes about their work. And this isn't doesn't even address the onerous local codes and ordinances that can delay, if not outright hamstring, a shop's work. Despite these impediments, signmakers persist and, in many cases, thrive. Whether painting windows, or routing wood and synthetic-wood panels, the sign and environmental-graphic fabricators featured in this article embody the precision and passion required to execute a demanding client's branding vision. And, they provide further testimony to the powerful promotion signage provides for a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising avenues. ■ Forever Young We admire sports and the athletes who play them for many reasons. We love the drama and competition. We admire the determination, power and grace the athletes demonstrate. The thrill of cheering on our school or hometown team elevates crowds into a state of near-collective euphoria. Cheering for high-school and other youth teams, where the athletes share your community, brings a far keener sense of intimacy among fans. Momentous victories become virtual folklore decades, perhaps centuries, after the game, and heroes become almost mythical legends. A.E. Housman's poem, To an Athlete Dying Young, captures how heroic young sportsmen are lionized for posterity for their on-field exploits. However, great athletes don't have to die to gain a famous legacy. Halls of fame abound for star prep athletes, and the Wilson, NY High School Wall of Fame is a prime example. And, Signs of Gold's stately, gildedmahogany sign gives the exhibit well-deserved gravitas. Francis and Stephen Lestingi, the father-and-son team who operate Signs of Gold (Williamsville, NY), fabricated the sign from 1.25-in.-thick, handcarved mahogany. They applied three coats of Jay Cooke's Sign Primer to the panel, which they followed with two coats of T.J. Ronan high-gloss bulletin colors. After having prepped the carved letters and graphics with LeFranc Charbonnel slow size, the Lestingis adorned them with 23.5k goldleaf. They attached the panel and ribbons with hidden hanger bolts and adhesive silicone. 54 SIGNS OF THE TIMES / DECEMBER 2013 / www.signweb.com http://www.signweb.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Signs of the Times - December 2013

Signs of the Times - December 2013
Contents
ST Update
Technology Update
Vinyl Apps
Strictly Electric
LED Update
Software Update
Technology Review - Universal Laser’s ILS9.75 and ILS12.75 platform lasers
Technology Review - CET Color’s 500K X-Press flatbed, UV-cure printer
New Products
The Hands Have It
Digital Print Update
The First Neon Sign in America
The USSC Design Awards
Advertising index
Editorially speaking

Signs of the Times - December 2013