New signmag Sign-Links

[Henry Barker]

I think a “quality” UK sign magazine would be great, you have some great people that could help, and be showcased,

David Kynaston in North Wales, Brilliant Sign Co, Perry on the Isle of White, David Lewery, Terry Colley at Hartbrights in Manchester. to name a few, plus regulars here….Mike the Sign etc etc.

The problem is funding, and that takes dedication or advertisers, or both, and today advertisers are only interesting in selling what they can make money with, and make money on in sundry sales, afterwards.

Today its all about large (yawn) digital (yawn) format, and thats where they all make money, but actually down here in the dirt you can still make a good living making good looking signs, whether in metals plastic, or wood, without a full width inkjet machine in sight.

Most people want to keep clean press “enter” and thats it job done…easy money.

I would love to see a “real” UK magazine with real talent, and showcase some of the great work that is still done in the UK, that is not a topless tart or laminated Ferrari picture , as seen at every sign trade show coming to you… 😥

[Mike Brown]

“…here, b l o o d y, here…” Henry 😉

[Lorraine Buchan]

got mine too but i’ve no had chance to look at it yet

[Phill Fenton]

quote Henry:

Today its all about large (yawn) digital (yawn) format, and thats where they all make money, but actually down here in the dirt you can still make a good living making good looking signs, whether in metals plastic, or wood, without a full width inkjet machine in sight

I absolutley agree with you Henry. But can you imagine someone like Mike let loose with a low running cost digital printer. Designs that take all day to put together in vinyl would be done in a fraction of the time (and/or would become even more complex). I imagine the traditional signwriter thought the same way about vinyl cutters when they first were introduced. There are many excellent craftsmen producing signs with vinyl – just as there will soon be many great craftsmen producing signs digitally 😀

[jon vital]

…that’s why anyone in this business needs to learn photoshop skills now.

[lukebremner]

It takes alot to make a sign magazin, my father helped start one in australia called In signs, he allso wrote a lot of the articles, the problems are cost and time, every one that helped make the mag donated there time, in the end it had to be pased on to some one to runn, now its the same rubish as signs update. To make one good mag is easy to follow on month after month and dont repeat your self is hard.

[Robert Lambie]

i definaetly agree luke..
a uk mag would be great.. for sign makers by sign makers.
the whole idea behind this site. for sign makers by sign makers..
it will always work better…
i dont have editors, print companies. graphic designers etc.. still its all costly and i struggle to find enough time.

starting a mag would be great.. but unless kept afloat by the advertisors you would have a downward spirral…

[Henry Barker]

Why is Signcraft magazine so successful? Why haven’t the other major Us publications come close Signs of the Times, or Sign Business.

SignCraft profiles real sign people not industry sponsored articles, its full of great eyecandy, there are lots of tips and help for making great looking signage, its a bi-monthly, it very well put together.

For those that want to show how good they are at programming, ripping, or photoshoping there are loads of places where companies would bend over backwards to help you write and promote their products.

I myself have an Edge and get more and more into Photoshop, but there is loads of talent in the UK, old school and new old school, and you don’t have to invest thousands in the latest technology to make good signage, there are loads of small businesses, that never go near the net but have made a great contribution to British signage.

It would be great to see some of that showcased, and people new to the business, given encouragement, in layout and design from, poeple working traditionally all their lives, there is so much rubbish turned out today by computers, subscribing to the likes of Signcraft and AMAL makes you want to produce better and more interesting signage, why can’t we do the same with a British emaphasis they have survived years and attract the right sort of advertisers, without selling their souls.

I am not anti new technology or a die hard this or that, just think that tradition and quality in sign design can live on regardless of how it is made (within reason), if that is showcased in a way were it can be appreciated we will improve ourselves and encourage newcomers to set their sights alittle higher.

You only have to look at some of the layout makeovers that Mike helps with to see how much that type of influence has on people,and what they learn from it, and there are lots of Mike the Signs out there that don’t enjoy the same exposure, doing some cracking work.

( Well not exact copies of mike the sign but talented unsung proffessionals 🙂 )