we call wall painters walldogs here…do you?

[Lee Attewell]

What a really nice letter. When you read something like this I get to understand more of what it must be like to be in a trade that’s changed so much over a relatively short period of time.

I totally agree with the sentiments shown about the type of person involved in this trade being a great bunch of people.

When people ask me what I do, I say “window tinting and I make signs”. Most tend to say something like ” well the computer does it all for you doesn’t it”? Like you just push a magic button and out pops a great design.

I saw a fellow I hadn’t seen for about twelve years just last week. He used to do just pinstriping and vehicle graphics. Now he’s added signs to his repetiore. I had to window tint the same van he was working on.

We had a chat. A short one as we were both so busy.

After the job we exchanged business cards…He saw mine and was VERY surprised to see I made signs. We then chatted for about ten minutes…(Ignored ringing phones) about different suppliers, which vinyls we used, who to speak too at the suppliers to get the best advice and so on…

We’re in direct competition with each other yet freely exchanged information to make each other’s lives easier.

God I love this job.

I’ve rambled…

Lee

[Alan]

Those fading wall signs remind me of a local one that I can’t resist looking at when sat at the lights.
I don’t know how old it is but it’s preservation must be due in part to being covered for some years by a more modern sign, if you look around the outer edge you can see the metal brackets that once supported it.
I wonder how long it will be before some well-intentioned soul comes along and blast the wall clean leaving not a trace. 😥

Alan

[John Singh]

It is a joy to be able to spot these signs

I often wonder what kind of risks those guys took, in the ol’ days, with access. What kind of rickety scaffolding did they work from.

What’s also interesting is what the sign sometimes reveals timewise
For example I remember recently seeing one advertising; Repairs to fountain pens.
Can you imagine taking a fountain pen for repair today? We’d bin it just like all the rest of the stuff in this disposable age we live in.

I decided to walk instead of drive one day, going past a route i drive past every single day. I noticed a small plaque on the wall of a building. It indicated that the building was once an alms house

The history is there and we sometimes walk straight past it

John

[Steve Broughton]

Alan I know where that it is 🙂 there are a couple here too, like you say it will soon have some idiot with a sandblaster “cleaning the wall” 🙁 .
Jill I would say that wall painting is dead and buried in this country, which is a real pity, I would bet that there’s not one signpainter left that does it, although I would love to be proved wrong :D.
Alan could you imagine trying to get planning permission to do a wall mural like that again 😮

[Mike Brown]

…a beautiful and very poignant story Jill – thanks for bringing it to our attention…

There is a saying “nostalgia ain’t what it used to be” and things often look rosier looking back…but surely all of us are helpin gto keep the rich diversity of signart alive by doing what we’re doin’ 😉 Let’s be positive and know that. like Bill, we value what we have and through all our efforts ensure that we brighten lives by what we do!

Alan – luv the nameof the street!!! – is that near PIG END and BITCH ALLEY! 😀 That’s a lovely sign – why doesn’t someone try to have it protected…the local councils and art movements should surely want to look after it before it’s gawn for ever!

I wonder if you could airbrush (or god forbid – digitally print…) such a old and patchy ghosted effect onto a clear plexi sheet and mount that onto the wall so the brick shows through…that way you wouldn’t need anything other than everyday planning permission…and if it were reverse painted then the acrylic would help protect the image? Retro stuff is big business these days – folk love it – and pay big money for it too!

more soon

mikethesign

[John Singh]

Sorry Steve
I actually did one in Convent Garden about a year ago
Wasn’t to difficult as there was scaffolding in place

Did one above the low roof of a carpet shop in North London

But I agree it is slowly disappearing but I think might be because people resign themselves to thinking it is no longer done and nobody does it.

So if you Guys do get an enquiry!!!!

It is extremely difficult to use our brushes on brickwork as it intereferes with the signwriter’s stroke. I sometimes resort to a painters touch up brush as it is much more robust

John

[Andy Gorman]

We have 2 modern wall painted signs within 100 yards of each other near my house. I’m pretty old fashioned and love to see this kind of thing still being done occasionally.

There was an absolutely beautiful version of the old style HMV logo (dog, gramophone) on an old record shop right by my house but it was painted over about 10 years ago. Shame.

[Steve Broughton]

Brilliant John, nip down with your camera then. 🙂

[Jill Marie Welsh]

Hi Guys
Glad you liked Bill’s letter.
Love the pic Alan & thanks for sharing! I didn’t even notice the street name…we have a steep brick road in Pittsburgh called “Pig Alley” where they used to run the pigs down from pens to the stockyards by the Allegheny River to be butchered. I don’t know its real name. But it was right by the old Dutch Boy paint factory…had a big wall sign of the Dutch Boy logo. There were also many painted signs on an old wall heading into town that I remember seeing as a kid back in the early 1960s..all gone now. (close to the Heinz factory!)
John, I am glad you still paint walls, dude. Do you have fitches over there? You must have them to paint walls…they are long-handled with stiff short bristles. Bill Berberich has a ton of them, some more that 20 years old. He also uses what we call a “cutter” which looks like a regular house-painting brush but with stiff bristles.
I made Bill’s hair stand on end because I use 1″ foam brushes like you get at a DIY store…they work great for me. He calls them “SpongeBobs”. We have done 3 walls together.
Mike, the plexi idea is kool. 😉
Love- JILL

[Alan]

Jill / Mike
The pub a little higher up the street is called ‘The Blue Pig’ third entry down this page http://www.nottspubs.co.uk/lincolnshire … ampubs.htm which came first the swine or the pig I don’t know.

Mike
I guess a retro style sign would be possible on the rear of Perspex but plastic ??
Perhaps a panel made from those thin cladding bricks http://www.romneymin.com/bricks.htm painted over.

Alan

[John Singh]

Steve:
I always finish a job and feel so proud of it and then realise that I’ve visited the worksite over a period of days and not once did I bring my blinkin’ camera 😥 😥

If I’m down Convent Garden I’ll try and remember to take my digi camera

Jill: Yes we do have the fitch brushes cut at a slight angle. Generally part of the painter and decorator’s kit.

These too can be used because of their stiff bristles

John

[Bob Gilliland]

“Silly Jilly” was our great hostess for the US International meet for 2002 in Mars, PA. Thanks to her efforts, and some of those “wall doggers”, Mars received four murals during that weekend. Here is an “in process” picture of the project Bill was heading up (writer of the article Jill has a link to).

Think this one was shown here before, but a search turned up zip. This one was headed by the new “top dog” for the magazine called “A Magazine About Letterheads” (AMAL to some), Jeff Lang. He was just over in your neck of the woods to take part in the Cork sign meet.

And this is the project I helped with. This was lead by Bill Masters, another guy from Pennsylvania.

So in a few years (more then a few I hope), perhaps those projects will be viewed as “from way back when”.

Jill, glad to see you in action here across the pond! What color is the hair this week?

[Jill Marie Welsh]

Hi Bob!!!
Long time no hear. Thanks for posting some Mars pics. One of these days I’m gonna have to take a photo of “Foodland” all finished (nothing like a Tesco, friends) & ship it to ya.
I am planning a small meet at my shop in January if ya wanna come over. I will have more info later. Thanks again for all yer help at Mars. I was in Cork with Jeffy in August. He is a cool guy, and so are you!
BTW…the hair is black, spiked on top, shaved on the bottom right now. I have to dye it to cover the grey I developed doing Mars. My 7-year-old Justis is sporting a mohawk…he takes after his mom. (he likes to paint, too!)
Love Ya…Jilly 😉

[Bob Gilliland]

Jill,

I forgot that you had an “extended” vacation this summer. Not only across the pond, but “up north” as well correct? Back to back meets, woo-hoo!!

A meet in January at your place! Sounds great, where does the horse drawn snow sleigh pick us up at?!?!

Thinking about getting a new Ford 250, so yes, please keep me updated. It would be a good test for the 4 wheel drive.

😉 😉 😛

[Robert Lambie]

Hi bob
Jill stayed t a place i drive through most days, about 20 mins from myself after the cork meet and i never even knew.. 😕

Ford 250.. What’s that like mate sounds tasty? I had a frontera sport until about 6 weeks ago and killed it.. 😮 😮 😆 😆 Scottish winters wont be the same without my 4×4.. Can’t tell you how i killed it.. Too embarrassing 😳 😳
(Don’t say a word mike)
Not to worry got myself a nice new Vauxhall coupe.. Great to drive but I bet crap in winter 😕

[Jill Marie Welsh]

Yup, Robbie…
I stayed on Military Hill in Cork…quite a stretch of the old legs. I never walked so much in my life! But is was fun, & our B&B folks Jane & Paddy were great. They couldn’t understand why I did not want beans for breakfast, only toast. Beans? For breakfast? Blechh.
😛
Bob, you might need the F250 to get out here. The UK trucks & cars & roads all looked tiny to me. But the roads were GREAT compared to PA…not a pothole in sight.
Once I get more info on my meet (just a small one) I will post it here if that’s OK.
Love- JILL

[Robert Lambie]

feel free jill 😛

[Bob Gilliland]

No potholes!?! Why, how do UK people stay awake while driving?!?!

Robert, here is a promotional piece from Ford for a 250 that is very close to what I’m looking at. For full details on the one I’m actually putting an “eye” towards, check out this link; Bob’s wanted toy (dealer is about 5 miles away). Then click on “Window Sticker” to see all the goodies. Be prepaired though, sticker shock happens even when its not your money. 😮

[Robert Lambie]

Looks beautiful mate, very big!! how is it for petrol?.. I bet that comes in handy for work too.. mitsubushi have something similar over here at the moment.. cracking looking machines.
My jeep wasn’t as big as that.. smaller shorter type model. Again these pics are website promotional ones, but give you idea.. this is the jeep I had, although dead and buried now!

This is what took its place.. great to drive but ill miss the jeep in the winter most.
Infact im not sure you will class mine a jeep.. over there it maybe a SUV is that right?

[Steve Broughton]

I knew it Rob drives a hairdressers car, wassa matter duckie no vauxhall tigras. 😆 😆 😉 😉
Rob don’t forget mate the septics only pay about 60p a gallon for petrol, thats why they can afford huge great monstrosities like that 😀

Flippin Heck Bob 😮 38 gallon fuel tank 😮 are you sitting comfortably, well this may be a guide as to why we don’t drive huge beasts like that, in this country, it would cost you the equivalent of $213 to fill that tank 🙁 or £129, I don’t spend that in 2 months on my van, car & bike 😎

Hey this is what I’m looking for in a new van if anyone knows where there’s one unloved and lonely.

[Sparky]

Hey Rob,

Lend that “duckie” car to old Mr. Broughton & he can wear his yellow kit in it, colour coded driver 😆 😆 😆

[Robert Lambie]

😆 😆 😆 ok you pair i asked for that i guess 😉 😆 😆

my cars is silver, the one in the picture i think is the gold one.. thats more manly is it not? silver? 😆 😆 😆

now leave me alone, please (bully)

[Adrian Howard]

My Mercedes is German by name but built in the USA
Great vehicle but a little thirsty..
Yes i know it needs a clean but the lanes around here are
shocking..my excuse

[Phill Fenton]

Rob

Have you thought of joining the “Coupe Owners Club (Scotland)” (COC(S) for short)?

They have two membership categories:-

Small is for compact Coupes such as Tigra’s and Pumas (I think the Vauxhall is also in this category)
Large is for the bigger Coupes such as the Cougar and Peugot 406 Coupe.

Membership of the club offers range of discounts and you will be given a badge to display on your car according to your membership category – In your case “Small COC” 😉

[Jill Marie Welsh]

(puppy-eyes)
Ya know!
Leave it to a bunch of MEN to turn a good article into an “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours” vehicle-fest.
👿
(I wanted to show you my dream car, a 1962 Cadillac hearse, but I can’t upload it here!)
just teasing…
silly jilly
(raster)

[Sparky]

Hey

I’m not playing that “show you mine” game, don’t want you all laughing at my Del Boy 1976 Lime green CAPri Ghia 😆 😆 😆

Ok, so even i’m not THAT sad.

BTW Rob, yep you get a lot more street cred in a silver one 🙂

[Robert Lambie]

sparky… im sorry mate, but if you and steve arent going to show us all your lovely green capri’s then i will have too! 😉

jill, everyone! this is sparky, steve & a friend going out for a night on the pull, in their cracking green capri’s like sparky has mentioned. 😆 😆

[Sparky]

😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆

[Paul Goodwin]

Steve my brother has a cracking Dub camper, unfortunatly not for sale , and if u asked a week or so ago, where my dad works a colleague GAVE one away 😮

I would have had it but he didn’t find out till after the fact.

But as me bro is in teh owners club i’ll ask him to keep an eye out for ya if you want.

[Robert Lambie]

Emmm Jill. Just read your reply there…
Oops sorry.. I may be the culprit on piggy-backing your post & steering that post off-track.
Sorry.

[Steve Broughton]

quote Mort:

Steve my brother has a cracking Dub camper, unfortunatly not for sale , and if u asked a week or so ago, where my dad works a colleague GAVE one away 😮

I would have had it but he didn’t find out till after the fact.

But as me bro is in teh owners club i’ll ask him to keep an eye out for ya if you want.

HA HA, bugger 😥 If I had a quid for every “I had one of those” stories I’ve heard in the last couple of weeks 🙄 got a camper too look at next week so fingers crossed. 😉

[Paul Goodwin]

I have to admit it’s a lovely drive, I may look at geting myself one as well one of these days,

And as he found out, you can replace the whole engine in around 40mins as well 🙂

[Jill Marie Welsh]

OK, ya bleeding gearheads! (hope that’s not a real bad swear)
You might notice that Bill Berberich himself has joined this site…WOO HOO!
Unfortunately, tho…he is a MAN and therefore a fellow gearhead (as well as on old Walldog)
Love- JILL 😉

[Robert Lambie]

well Bill Berberich.. if you read this mate.. a big welcome from me to the uk boards mate.. we have a great bunch here hope you find time to stop by now and again..

again sorry jill 😉 😆

[Jill Marie Welsh]

Robert,
I was only funning.
With a butt like yours, I could forgive you for almost anything.
Love- JILL
😀

[Paul Goodwin]

quote :

With a butt like yours

Is there something we should know here (?)

(love2)