Art & Inspiration Sign painters vs pinstripers in a cage match to the death....

i do both

 

While in college in the 60's I took a sign painting class , or should I say , a part time job as the class was 4 hrs a day 5 days a week ! We learned all forms and techniques of the sign trade including signwriting , both oil and tempura , silkscreen , and gold leaf ( glass and surface ). After opening my shop in the 70's , I started out doing lettering then I picked up pinstriping and then moved into custom paint , so now after all these years I'm pretty self- sufficient. Here's a few examples and you can check out my website .

 

yeah. there are a few guys who can do both.

my two heroes are Tom Kelly and Steve Feinberg. why? because they were the hands that painted what i saw... DRAG CARS in the 70's and my dad's racers. i know the fonts by heart. Feinberg is my neighbor and was still lettering trucks for my old employer before i left. I still get to sit with Tom Kelly a couple of times a year. in my opinion, the best natural EVER in the business, and a lefty to boot. also, lil' louie is pretty freaking fabulous if you ask me.

I work at it, but i'm still working. for me, sign writing (lettering) is one of the last automotive dying arts. i strive for it, but i dont hesitate to use modern techniques where necessary.

i LOVE this stuff!!!!

 

Wow, this sounds so familiar!

I'm on the other side of the world (in New Zealand) and in my 28th year of self employment (Bear's Signs). Self taught, and still working on my own - haven't found anyone good enough to employ yet

Totally agree with you on the two separate skills deal. I've painted dang near every type of sign from itty-bitty hand written trophies thru' to big assed brick walls, but until recently I've never even attempted real pinstriping, and that's probably only come about as an escape from the every day mundane vinyl crap (which ironically pays the bills better than a brush ever did).

I do like to still think of myself as a traditional sign writer 'cos I still ain't got a printer yet!

So, anyway, here's my second attempt at pinstriping. My first try didn't come out too bad, but that was 7 years ago (I really need to become a bit more focused).



By the way, I REALLY love your '36, probably the nicest, most tastefully done 3-window I've ever seen, and the closest to where I'm heading with mine.

Love to see it in the flesh someday....

Bear

 

http://vimeo.com/36219016


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^^^so nice.^^^

 

Interesting thread. Nice work fellas.

 

I second the mention of Dan Shaw - one of the best freestyle artist I have ever seen. Not big on computers, email etc but can be reached by phone or through his son Josh who is graduate of the Columbus (Ohio) School of Art and Design. Josh is one hell of a fabricator and currently works restoring old Miller race cars. He also does a lot of striping and painting as well. He posts here under the "Joshua Shaw". You would not be dissapointed in the work from either.

 

I didn't mind doing small signs but was uncomfortable with doing larger work.If a friend wanted a larger sign made I would usually tackle it but I didn't want it to be known that I did these so I would sign them,"Acme Sign Co." which became kind of a running joke.

LOL, I did the exact same thing Safari:
Acme Sign Co.
Hoboken NJ.

Tom

 

Ron Hernandez here in Phoenix can do both. A stiper by trade, but he did Justins wagon, i think you saw it at Mokan.



A ton of detail pictures here: http://www.stellarautoplex.com/web/vehicle_photos/1003097

 

I can pinstripe anything, I CAN NOT SIGN PAINT... I feel that is alot harder...Just my opinion.

 

I'm neither;but have great admiration for those who do either or both. My attempt at it;came out better than I had expected. I've spent time at shows watching folks lay lines and studied how their hands "flowed" in smooth motion. Practiced a bit before trying it on the box.






After this (ad)venture,I have even more respect for those who do it. Now to practice laying down some actual pinstriping design!

 

Threads a like this are very enjoyable because we get honest opinions and practical answers without all the drama.
Thanks guys.

 

Slightly off topic but I have noticed that a lot of independent tow trucks are still hand lettered and striped (at least in California). I have wondered if these were done after the trucks were bought or lettered and striped by the company making the tow trucks. Some of these tow trucks look really nice.

 

Big Props to my friend Phil - he is a real talent. He does most of the stripe designs I use for my pin stripe sculptures.

 

That's cool to the 10th degree!

 

That discription could also fit the teacher of my sign-arts class. He was about 60 at the time and was a sign painter during the depression years . In the 2 years that I took the class , I don't ever recall him taking off his sportcoat or loosening his necktie . Both of these gentlemen were obviously a credit to their craft .

 

i've always wanted to go to LA Trade Tech and take the sign writing course. i've learned quite a bit by sitting in with some of my heroes, but i would still LOVE to do the formal study.

 

I was forunate enough for a guy name TOM DOWNEY of Md. to take me under his wing when I was 15. He pinstriped my fathers bike and he seen my interest. He asked me if I wanted to learn, I said yes. After 3 or 4 months of stopping down, He said buddy I need you to help me FLAME this bitch....=] It was on from there and I never looked back. That man showed me so much stuff over the yrs. and taught me about how it was done back in the day. I never took to the old school stuff, I was young and dumb. Now 25yrs. later thats all I care about. No technology here. He always told me that he wanted ME to put HIM out of business.. Friends and family pushed for me to start my own , but I was always scared to take that step. I painted out of my fathers garage for yrs. Until I got burnt out. It started not being fun anymore... So I decided to just do it for friends and family. I am a happy camper that way, and love my hobby(disease). I wouldnt want it any other way. TOM DOWNEY was a painter, sign painter, and pinstriper... If your from the easy coast, then you heard the name. He is a very talented man....and a great friend

 

I freehand pintripe and do signs.Most of all the lettering and pinstriping I do is in front of lots of people at a car show.I everything I do is usually completely freehand,with just a centerline.I Never use mask or vinyl layouts.
I also custom paint and airbrush...

 

Thats all I use is the 1/8 vinyl for my centerline. Then go crazy from there..

 

To the death? I'm in.

 

I must admit, I envy you guys.

 

I draw a center line.Because most of my designs cross the center.We do it same way.

 

I love to stripe, doing lettering and use an airbrush, been doing it for a few years now. I'm not that good at any of them but i enjoy making a mess.

I'm in ore of anyone that can naturally pull any of this type of work off. Seeing any master craftsman at work is always spellbounding to me.

Sorry fight cancelled

 

I do a little of both and even though they both require paint and a brush, I find the layout and design processes very different. Its like I have to change my mindset with each one. I do think stripers and sign painters have the same talent, just not the same interest. I have found many artists who really only like one style.

 

I watched Dale Burton out of Indianapolis Stripe, letter, and gold leaf the numbers on a USAC dirt car around 1994 or so.... Dale at one time painted and lettered every car that ran in the Indy 500... don't know what year.. Anyway, it was amazing, I was watching a true craftsman and artisan.

Anyone know Dale? I'm not sure if he's still alive. His brother Ron Burton painted many of the portraits hanging in the Indianapolis Museum.

 

Dan that was witnessing a true craftsman watching Mr. Burton. That is how it was all done BC (before computers).

 

I was always in awe of Dale and felt fortunate that he let me hang around his shop when I had time to kill.

The last I heard about a year ago Dale was still alive and well living in Phoenix I believe.

Also need to give props to George Gruber who painted most of the circle track cars in Indy before Dale came on the scene. He also did some fantastic work.