Commentary... "Traditional Sign Painting"       When I was in High School and in between jobs, my Mom would tell me I should "Do something with my art". What she meant was that I should focus on getting a job that made use of my artistic skills that wasn't a back breaking 8 to 6 on a retail outlet loading lock. I never really believed there was a job out there like that. She is fond of making up romantic employment scenarios for me. But then again, she was also the one who told me I should become a tattoo artist 10 years before I actually did.

One day on my way home from school, I noticed an old garage in my neighborhood that was pushed way back behind a row of apartments. It had a weathered, painted metal sign on it that said "Costantino Sign Co.". With visions of my days filled painting beautifully detailed Norman Rockwell-esque signs in my head, I walked in and asked if they needed any help. The guy behind the counter asked me "Have you ever worked for a sign company?" I explained that I had not, but that I had some artistic talent and that I was very good at painting. He looked at me and like I was from another planet and laughed! "We don't paint anything here, it's all done on a computer and printed out". "I need people who can lift heavy things and aren't afraid of climbing a ladder or working on roofs in the heat". So much for the art of sign painting as a career.       I've had a lot of different jobs since then, but for some reason the idea of making traditional hand painted signs always stayed my mind. As I studied design and the art of different cultures, I developed a great appreciation for the craftsmanship of sign making. The ones that interest me the most are the kind you find in under developed countries where the local shop keepers use the the only available materials they have. Usually paint (in whatever color is cheap). A home made sign is economical and it's still the best way to convey an idea quickly to the masses. Add a little attention to detail and it can become a true work of art!       There was a time in the USA before the 1950's that most small hometown businesses still had a hand painted sign above their door or in their front window. Billboards were painted on the sides of barns, on wooden paneled fences, or on a buildings exposed brick side. Signs were one of the main forms of printed public communication that lead to all the others we know today. Creating a great sign that grabbed the publics attention was a skill that was passed on through generations of painters from a master to an apprentice, just like carpentry or masonry. The inventions of the industrial revolution were sold through these masters understanding that color and typeface can convey a message as strongly as the words themselves. Then quickly a few of those very inventions like the automated printing press, then plastics and eventually the computer all but put an end to the hand painted sign.       Fast forward to 2004 and I am just starting my apprenticeship at Tattoo Garage in Bloomfield NJ. I was flat broke and looking at the prospect of eating least 2 years worth of Ramen noodle lunches before I'd be a full fledged, money making tattoo artist. I also knew that sometime very soon, if I wanted this dream progress to the next level, I would have to come up with the money to buy a whole new array of professional tattoo equipment. Drawing great tattoos is a big part of the learning process but eventually you need the gear to put in under skin. And there's no skimping on quality when it's going to be on someone elses body forever!       One afternoon the owner Chris was surfing Ebay looking for a new "tattoo" sign to put up at the shop. All the ones available were mass produced plastic, back lit or made with cheap looking l.e.d's None of them had any character to match a business like tattooing. Tattoos by nature are an intensely personal thing. The depth of commitment of the artist means everything to producing a great tattoo. It's one of the few remaining artistic trades that still gets handed down, one on one, from a master to a student. Kinda like sign painting used to be.       Then the idea hit me... wouldn't it be fantastic if I could earn my equipment money by doing something artistic. Hand painted tattoo inspired signs!       I've done 6 different designs since then. Some in limited editions, and even a few one of a kinds upon request. The very first one is still hanging in the tattoo shop. The latest one was a present for my Mom. She's one of the most optimistic people in my life. It's a saying she's fond of. "A Lotus Flower Blooms in the Mud" When will I learn that Mom is always right? More about it: NoRelevance.com - Hand Painted Signs - Fossils in our Visual Landscape Ruavista.com - Paulinho Artes: The Art of the Hand Painted Sign Ruavista.com - Hand Painted Signs of Jerusalem by Yves Clady Ruavista.com - Graphic City: Macau Ruavista.com - Graphic City: Brussels Painted Signs in Fayette County 1938 by John Troesser Sign artist Michael Genovese Sign artist David Kynaston Mystic Blue Sign Co. Yellvile Hand Painted Sign Co. Flickr Group - Handpainted Signs of the World Bon Coiffure: Barber Shop Signs from Africa Mildreds House of Signage PJ Chmiel's Hand Painted

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