What is your most used equipment?

[Signoholic]

Heres a quick poll to see what you guys use most for your sign making.

[Dewi]

It's got to be vinyl, I love the stuff.

To me I see vinyl as a challenge.... you have a limited palette... you have this sticky backed plastic that will only stick to smooth, clean surfaces and you have to stick to the most unusual places you can imagine. I've stuck vinyl to everything from a nameplate on a coffin, to the backend of a Ferrari 360 and I'll be honest, I've loved every minute. It may not be paint, but when you lack the artistic talent to be a signwriter, you must aspire to be what you are... and in my case it's a vinyl junkie with a passion to make vinyl stick to the places other signmakers just can not reach.... corny, but I love my job.

Cheers, Dewi

[Wayne]

Heres mine!

[Chunkie]

I've started to play with paint, just got an airbrush to have a go at and use digital from time to time but vinyl is the one for me. Like Dewi I find the challenge of the vinyl's limitations quite interesting and want to push it to the limit of what it can do.

[Signoholic]

I've bin playing with paint all my life- although sometimes i do bend that vinyl, i agree you can push it to the limit, but for me my brushes just keep taking over, i think they have a mind of their own, but sometimes i do dust my cutter down, comes in handy for small copy at best, so for me as most of you know my poll will always be brush and paint, then airbrush, then carving, then vinyl and last choice digital- and yes i do have a cadet as well!

[Dewi]

- and yes i do have a cadet as well!

Can't all be perfect :lol:

I like the idea of mixed medias, mixing digital with vinyl, paint with digital, stuff like that. Steve B. does a nice mixed media with his signage, as do many others, but it fascinates me to how people come up with the ideas. My favourite of Steve's is the Anchor sign, he used real rope wrapped around an anchor... looks the business. Now if I could come up with ideas like that for signage, I'd be happy as a pig in... well, very happy :oops:

Cheers, Dewi

[Mort]

I use vinyl and Digital. i'd love to paint but i have trouble paining my house let alone a sign :)

It is something i'd like to be able to do though.

[milo]

I've been painting for some 28 years now , not so much lately as most of my customers want a quick and relatively cheap job which i don't let them have,
I have overheads too. I do mix vinyl with traditional when i can. Putting a line on a letter with paint is so quick and makes my work stand out from the local vinyl boys. It's nice to put paint to board rather than letting the computer cut it for you.

Cheers Milo

[Nobby]

I've have had a spray gun in my hands for most of the last 25 years. As i got more experienced the nozzle size got smaller and smaller. However, my objective is always the end result, so would do anything to reach that in the most effective way. I now design on PhotoShop/Illustrator then descide what is the best course of action. Usually dependant on the budget. Some jobs are just paint, most signs are Digital print, some custom paintwork includes paint, vinyl, mask, digital print and domed sticker.

The one thing i can guarentee is it wont be enamels. Firstly they are not compatible with most my work, secondly, i just can't do it. That is real old talent and much respect to all those who have the skill. I hope it doesn't die out.

[Nobby]

PS i'd love to vote but the system won't let me. Can someone stick a marker in the Airbrush for me!

[airbrushearl]

man its gotta be paint....i paint in enamals, waterbased,sticky{poly} base coat..glazes, water based glazes,house of kolor mmmmmm u name it, i spray it, i airbrush it, i throw it i letter it, i stipple drag n blend it but hey its gotta be paint paint paint i love my airbrushes like a brother my signbrushes and airbrushes never leave my side its what i love.... cos i live to paint n paint to live..www.airbrushearl.com

[obvus]

window splash is what I like best these days ...why the cost is less then 20%, sales come easier, jobs done within a day then paid, next ... I apply a removeable vinly for the white back on windows and smooth surfaces , layout,color with enamal, letter with waterbased, cut excess vinyl done
.. 2nd favorite is boats, trucks, storefronts, etc but get very little so windows it is
kolors-r-kewl