Sign Builder Illustrated: Gary Johnson, owner of The Great American Sign Company in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, has created a number of award-winning dimensional signs over his fair share of years in the industry, and he keeps adding to this total. His recent dimensional sign work designed, carved, and crafted for the Community Garden at the library in Bedminster, New Jersey earned him the "Best in Show" in the 2012 USSC Sign Design Competition.
In fact, the story behind its creation is probably just as award-worthy.
7 comments:
This is so fun, I am still amazed by what artistic people can create. I mean most artists (I imagine) don't grow up dreaming of creating signs. Why not? I'd imagine that it would be like tiny, or large, canvases that change all the time. This article only goes to prove that point. I love the detail and thought that went behind this 'generic' lawyer. Johnson really put a lot of back story into Sy, and that is the best part. Yes, it is unfortunate that signs like that have to be put up now a days, but that doesn't mean that we cant have fun with it. Personally, I would be more inclined to read a beautifully crafted cool looking sign than some bland little placard.
This was an interesting article for me to read. I love the fact that an artist took the time to make an impressly beautiful sign for an apparently ordinary sign. This is just impressive to see the how people and artists approach the most ordinary of things. I would love to have a custom made "warning" sign for my yard. And I completely agree with that Sonia said about reading signs,I would rather read a sign like this rather then a boring traditional sign.
This was such an interesting and fun article to read. I love how Mr. Johnson thought out of the box to create a sign that could have been boring, to one that was a true piece of art. It even won Best in show at the USSC sign design competition this year. I agree that the story behind it was great! I enjoyed hearing about how the sign was built and with what products. I also thought it was great that he did the project for the sake of art because his fee is usually three times what he was paid. I think this shows what a true artist is all about which is someone that has passion for what they do and it's not always about the money.
It may be a bit strange but i really like signs. They're all about conveying as much information as possible, in as simple a format as possible. Signs always seem to just show up and no one ever hears anything about the people who put their time and effort into creating something that, in the case of road signs, are seen by millions of people every day. So its good to see a story about the creator of a sign. and to top it all of it was designed for charity
I love this! I think it wonderful that the designer of the sign could take a chance and poke fun of the lawyer. but i find it more interesting that in the article the writer follows the design process of the designer. Susan has been encouraging us all semester to do such a thing and on my last project I feel like I had a very well documented process. So to see the process of another so well planed out it gives me a chance to look at my process and improve. I would love to signs like this in more places it is really neat.
If only I could stumble across a job like this. All I truly want in life is an excuse to play around with clay and paint and make clever things. How does one acquire a job a such? How does one acquire any job? How do you become good at things? I'm just having an existential crisis regarding my artistic worth, don't mind me.
The sign is hilarious! I didn't even know that people still hand-make signs; I thought they were all cut by machines. I love how the artist not only embraced creativity but also how he added humor to the client's request. I agree with him that the request was ironic; creating both a welcome and do not sign. The craftsmanship on the sign and sculpture are impeccable and I hope to do something like this for props within my career. It kind of makes me want to make signs when I get home and put them all over the house.
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