I have recently had the pleasure of attending a screening of the film Sign Painters. “The movie celebrates the hand-painted sign industry in America. This documentary explores a fascinating insight into a highly specialized underground trade, emphasising an appreciation for a balance between art and commerce.”
Although I am a strategist, I have a background in graphic design, I’m a keen artist who loves drawing with a black pen and I am a photographer who documents life in general. That is why the movie struck a perfect chord with me. Not only are there still people who love doing things by hand, but there’s a growing appreciation in the market for quality, hand-made goods, by skilled craftsmen and women.
Afterwards I had a discussion with a good friend about how the hand-made, craft industry will impact or has impacted our lives and our careers, which is spent 90% of the time, looking at a screen. We were inspired to start looking at what we do, and the value the end product really has. Are we happy with the end result? Would we show it off to our friends and family? Are we proud of what we achieved with it?
I for one, am just happy to see that there are not only people who still light the flame for hand-made goods, but customers and companies that are starting to see the value in getting it done this way, instead of in a cheap and dirty digital way, all for the sake of saving a few bucks, which in the long run, might even cost you more money.