Starr Studios Custom Signs

Goodbye San Francisco, Hello Big Bear Lake!

2010-04-02T16:58:00.000-07:00

Well, its been months in the making, but we finally relocated everything to Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains just outside Los Angeles.

San Francisco was very very good to us, and we are sad to leave all of the wonderful friends we made there, but we are looking forward to building new friendships and working on exciting new stuff down in SoCal.

Here's some pics of our new studio, all set up and ready to start making signs...

Hand Painted Barber Shop Sign

2010-03-19T08:09:00.000-07:00

Here is one we just finished for Jason Hodges, owner of Hair Force Three barber Shop. This sign is made from 1/2" MDO plywood that was hand cut with a jigsaw then all hand painted and pinstriped. The sign will be attached above the storefront.

Ocean Spray: Hand Painted & Distressed Signs

2010-03-12T07:51:00.000-08:00

We just finished a couple of these signs for the Ocean Spray traveling booths. The sign panels are 1" pine slats that have been stained and distressed. We then hand painted the Ocean Spray logo on the surface and followed up with some distressing after they were all dry for a very authentic aged look.

Sony Music: Hand Painted & Distressed Sign

2010-03-12T07:47:00.000-08:00

We recently completed this sign for Sony Music in New York City for their Archive collection. The sign was made from 1/2" MDO plywood that was hand cut to shape, then hand painted followed with mica gilding powder. When the sign was dry the entire thing was antiqued and distressed to provide the look you see here.

Video: Hand Painted Custom Sign for Contra Costa Fire Department

2010-01-29T07:38:00.000-08:00

H Cafe Window Graphics

2010-01-18T07:48:00.000-08:00

Here's a simple window graphic produced in 3M Apricot vinyl for H Cafe. H Cafe is an independent coffee house located in the Castro at 3801 17th St (between Prosper St & Sanchez St).

A Board/Sandwich Board Signs for Noeteca in Noe Valley

2010-01-14T17:41:00.000-08:00

The owners of Noeteca liked the frosted film graphics that we applied to their storefront so much, they called us back to make them an A Board (also known as a Sandwich Board) sign for the sidewalk.

Here is some more info about Noeteca from the San Francisco Bay Guardian:

Noeteca
Coffee in the morning, wine in the evening, and good food throughout the day
BY PAUL REIDINGER

Wine — unlike, say, Coca-Cola — has never been a big breakfast drink. Unless you count mimosas, which are basically an exercise in camouflage anyway, champagne bearded with orange juice to give the appearance of healthfulness. No, even the most dedicated wine-drinker must make do with something else in the morning, and that something else is probably coffee.
At Noeteca, a handsome establishment opened by Alex Kamprasert and Scott McDonald in early October on a residential stretch of Dolores Street in outer Noe Valley, the wine-bar aura is modified by glass cases of whole-bean coffee displayed just inside the door, next to a glass case full of pastries. You might feel slightly disoriented at the sight, as if you've drifted by mistake into a Starbucks. The coffee station is, in part, a bow to the space's previous tenant, the Last Laugh Café, and also a visual expression of Noeteca's commitment to be a kind of public "living room" that isn't just a place to gather in the evening — although it is that — but to visit in the morning or any time during the day.
In this sense, despite the Italian-ish name, Noeteca's nearest relations are probably the wonderful cafes of Paris, those nameless but indispensable places where you can get an espresso early in the morning, a glass of wine late at night, and good food at any time.
Notwithstanding a similarity in philosophy, Noeteca doesn't look like any Paris café I've ever been in. It resembles, instead, a fusion of lounge (including, for enhancement of living-room atmospherics, a chaise or two in a far corner of the dining room), restaurant, and takeaway bar, and it manages all this in a fairly tight space. And while the food has some traditional Gallic touches, it's a little more eclectic than anything you'd likely find in a typical French café. As for the wines: the by-the-glass list is lengthy, worldly, and reasonably priced, with — in a welcome touch — pours available in half- as well as full sizes. Need a switch from Cotes du Rhone? Try a hit of Polesio, a tight, quick-on-its-feet wine made from Sangiovese grapes in Italy's little-known Marche region along the Adriatic.
Since the closing of mc2 in the first dot-com Götterdammerung, the Alsatian specialty tarte flambé, a pizza-like flatbread topped with onions, bacon, and crème fraîche, has been a rare sighting in these parts. I don't remember seeing one for years, in fact, until recently it turned up on Noeteca's menu ($7.95), with a lovely thin, blistered crust that was a bit softer and more luxurious than a typical pizza crust. The pie itself wasn't quite large enough to be a main course, but it did make a tasty, splittable starter.
Autumn means mushrooms and stew, and maybe mushroom stew ($10.95). Here the funghi included shiitake, portabella, and white button; they were swirled into a cream sauce heavy on pearl onions, then packaged in a nice earthenware crock under a gratin blanket of coarse bread crumbs. Very tasty and meaty, although the pearl onions did become oppressive. We couldn't finish them all.
Our old friend the croque monsieur — basically a ham-and-cheese ...sandwich — was cleverly recast here as croque napoleon ($8.95), an elegant, savory bread pudding layered with ham and cheese. The pudding was cut into thick slices that leaned against one another like dominoes under a slicking of mornay sauce. On the side: a heap of mixed baby greens dotted with cherry tomatoes. Little side salads like this turn up with many if not most of the larger courses; they are colorful and light but turn repetitive after a while.
One way to get around an uninvited little salad is to have a big salad, like Kris's chicken salad ($9.95). The theme here was deconstruction; the (chopped) chicken was mixed with pecans and red onions and molded into a disk that stood on one side of the plate, while on the other was the obligatory pile of baby greens and, all around, scatterings of cucumber coins and cherry tomatoes. The vinaigrette was simple but very good.
Given the display of sweets in the glass case at the door, it's not surprising that the desserts are pretty convincing. And there is at least one genuine star: the chocolate bomba ($6), a softball-sized shell of dark chocolate filled with vanilla and chocolate gelati.
Eating it combined some of the pleasures of an Easter-morning hunt for hidden chocolate eggs and of breaking open a piñata. With drama and spectacle like that, the coppa catalana ($6), a version of crème brûlée, suffered slightly by comparison, although its caramel flavor was deep and its texture nicely balanced between firm and creamy. The bomba, incidentally, did not come from the glass case, but the coppa catalana might have. You should not construe these remarks as permission to have either of these delicacies for breakfast. Stick with a mimosa instead.

3M Frosted Crystal Graphics for Stupid Fun Club

2010-01-14T17:30:00.000-08:00

We just completed these window graphics for Stupid Fun Club in Berkeley. Here is an interview from Wired Magazine with founder Will Wright:

What to Expect From Will Wright's Stupid Fun Club
By David Kushner

Will Wright is the great polymath of interactive design, weaving theories of architecture, astrophysics, and urban planning into his videogames. That may sound like the opposite of fun, but he's created some hugely popular franchises—The Sims alone has sold more than 100 million copies for publisher Electronic Arts. Nowadays, though, Wright is thinking smaller. In April, he stunned the game industry by announcing that he was leaving EA to run a startup called Stupid Fun Club.
If the endeavor has the whiff of a garage operation, that's because it is one—the club began in a Berkeley, California, warehouse space where Wright and his buddies went to tinker and play and escape from the pressures of making blockbuster games. "We were tripping over ideas that were intriguing to us," Wright says. "But I didn't have time to develop them." Now his hobby is becoming his full-time gig (though Wright will do some consulting for EA, which is an investor in his new venture).
Stupid Fun Club has just 10 staffers, a fraction of the number who worked on his last title, the ambitious universe sim Spore. "When a team has more than 80 members, it gets very unwieldy," he says. This may explain why Wright is eager to join the indie movement that's sweeping the industry. Several high-profile developers—like David Jaffe and Neil Young—have formed tiny production teams to make innovative, attention-getting games. Wright crafts a characteristically erudite metaphor on the state of the medium. "Five hundred million years ago, during the Cambrian explosion, all these diverse life forms evolved," he says. "Our industry is going through that explosion now."
Can Wright Go Wrong? You Decide.
There will be robots.
Wright and his SFC pals have tinkered with everything from fighting automatons to AI experiments. "We taught the robots to be social," Wright says. "They can converse, and it was fascinating to see their personalities interacting." For Wright, playing geek Frankenstein goes hand in hand with making games. "Building robots is not that different from programming sims," he says. "On the other hand, a robot may crash into you."
It will go beyond videogames.
Wright's games have always been modular, allowing for lucrative expansion packs and spinoffs: SimFarm, Sims 2: Apartment Life, Spore: Galactic Adventures, et cetera. Expect that to continue with his next offering, which will also play out across multiple media (television, toys, games). "It's a fractal deployment of intellectual property," Wright says. "Instead of picking one format, you're designing for one mega- platform. TV shows are borrowing clichés from games now. We've been talking about this kind of synergy for years, but it's finally happening."
We will all be guinea pigs.
Wright's famously open-ended simulations are social experiments that give players enormous latitude to make their own choices—and he loves to sift through the resulting data. That impulse is also evident in the pranks he's pulled with his SFC cohorts. "We've been building strange little things and taking them out in public to see what happens," he says. For instance, they put a smashed-up robot on the street and set up a hidden camera nearby. "As people walked past, it would beg for help," Wright says. Some ignored the injured automaton. Some stopped to talk to it. And some picked it over for salvageable parts.

Victorian House Transom Address Numbers

2010-01-14T17:27:00.000-08:00

We just completed these house numbers in the Inner Richmond District in San Francisco's Avenues area just north of Golden Gate Park. These numbers were made using 3M Gold Metallic and Black premium vinyls.

Faux Finishing Project in Los Lunas New Mexico

2010-01-13T19:23:00.000-08:00

One of our customers, DY Enterprises here in San Francisco, flew us to Los Lunas New Mexico in early January to do some faux finishing in one of their properties. Here is some of that project in process:

Antiqued and Distressed Signs for Ella and Ruby Designer Gown Rental

2009-12-31T11:28:00.001-08:00

We got the call from Ella and Ruby Designer Gown Rental when they were opening their showroom that they wanted something unique and one of a kind. We made them 2 signs, antiqued and distressed on MDO plywood and hand painted.

Here is some more about Ella and Ruby:

Anne Hathaway, Beyoncé and Gwyneth Paltrow have become Hollywood icons for their show-stopping style. From ravishing ball gowns to sexy stilettos to glamorous accessories, these ladies know how to get dressed. Now you can look Red Carpet-ready in a designer rental gown from ELLA & Ruby.

Whether you prefer the simple elegance of Audrey Hepburn’s classic little black dress or the free-spirited style of Kate Hudson’s long, flowing gowns, ELLA & Ruby has something for every style. Come and browse our fabulous selection of dresses from Chloe, Michael Kors, Suzi Chin, Max and Cleo, Shelli Segal, Maria Bianco Nero, BCBG, Ali Ro and much more in sizes 0-14.

Whether you need a gorgeous evening gown for your school auction, a classic design for a holiday luncheon or a dazzling cocktail dress for New Year’s Eve, you’ll find it all at ELLA & Ruby.

We are here to help you find your most flattering fit and will even help you complete your look with stunning accessories from Stella & Dot.

Glass Sign with Frosted Film for RIM Architects

2009-12-31T11:19:00.000-08:00

RIM Architects called us when they needed a new sign for their lobby. They wanted something special and unique on glass. The sign was installed using metal stand-offs and cables. The graphics were produced using 3M Frosted Crystal Film.

Here is some more info about RIM Architects:

RIM Architects established the California office in 2001 to support a long-term client. Located in downtown San Francisco, RIM provides architectural and interior design services in the retail, commercial, housing and hospitality sectors.

We specialize in design/build delivery as well as traditional project delivery methods and can provide specialized project planning and Owner’s representative services, as well.

Design Creativity, Technical Excellence and Effective Project Management are core values for the RIM staff and enable us to assist our clients in achieving success with their projects.

RIM was one of the first architectural firms in Alaska to become a member of the U.S. Green Building Council. We currently have five (5) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professionals in our San Francisco office, and a total of 30 throughout our offices.

Signs for Gleneagles Golf Course at Maclaren Park in San Francisco

2009-12-31T11:12:00.000-08:00

We made several signs for Gleneagles Golf Course at Maclaren Park including a course rules sign and one for their pro shop. They wanted an authentic "Old World" feel, so the signs are all hand painted and sport a faux parchment finished background.

Signage for Tony Gemignani's International School of Pizza / Tony's Pizza

2009-12-31T10:37:00.000-08:00

Tony Gemignani of Tony's Pizza called us and wanted some ideas for his storefront windows. They wanted something traditional and old school. We designed this logo for them and produced them on multiple windows around the restaurant with some classic pinstriping and scroll work. The graphics are made with 3M's Frosted Crystal film and looks just like sandblasted glass when installed, but has the flexibility to be removed years later if the building is being leased by the tenant.

Here is some more information about Tony Gemignani's International School of Pizza:

Tony Gemignani is the first Master Instructor in the United States and students have the opportunity to get certified in Classic Italian Pizza, Roman Style Pizza or Pizza in Teglia (Pan Pizza). The certifications come direct from Italy and the course will be available several times a year.
Under the Scuola Itlaiana Pizzaoili (www.pizzaschool.it) Tony Gemignani also owns and operates the International School of Pizza and the United States School of Pizza which will offer special courses throughout the year in authentic Neapolitan Style pizza, New York, Chicago, California, and New Haven Style Pizza. Special non-professional courses will also be available for home chefs. All of the courses follow the strict guidelines and theory of the Scuola Italiana Pizzaoli.

"The importance of our courses is to bring the history, quality, and authenticity of pizza making and for our students to understand the importance of our studies, ingredients, recipes and equipment used though out the course." - Tony Gemignani

All students will work with the theory and practical side of pizza making and learn the dynamics of pizza in it's entirety. All courses at the pizza school are hands on and students will be working together in groups through out each course. Each student will receive a school bag, a text book, our school t-shirt, a hat, and an apron.

Tony Gemignani is a 9 Time World Pizza Champion. He is the president of the World Pizza Champions Inc. The most winning pizza team in the world. Tony is the first competitor in pizza history to win both acrobatic and baking titles in Italy's Championships. Tony was the Neapolitan Champion at the 2007 World Pizza Cup in Naples, Italy for the Best STG Neapolitan Pizza Margherita. Tony is the only Two Time Food Network Gold Medalist and is a certified master from the Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli. He is the author of the cookbook PIZZA and is inducted into the Guinness Book of World records. Tony has won more World tiles and international awards than any competitor in history. Tony Gemignani would like to thank Enrico Fama and Graziano Bertuzzo for all of their guidance and inspiration.

Her Majesty's Secret Beekeeper A-Board Sign

2009-12-31T10:30:00.000-08:00

Here is a custom A-Board we made for Her Majesty's Secret Beekeeper located in the Mission District of San Francisco. The sign is hand painted and custom made from 1/2" MDO plywood that was hand cut with a jig saw and then routered.

Here is some more info about Her Majesty's Secret Beekeeper:

Established on June 29th, 2009, HMSBeekeeper focuses on local honey, gourmet single source and infused honeys, pollen and propolis, locally made soap, candles, balms, and lotions, as well as exceptional yet economically priced beekeeping equipment. If it is made from the hive, we are likely to carry it.

Misha Patel Pilates Studio, San Jose

2009-12-31T10:09:00.000-08:00

Here is a project we just completed for Misha Patel Studio in San Jose. The project consisted of 2 dimensional signage pieces that were made with 1/2" acrylic and brushed aluminum faces stud mounted to the interior walls.

Here is some more info about Misha Patel Studio:

ABOUT THE STUDIO

Misha Patel Studio, a limited liability company, welcomes its clients to a warm and open environment marked by modern architecture and old world charm. The 3,500 square feet studio features group and private Pilates equipment rooms, a group TRX Suspension Training room, a massage room, and a cafe, all of which are embraced by a grand balcony that overlooks downtown San Jose. The studio is easily accessible from all major South Bay freeways (880, 101, and 87).

Available state of the art equipment includes four Reformer/Tower combinations, one Reformer/Trap combination, two Stability Chair combinations, five jump boards, four TRX Suspension Training units, and various props such as foam rollers, BOSUs, stability balls, fitness rings, rotational disks, et cetera.

Misha Patel Studio strives to be a location that provides individual, goal-oriented programs through private and group sessions. With the highest quality of staff and equipment, the studio pays homage to its founder and namesake by providing a fresh and innovative perspective through personalized service in a non-intimidating atmosphere.

ABOUT GROUP PILATES EQUIPMENT TRAINING

This session type customarily utilizes the Cadillac, Reformer, and Chair equipment, as well as props such as foam rollers, BOSUs, stability balls, and rotational disks. Clients train on different pieces of equipment throughout the hour-long session. This high intensity workout is designed to increase strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination. With the opportunity to train on more than just the Reformer, clients will not only see faster results, but also challenge themselves with a larger variety of exercises.

ABOUT TRX SUSPENSION TRAINING

Tracing its roots to the grueling training of U.S. Navy SEALs, TRX Suspension Training was created to give its proponents a competitive edge over those following conventional strength training. Every exercise targets the development of functional strength, while simultaneously improving flexibility and balance. At Misha Patel Studio, this session type typically involves the entire body by creatively positioning the client to be challenged by his or her own body weight. This makes TRX Suspension Training a versatile and effective form of exercise regardless of age, gender or fitness level.

ABOUT THE FOUNDER

Misha is a fully certified Stott Pilates and TRX Suspension Training instructor with an emphasis on injuries and special populations. Hence, in addition to offering classes to the general public, professional athletes, expecting and new mothers, young adults, and active seniors, Misha welcomes clients with herniated or bulged disc, spinal fusions, neck trauma, rotator cuff injuries, carpal tunnel, meniscal tears, breast surgery, or scoliosis. Additionally, Misha has experience with training clients who have separated abdominals, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, TMJ, biceps tendinopathy, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, ACL / PCL tears, fibromyalgia, MS, or neuropathy.

Misha's teachings are heavily influenced by her understanding of human anatomy and kinesiology, which enables her to aid each of her clients achieve his or her goals in a healthy, appropriate, and proactive manner. As an accomplished dancer, figure skater, and choreographer, Misha has spoken at several national and international conventions about injury prevention and the importance of strength and flexibility to that end.

RECOMMENDATION

Given the importance of form and technique to physical exercise in conjunction with the plethora of new Pilates studios and instructors, Misha Patel Studio advises anyone interested in taking classes to understand the differences between teaching methods and qualification levels before selecting a studio. This helps to make an educated choice and to align mindset and goals with training and outcome.

Cliff House Restaurant, San Francisco

2009-12-31T10:01:00.000-08:00

We just finished this Valet Parking sign for the legendary Cliff House Restaurant here in San Francisco in conjunction with California Parking. This sign was made on 1/2" MDO plywood and is all hand painted.

Here is some more information about the Cliff House Restaurant:

The Cliff House in 1909

The Cliff House is a restaurant perched on the headlands on the cliffs just north of Ocean Beach on the western side of San Francisco, California. It overlooks the site of the former Sutro Baths and a room-sized camera obscura and is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, operated by the National Park Service.
Contents

Cliff House has had five major incarnations since its beginnings in 1858. That year, Samuel Brannan, a prosperous ex-Mormon elder from Maine, bought for $1,500 the lumber salvaged from a ship that foundered on the basalt cliffs below. With this material he built the first Cliff House. The second Cliff house was built for Captain Junius G. Foster, but it was a long trek from the city and hosted mostly horseback riders, small game hunters or picnickers on day outings. With the opening of the Point Lobos toll road a year later, the Cliff House became successful with the Carriage trade for Sunday travel. The builders of the toll road constructed a two mile speedway beside it where well-to-do San Franciscans raced their horses along the way. On weekends, there was little room at the Cliff House hitching racks for tethering the horses for the thousands of rigs. Soon, omnibus railways and streetcar lines made it to near Lone Mountain where passengers transferred to stagecoach lines to the beach. The growth of Golden Gate Park attracted beach travelers in search of meals and a look at the Sea Lions sunning themselves on Seal Rock, just off the cliffs to visit the area.

In 1877, the toll road, now Geary Boulevard, was purchased by the City for around $25,000. In 1883, after a few years of downturn, the Cliff House was bought by Adolph Sutro who had solved the problems of ventilating and draining the mines of the Comstock Lode and become a multimillionaire. After a few years of quiet management by J.M. Wilkens, the Cliff House was severely damaged by a dynamite explosion when the schooner, Parallel, ran aground. The blast was heard a hundred miles away and demolished the entire north wing of the tavern. The building was repaired, but was later completely destroyed on Christmas night 1894 due to a defective flue. Wilkens was unable to save the guest register, which included the signatures of three Presidents and dozens of illustrious world-famous visitors.
In 1896, Adolph Sutro built a new Cliff House, a seven story Victorian Chateau, called by some "the Gingerbread Palace", below his estate on the bluffs of Sutro Heights. This was the same year work began on the famous Sutro Baths, which included six of the largest indoor swimming pools north of the Restaurant that included a museum, skating rink and other pleasure grounds. Great throngs of San Franciscans arrived on steam trains, bicycles, carts and horse wagons on Sunday excursions.

The Cliff House and Sutro Baths survived the 1906 earthquake with little damage but burned to the ground on the evening of September 7, 1907. Dr. Emma Merritt, Sutro's daughter, commissioned a rebuilding of the restaurant in a neo-classical style that was completed within two years and is the basis of the structure seen today. In 1937, George and Leo Whitney purchased the Cliff House, complementing their Playland-at-the-Beach attraction nearby and extensively remodeling it into an American roadhouse. The building was acquired by the National Park Service in 1977 and became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Many of Whitney's additions were removed and the building was restored to its 1909 appearance. In 2003, an extensive further renovation added a new two-story wing overlooking the Sutro Bath ruins.

When the Cliff House became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 1977, the National Park Service contracted with Dan and Mary Hountalas as official concessionaires of the property. The NPS renewed its contract with the Hountalas family, under the name Peanut Wagon, in 1998. Peanut Wagon continues to manage Cliff House operations and worked with the Park Service for extensive site restoration that was completed in 2004.

The Cliff House features two restaurants, the casual dining Bistro Restaurant and the more formal Sutro's. Additionally, the Terrace Room serves a Sunday Brunch buffet. There is a gift shop in the building and the Camera Obscura on a deck overlooking the ocean. During the site restoration, the Musee Mechanique was moved to Fisherman's Wharf.

Monterey Bay Aquarium Seahorse Stencils

2009-07-26T07:27:00.000-07:00

ZOOM Media in New York City called us a while back and asked us if we could produce some stencils for a new marketing campaign for the upcoming seahorse exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. After some fine tuning we were able to come up with a solution that will allow for pressure washing the logo on to city sidewalks. The stencil is laid onto the sidewalk and blasted with a pressure washer, leaving a clean and clear image of the logo left behind.

Acrylic Dimensional Letters for Lvovich & Volchegursky

2009-07-26T07:22:00.001-07:00

We just completed these white acrylic dimensional letters for the law firm Lvovich & Volchegursky located at 450 California Street in San Francisco. The letters are CNC router cut and then applied as individual pieces. The wall was painted red and then the letters were applied one by one. The final effect is extremely clean and very rich looking.

Window Graphics and Storefront Signage

2009-07-21T09:20:00.001-07:00

One of the most effective ways to communicate with people walking or driving past your storefront is with the use of well designed storefront graphics. Storefront Graphics alllow you to set a mood for your building on the inside as well as the outside while communicating to potential customers about who you are and what you do. Using cut vinyl graphics we can transform your space into something unique and special.

Because the graphics are applied to the interior glass, they are protected from vandalism and although durable for many many years, vinyl window graphics are fully removable. When your lease is up, we can return and remove them completely.

Case Study: Window Graphics for Earthbody Spa in San Francisco's Hayes Valley.

Hand Painted Signs and Sign Restoration

2009-07-02T08:07:00.001-07:00

We produce beautiful, hand painted signs for customers in the San Francisco area as well as a growing number of customers located all across the United States.
We are proud to be one of very few shops left that still keep the traditional methods of hand painted sign making alive.
We use lettering quills (brushes) and One Shot paints just like they used 50 years ago and when not constrained by short deadlines we lay out our signs the old fashioned way: by hand.
We also have an ever growing collection of fonts and artwork that other sign makers who share our passion have painstakingly reproduced from old photos and sketches in an attempt to keep this American art form from disappearing that we incorporate into our designs.
We are proud to be one of the very few sign companies left in the United States providing hand painted signage.

Case Study: Hand Painted Sign Restoration for Squires & Corrie Antique Slot Machines in San Mateo, California.
Owner Steve Squires contacted us about restoring the sign for his antique slot machine company based in San Mateo, California in the early summer of 2009. His existing sign was done over 20 years ago and desperately needed repainting. The original sign was made from MDO plywood and was a combination of hand painted and vinyl cut lettering. The board was de-laminating and beyond repair, so it was used as a template for a brand new panel which was router cut from baked aluminum panel called Alumalite that was glued to a plywood backer board for added rigidity. The backside of the panel was painted with five coats of oil based white to completely seal the wood.

Step 1: The aluminum sign face was prepped and painted with a deep red enamel. The accents were then painted in white and the black border and pinstriping were painted in using One Shot Lettering Enamel and set aside to dry.

Step 2: The lettering and other graphics were sketched into place on the board.

Step 3: The gold lettering went down first and were custom mixed using One Shot Lettering Enamels. The bottom half of the letters were painted using a darker mix of the gold color for a subtle contrast.

Step 4: The black outlines and drop shadows were cut in around all of the gold letters.

Step 5: The hand painted pinstripes were then added.

Step 6: The finished sign.

Buckley's Irish Pub Sign

2009-06-19T16:38:00.000-07:00

Just completed this Irish Pub sign for my old friend Bill Buckley. Bill is a San Francisco based photographer, and owner of William Buckley Photography. Here's a little more about Bill:

Hi, my name is William Buckley and I am a San Francisco native.

Form an early age I have been drawn toward imagery. Growing up and seeing the work done in Time, National Geographic, and others really had an effect on me. Seeing the human element captured on film (and now silicon) continues to enthrall me and led to my discovery of photography as a creative outlet and medium.

One of the things we cherish most in life are our pictures. They bring back memories. They document milestones. They help us to see a moment in time forever.

I would love to be the one to help you capture those moments.

Check out his website at http://www.wbuckleyphotography.com/

Bushwhacker Museum Sign for Actress Alice Ghostley

2009-06-16T10:19:00.000-07:00

No project too small! We just completed this tiny brass plaque sign for the Bushwacker Museum's exhibit for actress Alice Ghostley. Special thanks to John Graham for providing the photos for this:

Here's some more info on Alice Ghostley's acting career:

Alice Margaret Ghostley (August 14, 1923 – September 21, 2007) was a Tony Award-winning American actress. She was best known for her roles as Esmeralda on Bewitched (in which she had a recurring role from 1969 to 1972), as Cousin Alice on Mayberry R.F.D. (1970-1971) and as Bernice Clifton on Designing Women (1986-1993) for which she received the Emmy Nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 1992.

Alice Ghostley was born in Eve, Vernon County, Missouri, where her father worked as a telegraph operator. She grew up in Henryetta, Oklahoma. After graduating from high school, she attended the University of Oklahoma but dropped out to pursue a career in theatre.

Ghostley first came to Broadway in Leonard Sillman's New Faces of 1952 and in the film version released in 1954. She appeared in the 1960 revue A Thurber Carnival and in The Beauty Part (1962), playing several distinct roles in each. She also performed in several musical comedies, including Shangri-La (1956).
She won the 1965 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role as Mavis Parodus Bryson in Lorraine Hansberry's The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window. In 1978 she succeeded Dorothy Loudon, who had created the role of Miss Hannigan in the original Broadway run of the musical Annie.

A veteran of early television, Ghostley appeared as Joy, one of the ugly stepsisters in the 1957 musical television production of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's Cinderella, which starred Julie Andrews in the title role. She also had a recurring role of Ida Mae Brindle in the sitcom Small Wonder, which ran from 1985 to 1989.

Ghostley and Lorne together in The Graduate.
Ghostley portrayed recurring characters on several situation comedies, beginning with Esmeralda, a shy witch who served as a maid and babysitter to the Stephens' household beginning in season six of Bewitched. Ghostley's role of Esmerelda was created after the death in May 1968 of Marion Lorne, who portrayed Aunt Clara.
Ghostley's "Esmerelda" appeared in 15 episodes between 1969 and 1972. Ghostley had previously guest starred once as a mortal character, "Naomi", during Bewitched 's second season.
During this period she also joined the cast of Mayberry R.F.D., playing Cousin Alice after Frances Bavier's character, Aunt Bee, was written off the series. She appeared in 14 episodes.
In the spring of 1972, Bewitched was cancelled by ABC after eight years. In September of that year, Ghostley was hired as a semi-regular for the ABC-TV variety series, The Julie Andrews Hour. In addition to participating in songs and sketches, Andrews and Ghostley were featured in a recurring segment as roommates sharing a small apartment. The Julie Andrews Hour was cancelled by ABC in the spring of 1973 having completed a full season of twenty-four episodes.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Ghostley appeared in episodes of situation comedies such as Hogan's Heroes (playing Gertrude, General Burkhalter's Sister), Good Times, Maude, One Day at a Time, The Odd Couple and What's Happening!!.
Between 1986 and 1993, Ghostley portrayed Bernice Clifton on Designing Women. She later played Irna Wallingsford in six episodes of Evening Shade. Among many other guest roles, she appeared in a flashback episode as the crazed mother-in-law of Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur) on The Golden Girls. She made a one-time appearance as "Great-Grandma" in Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Ghostley also made a few guest appearances on the daytime drama Passions in 2000, playing the ghost of Matilda Matthews.

Among her roles in motion pictures, Ghostley appeared in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), playing Stephanie Crawford, the fussy neighborhood gossip. She also appeared in the film version of Grease as shop teacher Mrs. Murdock.

Ghostley was married to Felice Orlandi, an Italian-American actor, for fifty years (from 1953 until his death from lung cancer on May 21, 2003); they had no children.
Alice Ghostley died at her home in Studio City, California on September 21, 2007 after a long battle with colon cancer and several strokes. Following her funeral, a "Celebration of Life" service took place at her home. Ghostley was cremated.

Storefront Lettering

2009-06-12T16:35:00.000-07:00

A small, but effective placement of cut vinyl graphics for Brand & Allen Architects new design of the new Balenciaga Store.

Our Most Valuable Piece of Sign Making Equipment

2009-06-12T08:15:00.000-07:00

The sign industry has a vast array of gadgets and machines that help us do our jobs more efficiently. Projects get produced by large format digital printers, CNC routers and vinyl cutters that can cost into the tens of thousands of dollars.

Our most valuable piece of equipment is this screwdriver. The history of this screwdriver goes back over 20 years to South Texas when my father and I were doing custom paint work out of the back of his 1972 Chevrolet Caprice Classic station wagon. Back then we were painting graphics on brand new Chevrolet Suburbans all over the state of Texas for new car dealerships. We painted in fields, barns, and any makeshift building that the dealership would let us work in.

Hundreds, if not thousands of paint cans were opened with this screwdriver by my father, who passed away from cancer almost 15 years ago now. In the years we worked together we custom painted graphics on cars, trucks, airplanes, boats, Willie Nelson's tour bus and about a million other things that moved. Work days were long and sweltering in the Texas heat. In my mid twenties I wanted out and moved to Seattle where I learned the computer side of graphics and produced thousands of cut vinyl and digital print decals for companies like Crate & Barrel, Microsoft and Freightliner Trucks.

It took me quite a few years to come to my senses and recognize the legacy my father had left me with the years we spent custom painting all those vehicles. Not long after 9-11, I broke out some old lettering quills and bought some 1 Shot paint and started getting my hands dirty again. Slowly the old skills came back and the excitement for sign making came back with it.

Today, my wife and I run a small sign company, its just the two of us with an occasional friend helping out when needed. We named the company Starr Studios to keep the family tradition alive, my father's company was Starr Custom Paint. We have some expensive gadgets and equipment and computers that speed up some of the tedious aspects of sign making, and help us to keep our books straight. But the best days are when we sketch a design onto a sign panel and get to use our most valuable piece of equipment of all: the old screwdriver my father used to open all those cans of paint that left the chrome bumper of his station wagon coated in a thousand dripped colors.

Emilio's Barber Shop Sign

2009-06-08T16:06:00.000-07:00

Just completed this custom sign for Emilio's Barber Shop. The sign panel is hand painted with cut vinyl lettering mounted on an iron bracket.

Emilio's shop is only a couple months old, but he has a solid following growing quickly. Check him out on YELP.

Emilio's Barber Shop
5734 Mission St
(between Whittier St & Farragut Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94112
(415) 715-8227

Polar Solar Yard Signs

2009-06-02T15:13:00.000-07:00

Just a quickie project for Polar Solar.
Polar Solar is a San Francisco based company. Here's more on them:

The Polar Solar Website

PolarSolar Global Initiative

Central to our service is the creation of our Global Initiative to provide low-cost water heaters to some of the globe’s poorest families. Every day, 1.4 billion people must bathe and wash clothes and dishes in cold water because the energy needed to heat large quantities of water is too expensive. In fact, if done on a daily basis, heating water for bathing and cooking would be the single-most expensive energy cost for households in developing nations.

We can change this situation because "ultra-affordable" solar water heaters can dependably heat water using the sun’s free energy. These solar water heaters now cost about $150 to $200. By setting aside 1% of gross revenue annually, PolarSolar aims to significantly increase the quality of life for people that cannot currently afford the simple amenity of hot water.

Sign Restoration Project for Squires & Corrie

2009-05-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

We are just getting started with a sign restoration project for Squires & Corrie, a San Mateo based company that restores and services antique slot machines. We will be posting photos of the completed sign next month.

Here's more about the company:
Squires & Corrie Website

Antique slot machines, like Tiffany glass, are highly valued by collectors as superb examples of period art. Experts estimate that only a few thousand of these machines, made between 1885 and 1965, still exist. High demand and limited supply create ideal investment conditions. These machines also make unique gifts.

Squires and Corrie Slot Machines, Inc. is the world's premier supplier of classic antique slot machines. All machines are beautifully restored, hand finished and in perfect working order. Sold with a written guarantee.

Steve Squires's involvement in slot machines started while he was barely a teenager. He went to work for a pinball machine operator in Chicago. His work put him into contact with many people who had slot machines. He soon began traveling to the South fixing and selling slot machines to Veterans and other private fraternal Clubs.

Steve Squires has hit the jackpot with his one-of-a kind antique slot machine restoration and refurbishing business. It all started when he obtained a large supply of spare operating parts and casings while working as a slot machine repairman in the Southeast. Squires trucked the parts to California where the California law legalizing the collecting of slot machines was passed , which allow private ownership of slot machines manufactured 25 years or older. Steve Squires and Glen Corrie, a long-time Chicago partner, established the present business in San Mateo since 1977.

Not all of Steve's products are for American collector. An increasing number of the old slot machines are now sold to overseas customers; Steve is one of the few people involved in the conversion of American-coined slot machines to accept Deutschmarks, Shillings and other foreign coins.

The world's most expensive slot machine,1 MILLION DOLLARS, restored by Steve Squires of SQUIRES & CORRIE SLOT MACHINE,INC. It was a 100% gold filled Caille NUDE FRONT with diamonds and encrusted jewels throughout. Gem encrusted by internationally known jewelry designer SIDNEY MOBELL, of San Francisco, with 818 Gem Stones, 317 Saphires, 302 Rubies, 183 Diamonds & 16 Emeralds.

The company not only repairs slot machines but also sells them. He has many mechanisms cases and parts for sale. It is located just South of San Francisco and a nickel's throw from fashionable Hillsborough, home of the William Randolph Hearst family and other noted (and wealthy) American families. ED MAHON, the company's graphic arts manager, does all the artwork and fine painting required in the restoration of antique slot machines. Ed is a graduate of New York's Phoenix School of Design.

Steve Squires is a unique person. He looks forward to coming to work early every day. And he stays late. In contrast, he asks from those in his employ only that they produce the best possible jobs; there is no time limit. One look at his products show what can be accomplished under these rules.

San Francisco Design Center Project

2009-05-18T17:40:00.000-07:00

We just completed the new graphics for the grand opening of Mark William Sommerfield Design at the San Francisco Design Center at 200 Kansas Street. We used 3M Frosted Crystal film on the entry door with the MWS logo and some supporting text, as well as the graphics on the acrylic sign panel. The graphics on the sign panel was a digital print installed on the panel.

1850's Victorian House project

2009-04-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

We painted these house numbers on an old San Francisco (Hayes Valley) home built in the 1850's. Interior Designer Mark Sommerfield, of Mark William Sommerfield Design in the San Francisco Design Center brought us in to paint the numbers and to apply some 3M Frosted Crystal in the master bedroom and bathroom. The house is an amazing ground up restoration with every detail and furnishing designed by Sommerfield.

Here's a step by step video of the project:

New Signs for Izumi Bio

2009-04-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

We just completed some digital print signs and banners for Izumi Bio in South San Francisco. They needed them in a hurry for a tech job fair, so we had to pull a rabbit out of a hat and get this together quickly.

Painted Replacement Sign on Glass

2009-03-27T13:49:00.000-07:00

Jesus at Discount Glass Company on Mission Street asked us to call Alex at Fresh Organics on Stanyan Street by Golden Gate Park to repaint the graphics on the storefront window for their Natural Living Corner. After a little bit of redesign to clean up the graphic, we painted in the tan lettering with a green drop shadow and a bright blue accent and stripe finished it off nicely. Thanks for the referral Jesus!

Fisherman's Wharf Before & Afters

2009-03-27T13:20:00.000-07:00

Malana Moburg at the Roma Group requested I create these mock-ups for the Fisherman's Wharf committee that's in charge of renovating the wharf. The signage on the wharf is so piece meal and out of control, I hope that some of these suggestions will get the wheels turning...