50 votes

San Francisco Sign Guild

24 comments

  1. [3]
    teaearlgraycold
    Link
    I mentioned my work on Tildes before but held off spilling the beans on exactly what I'd done given the criminal nature of the works. I decided I'm comfortable sharing this with the world as long...

    I mentioned my work on Tildes before but held off spilling the beans on exactly what I'd done given the criminal nature of the works. I decided I'm comfortable sharing this with the world as long as it's not super closely tied to my name.

    I've gotten a couple of grants to install these and have funds for more projects in the future.

    26 votes
    1. [2]
      TaylorSwiftsPickles
      Link Parent
      When you showed me the last one I didn't imagine that your addition was "New New Montgomery Final". I thought your addition was the "No stopping any time" sign.

      When you showed me the last one I didn't imagine that your addition was "New New Montgomery Final". I thought your addition was the "No stopping any time" sign.

      4 votes
      1. teaearlgraycold
        Link Parent
        Maybe I need one of those big red thumbnail arrows

        Maybe I need one of those big red thumbnail arrows

        3 votes
  2. Wes
    Link
    In my old suburban neighborhood, they put up a sign printed "Stop sign ahead". It was utterly pointless in that neighbourhood, and my then-neighbour complained to the city until they removed it....

    In my old suburban neighborhood, they put up a sign printed "Stop sign ahead". It was utterly pointless in that neighbourhood, and my then-neighbour complained to the city until they removed it.

    It just made me laugh. It got me thinking about a "'Stop sign ahead' sign ahead" sign, and how far this concept could be lampooned.

    I wish I had your skills then. Maybe I could have done it. Though I think my neighbour would've been none-too-thrilled.

    11 votes
  3. loremipsum
    Link
    This is amazing and I love you for that.

    This is amazing and I love you for that.

    6 votes
  4. Asinine
    Link
    I love it! I love my home state and always will, but its copious amount of regulatory stupidity sometimes drove me nuts. (Now I live in another state that has just as bad/much regulatory...

    I love it! I love my home state and always will, but its copious amount of regulatory stupidity sometimes drove me nuts. (Now I live in another state that has just as bad/much regulatory stupidity, but at least I chose to live here haha.)

    And plus, those are pure genius. I'm looking forward to continued criminal works artistic displays!

    5 votes
  5. [2]
    umbrae
    Link
    I used to walk on New Montgomery every day and this just brings me so much joy. I absolutely love it. Did you already have these sign materials before deciding to make this an artistic endeavor?

    I used to walk on New Montgomery every day and this just brings me so much joy. I absolutely love it.

    Did you already have these sign materials before deciding to make this an artistic endeavor?

    5 votes
    1. teaearlgraycold
      Link Parent
      No but I had been laser cutting paper for other artistic projects for a few months. Other stuff I purchased with grants. The proper tools and hardware for mounting an aluminum sign are very...

      No but I had been laser cutting paper for other artistic projects for a few months. Other stuff I purchased with grants. The proper tools and hardware for mounting an aluminum sign are very overpriced. The target customer is spending tax money, not their own.

      7 votes
  6. ogre
    Link
    I love this so much. I look forward to seeing more :)

    I love this so much. I look forward to seeing more :)

    4 votes
  7. [5]
    sparksbet
    Link
    Honestly if I had the money (and you were selling) I'd buy the "No Pooping" sign to hang in my place. The whole endeavor is cool but that particular sign cracks me up

    Honestly if I had the money (and you were selling) I'd buy the "No Pooping" sign to hang in my place. The whole endeavor is cool but that particular sign cracks me up

    4 votes
    1. [4]
      TaylorSwiftsPickles
      Link Parent
      I'm 100% sure everyone living on the same floor as me in my house could hear me giggling hysterically when I saw it for the first time. I'm thinking of hanging such a sign somewhere in Tildetown...

      I'm 100% sure everyone living on the same floor as me in my house could hear me giggling hysterically when I saw it for the first time.

      I'm thinking of hanging such a sign somewhere in Tildetown in minecraft...

      4 votes
      1. [3]
        secret_online
        Link Parent
        You might find one already exists... Though I am thinking of moving it so it's not quite so prominent.

        You might find one already exists... Though I am thinking of moving it so it's not quite so prominent.

        2 votes
        1. teaearlgraycold
          Link Parent
          I upgraded it to use pale oak and used a debug stick to connect the fence to the sign.

          I upgraded it to use pale oak and used a debug stick to connect the fence to the sign.

          2 votes
  8. myrrh
    Link
    ...you could riff on the old golden gate tunnel campaign to sow some real mayhem...

    ...you could riff on the old golden gate tunnel campaign to sow some real mayhem...

    3 votes
  9. artvandelay
    Link
    Love this haha, especially the AI grifting sign and the New New Montgomery Final sign.

    Love this haha, especially the AI grifting sign and the New New Montgomery Final sign.

    3 votes
  10. [3]
    CrypticCuriosity629
    Link
    Oh man, I've been in the signage and printing industry for a lot of my career, these are great. Can I ask you about grants? I've always wanted to do a public art project called Hidden Neon, where...

    Oh man, I've been in the signage and printing industry for a lot of my career, these are great.

    Can I ask you about grants? I've always wanted to do a public art project called Hidden Neon, where I'd put up neon signs in obscure places around a city for people to discover, with some only lighting up at certain times or when certain conditions are met, or with certain interactive elements. The idea is to have kind of mysterious flair with a bit of a scavenger hunt to find them all.

    I've always wanted to figure out how grants work to do a proposal on that project.

    3 votes
    1. [2]
      teaearlgraycold
      Link Parent
      One was from this organization: https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ Another was from a local rich person trying to get rid of $100,000 (of which I got $2,000). Your project sounds great. I...

      One was from this organization: https://www.awesomefoundation.org/

      Another was from a local rich person trying to get rid of $100,000 (of which I got $2,000).

      Your project sounds great. I recommend doing one or two and then using that portfolio to apply.

      3 votes
      1. CrypticCuriosity629
        Link Parent
        Thanks! Unfortunately it doesn't seem they have anything up in Seattle, but it's nice to know that things like this exist. Maybe I'll reach out to them and see if they know of anything similar in...

        Thanks!

        Unfortunately it doesn't seem they have anything up in Seattle, but it's nice to know that things like this exist. Maybe I'll reach out to them and see if they know of anything similar in Seattle.

  11. [2]
    DrStone
    Link
    Offtopic: Between hiding things in plain sight and mentioning in a comment that you organized a scavenger hunt, it sounds like you would be a fan of geocaching. Hunting for caches disguised as...

    Offtopic:
    Between hiding things in plain sight and mentioning in a comment that you organized a scavenger hunt, it sounds like you would be a fan of geocaching. Hunting for caches disguised as tiny bolt heads to elaborate physical puzzle mechanisms, and everything in between, all over the world.

    3 votes
    1. teaearlgraycold
      Link Parent
      I used to participate a long time ago when it was all free. But I didn’t like how they chose to monetize it. Nothing wrong with trying to make money but I didn’t like the execution.

      I used to participate a long time ago when it was all free. But I didn’t like how they chose to monetize it. Nothing wrong with trying to make money but I didn’t like the execution.

      4 votes
  12. [2]
    lackofaname
    Link
    These are amazing, I love seeing a little bit of absurdity injected into everyday things. May I ask, what was the motivator that pushed you beyond daydreaming to actually making the signs? Do you...

    These are amazing, I love seeing a little bit of absurdity injected into everyday things.

    May I ask, what was the motivator that pushed you beyond daydreaming to actually making the signs? Do you otherwise have artistic endeavours (you mentioned grants), or is this a new type of activity for you?

    2 votes
    1. teaearlgraycold
      Link Parent
      There were only a few days between the conception of the original sign idea and installation. It just took a while to come up with the idea of installing signs in the city. I had set up an...

      There were only a few days between the conception of the original sign idea and installation. It just took a while to come up with the idea of installing signs in the city.

      I had set up an unannounced scavenger hunt in Golden Gate Park a few months prior (which consisted of a few stickers placed on and behind various objects and a web app). I don't think many/any people actually did it but I enjoyed making it.

      1 vote