Off to Las Vegas!

Tomorrow morning early I fly off to Las Vegas to attend the world's largest Sign Convention and trade show. I've been asked to attend the MultiCam trade show booth and tell folks of my personal experience with a MultiCam CNC router as I use it in my work. I'm proud to be associated with these fine people and their quality machines.  I also have a number of meeting set up for the off hours that could well determine our future over the next few years. It will be exciting to see how things transpire over the next days.

Trade shows are a wonderful opportunity to see what everyone else is up to, what the hot trends are and where the industry is headed. I'll make some new friends and undoubtably get a chance to visit with some long time friends as well. It should be fun!

-grampa dan

Telling a story without words

We are now on our last day at Disneyland. In the last six days we crisscrossed the parks many times, sampling all the rides and just plain soaking in the wonderful experience they provide. I've studied everything as best I could, recorded more than 500 images, mostly of the signs. We've visited many times before, but each time it is like looking at it with fresh eyes for as my own experience grows and directions change I see things in new ways. 

One of my favorite areas is 'Condor Flats' the desert airport area in front of the attraction 'California Soaring'. The theme work is amazing in all directions. One of the features is a rocket motor test facility. A giant rocket engine is suspended on an I-beam rig. It shoots water vapor when it's hot outside to the delight of guests.  

To one side is a drink stand, selling Coca Cola products. There is no other drink stand like it - ANYWHERE! There are two giant compressors, lots of strange pipes, valves, condensers and contraptions to make it all believable. I can only imagine what it might have cost to make... and I suspect the profits of the drinks sold there would take a very long time to pay it off. But the whole mighty contraption is a wonderful sign for the larger areas and attraction. It tells the story in an awesome fashion. Take it away and the area would become very ordinary and unremarkable - even forgettable in a hurry! This is the Disney difference.

While these types of large budgets may be hard to find or justify in the real world I firmly believe we should try. It is my aim to build more of these kinds of memorable 'signs' for my customers in the future. And although expensive compared to 'ordinary' imagine the landmarks we will create and how well they will work for our customers!

-grampa dan

Suspension of disbelief

Disney is undoubtably the very best at what they do in terms of creating a place- a world apart from the norm. They are master story tellers with a great depth of richly detailed stories to draw from. As we enjoy our holiday I am of course taking careful note of how they do this so very well.

Layer after layer of painstaking detail is carefully thought out an applied to key areas of the park and stores. The texture of the floor/sidewalk treatment, a feeling of arrival, lighting, music and even the landscaping all fit together seamlessly. Nothing is left to chance - everything is important. I love how they create the things they do.

We are here a few more days yet, and already my creative batteries are charged to the MAXIMUM. I getting the creative itch that will last for many months to come with a renewed passion to go over the top. 

We are off for another fun day at Disney...

-grampa dan