The age-old art of freehand sign making is being revived at the relaunched Signwave Australia centre in Balmain, Sydney.
“In addition to site signage, vehicle wraps, digital displays and end-to-end project management services, we are now offering our customers something really special,” said Nigel Murphy, the new owner of the Signwave Balmain centre located at 61 Victoria Rd, Rozelle. “This is a great area, close to the CBD and teeming with vibrant, creative businesses that have extraordinary vision when it comes to making an impact and conveying authenticity. Our hand painted sign service will help them achieve their visual communication goals.”
Once the norm, professionally designed and freehand painted signs, windows and buildings, have long since been replaced by computer technology and digital printers.
“In the old days, the sign professional was an artist, designer, typographer, marketing specialist, engineer and installer,” said Dean Rowland, franchise development manager, Signwave Australia. “Signwave provides all of these services in a much more modern context but our centre owners are discovering a new wave of customers that are keen to make their signs and interiors stand out by reviving retro-style hand-painting. The creative community in Balmain and surrounding suburbs will benefit greatly by having this craftsmanship complemented by digital capabilities on its doorstep thanks to Nigel and his team.”
Murphy said his one of the main reasons he became involved in the industry was because of the opportunities for hands-on designing and building. “It’s a great feeling when a client comes to you with a concept and you work with them to turn that idea into a range of visual solutions that make an impact,” he said.
Murphy is the third 30-something, former white-collar professional franchise partner to buy a Signwave store this year, according to the company. Signwave is part of the Fastsigns global network that includes 560 centres in countries around the world.