A Circus of Paint and Lettering

The Round Six Podcast

"THE STREETS WERE LINED WITH FUNNY CAR BODIES..."

Bert Quimby, the multi-talented, laid-back and very-hyphenated sign, lettering and graphics master from New Jersey joins the Gearheads here on episode fifty-nine! Bert was one of the guys putting down pigment on some of the most memorable funny cars of the golden era at Circus Paint, and has been a trendsetter ever since.
The gang sits down and talks about the transition from paint to vinyl, and how to combine the two using modern techniques, as well as sharing insight on the technology and trends of the present day. Bert Quimby is one of the leading lettering, sign and graphics painters in the world, plying his craft in his shop, Bert Graphix in Riverdale, NJ.

THINGS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Early inspirations
• SignCraft Magazine
• Social media and putting work out there – Global versus regional reach
• The vinyl VS paint argument
• The $19 Badger airbrush sparks a career
• First steps in lettering race cars
• A foot in the door at Mr. J's
• The days at Circus Paint
• Painting Top Fuel dragsters for Joe Amato
• The difference between East and West coast landscaping trucks
• The power of improvisation on a tight deadline
• The fickle nature of reactions to work on social media
• Bringing back the classic 1990's dry brush graphic
  – Brad's acid-washed jeans
  – Brian ruins his Dad's garage floor
• Traditional lettering on a vinyl wrap
• Opinions on striping a Corvette
• "You can't always tell what the public wants"
• Taking on jobs just to keep the lights on
• The unfair treatment of vinyl wrap installers
• On making a vinyl job look like paint
• Dennis Ricklefs
• The tale of 3,800 Schwinn bikes
• Lettering boats
  – Boat names better left unsaid
  – "I don't want anyone's Grandma mad at me"