I have so many stories about painting billboards. One thing I can say for sure is that I had many opportunities to work with some excellent artists in that industry. In Temple, some of the artists I worked with were Marsha Green, Craig Smith, Trinda Stubblefield, Tonya {can't remember her last name}. There were many more.... Most billboards were 14' x 48'. Some of them were part picture and part copy. Some were all picture and some were all copy. Anyway, it was definitely a physical job and an artistic job
The construction crew was integral and had to be considered at all times. When I first started we were using oil paint in big cans instead of the conventional tubes. Keith Johnson, our construction supervisor quickly put a stop to that! Because, you guessed it; the oil paint takes forever to dry.
One particular artist that I learned a lot from is a man named JR "Duke" Dukatnik. I didn't actually work with him because he did the entire billboard he painted all by himself. It was for Budweiser and it had rows and rows of beer bottles with chrome like helmets marching as soldiers. If any of you got to see it when he did it you could not help but be impressed. Well, I was impressed and he used airbrushes and sprayers. Shortly after that, I went and bought an airbrush. The airbrush turned out to be something that I found no pleasure in using, but, I sure do respect that tool and those who master it. As I said, I was only around him for a short time but, he was always forthcoming if I had a question and I did have questions of a seasoned artist. So, thank you Duke!
There were other artists that they would bring in from time to time for certain jobs and I am grateful for the opportunity to be there and learn from them, in those years. I have truly learned from every person I have worked with!
The construction crew was integral and had to be considered at all times. When I first started we were using oil paint in big cans instead of the conventional tubes. Keith Johnson, our construction supervisor quickly put a stop to that! Because, you guessed it; the oil paint takes forever to dry.
One particular artist that I learned a lot from is a man named JR "Duke" Dukatnik. I didn't actually work with him because he did the entire billboard he painted all by himself. It was for Budweiser and it had rows and rows of beer bottles with chrome like helmets marching as soldiers. If any of you got to see it when he did it you could not help but be impressed. Well, I was impressed and he used airbrushes and sprayers. Shortly after that, I went and bought an airbrush. The airbrush turned out to be something that I found no pleasure in using, but, I sure do respect that tool and those who master it. As I said, I was only around him for a short time but, he was always forthcoming if I had a question and I did have questions of a seasoned artist. So, thank you Duke!
There were other artists that they would bring in from time to time for certain jobs and I am grateful for the opportunity to be there and learn from them, in those years. I have truly learned from every person I have worked with!
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