THE GIRL SIGNWRITER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11669, 8 April 1916, Page 5

THE GIRL SIGNWRITER.

As Artom.us Ward would have tcmarked, " A now ockepashun for girls has arroV'3." No fanfare of trumpet accompanied its arrival either. It just cam© into existence unobtrusively. And this unheralded 1 vocation is i°sA certain amount of training is necessary in order to mako one familiar with cotuowrcial requirements. Of course, if a start were ma do spasmodically, without any semblance of method, glaring failure would be tho result. Our business colleges come. t,o_ tho rescue, however, and their curriculum provides for tho teaching of _ signwriting and advertising. Such""tuition gives the necessary confidence and more adequately enables ono to cope with the exigencies of the work. Having satisfied herself that she is qualified, the work of "canvassing" commences. Of course, some girls confine themselves to ono firm exclusively, doing all the signwriting that is necessary. Tho demand for novelty is excessive, a,nd tho moro brilliant tho in j spiration the better the remuneration. " Catchy" phrases, prominent people, and local colouring aro all called info requisition when a new design is required. Some signs • charm by thoir simplicity, others mystify by tlieir elusi.vencss, and others again mako an insistent appeal upon our sense of humour. Then there are flie girls who devote •a certain amount of time to various business houses. Of course, t"h?.ir business times are sal<s times, when their brains have to furnish "bijtits" that will cause the customers to nibble, thus increasing the prestige and rev.v nuo of the establishment. To true artists, however, this conjuring up of new id'oas is a work of love, and they find delight, in calling into existence' signs that are the very last word in originality.

The oth<jr. day I visited a friend. of mmo who, I believe, is one of the first girls to launch out as a ■-eigjiwritfir on her own account. I found her in tne 'studio." A navy blue overall completely eovored her outdoor dress. She was very busy,_ so at her invitation I curiously examined.'lier paraphernalia. In front of her wore ranged several tubes of paint of varying tiuts. In a cupboard were numerous stencils, cut m every size and variety. Then there were all sorts of signs upon the wall, showing the class of work she was capable of doing. When I had finished my tour of inspection I watched her, fascinated. Sho was " running off' several similar signs. At her side she had an air-pump, and she was using this to force out the. paints she required to use. As she finished with one panit she would jjjear out the outside " cavity " of the air-pump in order to make it quite ready for tho next colour. A cut stencil showed" where the paint had to be "blown." She looked quite fa-miliar with hor work, and seemed to take a keen delight in its satisfactory performance. friend is possessed with an imaginative and artistic vein, and surely if she is qualified to contract for advertising, other girls are likewise competent, provided they have the requisite assets. There is a wide unexplored future looming for girl signwriters, and provided they are consistent and persevering the result will be success. —".Sydney Morning Herald."