Jim Aquino is the master of his craft. SooToday recently had the opportunity to visit his home studio where he was creating one of his custom hand-lettered signs.
Since high school, he has been training in design, layout and typography.
Following high school, he enrolled in a six-year apprenticeship creating highway signs and honing his "mechanical lettering" skills. Despite the name, these signs were all painted by hand, designed in a way to be easily readable by passing motorists.
Now a qualified sign maker, Jim was ready to take on more commercial work and PDQ Signs was born. In contrast to his time spent painting highway signs, with commercial work, "you can let your imagination run wild" he said.
And that imagination has helped many local charities.
"Im willing to work with any charitable organization," Aquino says. He regularly offers free labour to area non-profits. "Everybody is in the same business to survive today, and if i can help in their survival, I'm happy to do that."
PDQ Signs can be reached at 705-945-1664.