BLAG Magazine: Adventures in Sign Painting Craft, Community & Culture

History

What is Sign Painting? Or Even Signwriting?

Getting under the skin of the fundamental term used to describe the trade and how it's interpreted.

Black and white photo of a trailer decorated with flamboyant lettering advertising a fairground ride.

Events

The Fairground Painters with Amy Goodwin

Dive into the Dingles Fairground Museum collection, and meet the artists that produced the work.

Events

A Sign Painting Exhibition Par Excellence

Review of an incredible exhibition—George Biles: King of Signwriters—held in Bridport, Dorset.

Hand-painted panels, set in the sun, with lettering and pictorials that have horse racing themes.

Events

It's a Video Finish for the Letterheads' Day at the Races

Films documenting the international gathering of sign painters at Letterheads 2024 in Epsom, Surrey.

Top of a gable end wall with large black letters painted on it that say "One man's trash, another man's treasure".

People

Chain Letter: Guido de Boer

Visual artist and educator Guido de Boer finds meaning in a phrase painted on a Copenhagen wall.

View of a hand holding a glass panel with shiny gold leaf and black lettering on top that, in reverse, reads 'Gold'.

Learning

A Basic Guide to Gilding Tools, Materials, and Terminology

Breaking down the jargon around gold and metal leaf, gilding tools, and lots more golden nuggets.

History

🎉 75 Today: Happy Birthday A.S. Handover! 🎉

Wishing all at A.S. Handover a happy 75th birthday, and giving thanks for their continued support.

Small sign with yellow border, picture of a chicken cutting ham, and lettering that reads 'Gallo Nero, Delicatessen, Londra'.

Places

Signs of the Summer: Postcards from a Busman's Holiday

A brush with Napoli in London, French ghost signs, George Biles in Bridport, and more holiday snaps.

Mounted square sign with a combination of cursive and san-serif lettering.

Books

Two's Company in the Latest Culture+Typography Despatch

Nikki Villagomez's second book of found lettering examines the use of letterforms in combination.

Detail of poster showing Porky Pig, arms outstretched, wearing a heavy-duty mask with black smoke in the background.

Learning

Filtering the Fumes: Air Purifier Advice

Reduce the risks of exposure to VOCs in enamel paints when working in poorly ventilated spaces.

Lisa Simpson looking at a sign that says "keep out" above another that says "or enter. I'm a sign, not a cop".

Books

¡Ay, Caramba! It's Cartoon Time

Collection of humourous cartoons with sign painting, lettering, type, and calligraphic themes.

Portion of a painted wall sign showing a boy running with boxes under his arms and lettering that reads "Chiquilin".

Places

Retrospectiva Recalls the Brands and Businesses of the Past

A cultural initiative creates signs laced with nostalgia to adorn the walls of Quinto in Spain.

Two pictorial signs, one showing a jug and one the head of a tiger. A third pictures a greyhound and lettering that reads "T

History

The Inn Signs Exhibition of 1936

The signs and sign painters that fired up the public's imagination in this one-of-a-kind exhibition.

Head and shoulders view of a man in a baseball cap in front of a window sign that reads "Hunger Buster".

Films

"A Piece of Urban Theatre": J.J. of LA

Meet J.J. of LA, Atlanta sign painter, in this recently republished documentary by Kelly Richardson.

Detail of a painted panel showing a match igniting a pink liquid with lettering over the top that reads "Fuel to the fire".

BLAG

The BLAG 05 Digital Companion

Bonus content from the adventures in sign painting in Issue 05 of BLAG (Better Letters Magazine).

BLAG

What's Inside Issue 05 of BLAG (Better Letters Magazine)?

Between the covers of the adventures in sign painting from Issue 05 of BLAG (Better Letters Magazine)

Sepia photo of a topless man resting his arm on the back of a truck that has hand-painted lettering on the door.

People

A Mystery Sign Painter from 1950s Cuba

Photos of a Cuban sign painter and his work appear on eBay and make their way to Letterform Archive.

Close cropped photo of a hand resting on a mahl stick painting a bouquet of roses on a rectangular panel.

Learning

Roses Are Red: A Narrowboat Tradition with Ginny Barlow

Video demonstration of painting roses in the narrowboat style, including comments on their history.