BLAG (Better Letters Magazine)

BLAG (Better Letters Magazine) is the world's only print and online publication dedicated to sign painting. It's free to join our adventures via the mailing list, with paid plans available for full online access and the twice-yearly print magazine.

Magazine masthead.

Man in glasses and a work uniform.

Doc Guthrie: A Tribute

Tribute to Doc Guthrie, sign painter, mentor, and teacher on the LATTC Sign Graphics Program.

You Are Not Alone: A Mural-Based Message Of Hope

You Are Not Alone: A Mural-Based Message Of Hope

You Are Not Alone murals bring hope and comfort to those suffering from mental health issues.

Painted letters, ABC.

Three Alphabets by Joe Ferry

Three alphabets painted in 1978 by Denver sign painter Joe Ferry, including A3 PDF download.

Various signs on display near the top of a bookshelf.

Grierson Gower's Treasure Trove of Antique and Vintage Signs

A look inside the home of Grierson Gower, and his vast collection of antique and vintage signs.

BLAG's Top Ten for 2022, and Reflections on the Year

BLAG's Top Ten for 2022, and Reflections on the Year

Round-up of the year's most popular articles from the adventures in sign painting at bl.ag online.

Man painting a sign.

Letterheads New Zealand Celebrate Their 25th Anniversary

Letterheads New Zealand get back to the business of sign painting for meet number 25 in Wellington.

Diagram showing shades on letters to the left and to the right.

The Basics of Letter Shades: Left, Right, Up and Down

An introduction to the placement of shades on different types of lettering used in sign painting.

Men in decorator's overalls.

Ernie Harrison and His Fearless Crew of Lincoln Painters

Under the leadership of Ernie Harrison, the Arthur B. Wright decorating firm scaled new heights.

Man holding a screenprint.

Going Clear: Clients and the Prison of Commissions

Archie Proudfoot turns his back on client sign painting work to flourish as an independent artist.

Sign painter working with paint and brush.

Carga Máxima and the Sign Painting Styles of Lima, Peru

How regulatory signs on goods vehicles gave birth to Lima's Carga Máxima sign painting style.

Ladders and a tower in place below a part-gilded dome.

Introducing the Basics of Architectural Gilding

Leah Beth Fishman gives a primer in the craft of gilding large and unusually shaped surfaces.

Two people painting a car on a wall.

Walldogging Galore at the MuralFest In The Dalles, Oregon

The Walldogs painted 17 murals celebrating the city, history and people of The Dalles, Oregon.

Highly decorated Urdu lettering on a flamboyant painted panel

Painter Kafeel: Keeping it Hand-Painted in India

Delhi sign painter Kafeel rejected vinyl, kept it hand-painted, and now has a new global clientele.

Instruction poster for casual sign painter lettering.

Tips For Left-Handed Sign Painters from Larry Stammers

Being left-handed is no barrier to becoming a sign painter, and these tips will help you get going.

Sign painting painting a sign.

Noble Signs in the Ascendency in New York

David Barnett's award-winning sign painting for the Ascenders at Type Directors Club.

"Bright vixens jump; dozy fowl quack" with pictures of a fox and a duck.

Playful Pangrams for Sign Painters (Plus Other Languages)

Power up your sign painting practise with these playful pangrams. And then try to write your own.

Behind the Panel: Alf Becker at Lockdown Letterheads

Behind the Panel: Alf Becker at Lockdown Letterheads

Alf R. Becker's alphabets and the inspiration for Mark Oatis' Lockdown Letterheads panel.

Decorative artwork in gold and paint on glass.

Craft & Creativity: The Making of Ludlow and Blunt

David A. Smith and Danny Cooke on 'The Making of Ludlow and Blunt', an incredible artwork and film.