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

Books

Bonus Books and Links from BLAG 07

The first instalment of the digital companion to BLAG 07, the Letterheads special.

Two magazines with masthead IOAFS placed on top of a folded poster which has been removed to reveal the cover on one copy of the magazine.

BLAG

What's Inside Issue 07 of BLAG, the Letterheads Special?

BLAG's first special issue applies an IOAFS twist to its worldwide adventures in sign painting.

View from the side of a woman painting a man's face on a mural with reference to a picture of him taped to the wall beside her.

Events

Letterheads 50: 28 Days Later

A historic event at the American Sign Museum through the lens of photographer Natalie Grilli.

A painted sign for a DTP shop called “ArtLife”. The name is painted in white on a green background, and a list of their services is painted in red on white.

Projects

Indian Sign Painting: A Typeface Designer’s Take on the Craft

Through her India Street Lettering project, Pooja Saxena re-examines the craft and its clichés.

Films

Watch the Recordings from BLAG Meet Inside Issue 06

Five hours of talks, interviews, studio visits, and demonstrations from contributors to BLAG 06.

Diverse letters with yellow illumination of different forms arranged on support stands to spell 'Buchstaben'.

Places

A Final Resting Place for Letters at the Buchstabenmuseum

As the Berlin museum celebrates its 20th anniversary, the Letterforms remain the stars of the show.

Books

Bringing Back the the Coast Manual of Lettering and Designs

A Kickstarter to publish a new edition of this extremely rare antique sign painting book.

Man painting an Arby's sign on a ballpark fence adorned with other painted advertisements.

Field Notes

Field Notes from BLAG: June 2025

Signs painters in the news, a prismatic ghost sign, dodgy letter spacing, and more from the field.

Events

Letterheads Per L'Horta: An Intimate International Meet

The masses amass in Almàssera for an inspiring four days painting in the Valencian sun.

Places

Hand-Painted Shopfronts in Rural Uganda

Olivia Krawczyk introduces the hand-painted signs for businesses large and small in Kumi, Uganda.

BLAG

Thoughts on the 2025 BLAG Reader Survey

"An absurdly cool niche publication" and more feedback from the third annual BLAG reader survey.

Portrait of a man posing in front of a sign he is painting on a window. He is holidng his sign painting materials in his hands.

Films

When Better Letters Met Brian Walker

A new short film celebrating Hackney signwriter Brian Walker's life on the brush.

History

"We Are Not Superstitious, But We Believe in Signs"

The Gawthorp sign firm in Leeds were renowned in the trade at the turn of the twentieth century.

Painted and gilded panel with a cowboy pictured saying "Welcome Back To" above the main lettering that reads "El Dorado".

Events

A Golden Opportunity to Learn at the Return to El Dorado

Ghi Sign Service resumes its gilding-themed Letterheads meets following their pandemic postponement.

Woman sandwiched between two sheets of painted plywood, and painting Mr. Plywood's face onto one of these.

Projects

Mr. Plywood Stands Proud Again: Recreating a Portland Icon

Kirsten Bauer and Alina Radetsky collaborate to replace a celebrity sign of 60 years' standing.

Colourful mural with Ronald McDonald milking a cow while other characters from his story look on.

People

Uncovering the Spectacular Commercial Art of Wes Cook

A mural at McDonald's, Centralia, Washington, leads Cabel Sasser down a delightful rabbit hole.

Men in overalls posing on/in front of an old car that's hitched to a large trailer adorned with a sign advertising their business.

History

Ye Olde Sign Shoppe at the American Sign Museum

Signs, photos, and other artefacts from sign shops of old in the American Sign Museum's collections.

Illuminated neon signs that say 'GO' with arrows below pointing down-right, and 'GULF', among other neon signs.

Places

My Week at the American Sign Museum

Report from this incredible museum, which celebrates its 25th anniversary with a new book this year.