Better Letters - BLAG (Better Letters Magazine)

Learning

From Initial Contact to Signed Contract

How to successfully manage the process from client enquiry to getting the sign/mural/lettering job.

Places

Rótulos of Cuauhtémoc: The Whitewashing of Vernacular Signs in Mexico City

The food stalls in Cuauhtémoc are having their hand-painted signs erased by order of the mayor.

People

Sign Painting on the Small Screen in Ireland

Illustrator Holly Pereira presents Irish TV show featuring sign painting, among other other crafts.

History

Ye Olde Sign Shoppe: Smeed's Smart Signs

The story of Smeed's Smart Signs in Herne Bay, Kent, and its surviving gilded glass shopfront.

Painted sign giving the illusion of an illuminated neon sign.

Learning

The Secrets of Dapper Signs' Faux Neon Effect

Dapper Signs' guide to creating faux neon lettering using sign painting and airbrush techniques.

Gold leaf and painted letters on a mirror advertising Richmond Bouquet Cigarettes.

People

Chain Letter: Alex May Hughes

Sign painter, glass gilder, and Simpsons fanatic Alex May Hughes shares lettering that has inspired her.

Events

Online Exhibits at the Lettering Arts Trust

Free virtual tours of Lettering Arts Centre exhibitions, and the work of the Lettering Arts Trust.

Men wading in water to paint a sign on a wall.

Books

Issue 01 of BLAG (Better Letters Magazine) is Here

A look inside Issue 01 of BLAG (Better Letters Magazine): Adventures in Sign Painting.

Projects

Sign Painting on Newcastle Pub Scoops Design Award

New hand-painted signs for Swarley's in Newcastle-upon-Tyne given Lord Mayor's design award.

Films

Face in the Sky (1933)

Video of Face in the Sky (1933), the adventures of two traveling sign painters who find an unexpected passenger in their van.

Books

Inspiration from Brazil’s Tupigrafia Magazine

Inspiring anthology from Brazil's Tupigrafia magazine, with topics from Amazonian boat signs to Art Deco magazine covers.

Learning

Pricing Sign Painting Work

Approaches to pricing sign painting work and a simple online calculator to develop a basic hourly rate for use when quoting jobs.

People

Juan 'el Petudo': Sign Painting King of La Palma

Barely known outside of the Canary Islands, Juan Santana Martin was a renowned local sign painter, leaving a lasting legacy.

Projects

Denver's Home Run: It’s Outta Here!

Mark Oatis' account of the processes and techniques used to paint a faux-aged mural sign in Denver.

Places

Sign Painter Kits at the American Sign Museum

Sign painter kits on show at the American Sign Museum, including a new late-19th century acquisition.

Learning

Sharpen Your Typographic Eye with Martina Flor

Martina Flor's free Letter Hunters course will sharpen your typographic eye and improve your lettering.

Books

Getting Graphic with The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists

Inside the sign- and lettering-packed graphic adaptation of 'The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists'.

History

Art Deco Inspiration to "Modernize Main Street"

Art Deco sign and lettering inspiration from 1935 architectural competition, "Modernize Main Street".