Better Letters - BLAG Magazine: Adventures in Sign Painting

Projects

Documenting the Signs and Sign Painters of Bursa, Turkey

YazıBursa is a living digital archive of Bursa’s hand-painted signs and vernacular lettering.

BLAG

The BLAG 09 Digital Companion

Bonus content from the adventures in sign painting in Issue 09 of BLAG (Better Letters Magazine).

BLAG

What’s Inside Issue 09 of BLAG (Better Letters Magazine)?

Between the covers of the worldwide adventures in sign painting from Issue 09 of BLAG.

Colourful landscape canvas painted in the style of a grocery store sign and reading "A Tribe Called Quest. Check the Rhime. $19.91".

People

Paid in Full: The Grocery Signs Behind Peter Paid’s Lyrical Lettering

Sign painting, grocery signs, graffiti, and Hip Hop culture inspire New York artist Peter Paid.

Alphabet on a brown background. The tall sans serif letters appear as though viewed from an angle below via effects applied with paint.

People

Chain Letter: Vanessa Power

The enduring influence of a nineteenth century Parisian sign painter on the work of Vanessa Power.

Projects

Signage Rebirth: Reimagining Slovenia’s Lettering Heritage

Alja Herlah shares her work recreating and reinterpreting iconic Slovenian signs and logotypes.

Painted illustration of an excessively muscular body with a sharks head holding two decapitated and bleeding heads in its hands.

Projects

Coming to America (Again): John Oliver × Deadly Prey

Hand-painted Ghanaian poster art from Accra for John Oliver, Last Week Tonight, and BLAG 04.

View from above of a hand painting a block shade onto a letter R that has a prismatic effect applied to its body.

Learning

BLAG Demo: 3D Lettering & Shadows with Bold Statements

In-depth demonstration of 3D lettering and shadowing effects with Bold Statements’ Pieter Snijders.

Large building with fading and damaged paintwork. A huge hand-painted sign simply reads "Trail" while a ticket kiosk occupies the ground in front.

History

Cinematic Signs: Drive-In Murals Captured by John Margolies

These hand-painted architectural canvases on drive-in theatres were photographed between 1977–1991.

Black and white archival photo of a man sat on a stool in front of a horse-drawn cart that he is painting decorations onto.

People

Brushstrokes on Wheels: The Story of Horsecart Painter Numan Balıca

Murat Ertürk shares the life and legacy of Turkish painter and decorative artist Numan Balıca.

View from over the shoulder of a sign painter adding a black block shade onto large prismatic letters in white and light grey that say "Gas" set on a red background.

Films

BLAG Videos, Now on PeerTube

The new home for BLAG videos is PeerTube, part of the ‘Fediverse’ network of open social media.

Field Notes

Field Notes from BLAG: May 2026

The New York vernacular, brush care, DIY directionals, Barcelona painters, and more from the field.

Black and white sketch of detail of scrolled portion of sign frame with handwritten notes detailing materials and treatments for different elements.

Projects

Scrollway to Heaven: A Rewarding Return for Mark Oatis

Some sumptuous hand-carved scrollwork returns to its original designer after two decades’ service.

Sticker album open to a page with Chinese and English language sticker designs. Under one of the Chinese ones is a pencil note translating it as "Rock and Roll".

People

What I Do With (Sign Painters’) Stickers

Over 400 stickers from the official BLAG sticker album, and lots more vinyl than we’re used to here!

Framed hand-painted and gilded sign advertising "John Miller & Sons. No admittance except on business".

Ye Olde Sign Shoppe

William Gilpin: Signwriter of Ulverston

Tony Lewery describes one man’s contribution to the character of a Cumbrian town.

Black and white photo of men posing with loaded carts advertising "J.D. Dieker, Mineraalwater Fabriek".

History

Amsterdam Lettering and Typography Through the Ages

A remarkable digital archive highlights 150 years of lettering and typography in the Dutch capital.

View through a window as a sign painter applies gold leaf to the lettering painted on the glass. The text is in reverse and reads "Desu".

People

Like Father, Like Daughter: Continuing Jerry Gomez’s Legacy

Paige Gomez on piecing together her late father’s legacy — and following in his footsteps.

Films

Brendan Mooney: ‘Memories of a Signwriter’

Charming short biopic about retired Irish signwriter Brendan Mooney from Birr, County Offaly.