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

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.

Three wide-format decorated Art Nouveau shopfront designs for "Chaussures", "Bandage", and "Musique" respectively.

Books

Lettres Décoratives and the History of French Sign Painting

Inside Letterform Archive’s new book and a video presentation from its author, Morgane Côme.

Sign painter working on the inside a window with gilded letters that read "Neighbourhood Butchery".

People

“The Town is Our Portfolio”: No Plan on Main Street

Jesse and Dianne Kirsch work with sign painters to bring their hyperlocal branding projects to life.

Sign board with text saying "The Experts" underlined by a picture of a rose and with a large butterfly to the right.

People

Signs of the Times: The Letterheads in 1981

Republishing the first ever article about the Letterheads from Signs of the Times in February 1981.

Projects

From A to Z: Rachel Joy’s Playful Alphabetic Explorations

Memories, games, artists, and experimentation have inspired Rachel Joy’s deeply personal alphabet.

Curved side panel from a Waltzer fairground ride, lettered and flamboyantly decorated in bright colours and metal leaf.

BLAG

The BLAG 08 Digital Companion

Bonus content from the adventures in sign painting in Issue 08 of BLAG (Better Letters Magazine).

Magazine cover with a person painting flamboyant lettering under the masthead. It’s set on a poster of the same lettering.

BLAG

What’s Inside Issue 08 of BLAG (Better Letters Magazine)?

Between the covers of the worldwide adventures in sign painting from Issue 08 of BLAG.

People

Joe Farrugia: Keeping Malta’s ‘Tberfil’ Artform on the Road

Meet the last Maltese painter applying the Tberfil decorative style to vehicles of all kinds.

People

Getting Into It Again in 2026

Six sign painters share their journeys into the trade and their advice for those just starting out.

Field Notes

Field Notes from BLAG: December 2025

Bozo Texino, gilding samples, Intarsia, an Indian ghost sign, and more from the field.

Woman painting the colour purple on a portion of a wall with other portions already painted in red and white.

People

Risen Through the Ranks: Colossal Media’s Supreme Janine

Janine Taylor is the first woman to progress from Apprentice to Expert Painter at Colossal Media.