> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://bl.ag/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Better Letters at the Merchant City Festival - URL: https://bl.ag/better-letters-at-the-merchant-city-festival/ - Published: 2016-08-09T19:34:14.000Z - Updated: 2023-12-14T23:04:25.000Z - Description: Glasgow hosts a sign painting workshop, Letterheads, typographic pub crawl and painted Indian sign art. - Author: Better Letters - Tags: Events Better Letters and [Ghostsigns](https://ghostsigns.co.uk/?ref=bl.ag) took to this year’s Merchant City Festival in Glasgow with a [Mike Meyer Hand Lettering Workshop](https://www.mikemeyersignpainter.com/workshops?ref=bl.ag), an illustrated talk about ghost signs, and the screening of three short films about signs and lettering. The gallery below shows the fun we had running the workshop, with some other things we got up to below. ![Our workshop was in the Merchant Square, right in the heart of the Merchant City](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Better-Letters-Workshop-Merchant-City-Festival-31-1024x670.jpg) Our workshop was in the Merchant Square, right in the heart of the Merchant City. ![Friday was setting up the easels ready for two days of slinging paint](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Better-Letters-Workshop-Merchant-City-Festival-02-674x1024.jpg) Friday was setting up the easels ready for two days of slinging paint. ![Time for a bit of easels decoration](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Better-Letters-Workshop-Merchant-City-Festival-15-1024x659.jpg) Time for a bit of easels decoration. ![Day one and people are working the Gothic (Block) letters, first in pencil and then with paint](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Better-Letters-Workshop-Merchant-City-Festival-07-1024x669.jpg) Day one and people are working the Gothic (Block) letters, first in pencil and then with paint. ![Completed sheets hand out to dry under the easels](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Better-Letters-Workshop-Merchant-City-Festival-17.jpg) Completed sheets hand out to dry under the easels. ![Mahl stick resting on the easel, brush to a chisel edge, and pull](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Better-Letters-Workshop-Merchant-City-Festival-11.jpg) Mahl stick resting on the easel, brush to a chisel edge, and pull. New to BLAG (Better letters Magazine) and enjoying this article?[ Sign up now for a free subscription](https://bl.ag/#/portal/signup) to unlock even more sign painting resources and the latest news. ![Photo opportunity for team Better Letters, Sam Roberts and Mike Meyer](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Better-Letters-Workshop-Merchant-City-Festival-13-1024x570.jpg) Photo opportunity for team Better Letters, Sam Roberts and Mike Meyer. ![Demonstrating the process of creating a pounce pattern](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Better-Letters-Workshop-Merchant-City-Festival-30-1024x521.jpg) Demonstrating the process of creating a pounce pattern. ![Aeriel view of Mike Meyer teaching](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Better-Letters-Workshop-Merchant-City-Festival-19-1024x628.jpg) Aerial view of Mike Meyer teaching. ![Strokes demonstration using a brush from A.S.Handover](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Better-Letters-Workshop-Merchant-City-Festival-18-1024x680.jpg) Strokes demonstration using a brush from A.S.Handover. ![Quick time out to do some Live Lettering, this one for Chelsea from Vancouver (Photo: Alistair Fleming Photography,)](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Alistair-Fleming-06.jpg) Quick time out to do some Live Lettering, this one for Chelsea from Vancouver. Photo: [Alistair Fleming Photography](https://www.flickr.com/photos/44246770@N03/?ref=bl.ag). ![Loosening things up with a bit of Casual/Flash](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Better-Letters-Workshop-Merchant-City-Festival-23-1024x680.jpg) Loosening things up with a bit of Casual/Flash. ![Practising script](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Better-Letters-Workshop-Merchant-City-Festival-28.jpg) Practising script. ![Freestyling on an easel with more stroke demonstrations](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Better-Letters-Workshop-Merchant-City-Festival-21-768x1024.jpg) Freestyling on an easel with more stroke demonstrations. ![We want YOU at the next workshop!](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Better-Letters-Workshop-Merchant-City-Festival-22.jpg) We want YOU at the next workshop! ![Thank you to everyone at the Merchant City Festival for inviting us to be part of this fantastic event](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Better-Letters-Workshop-Merchant-City-Festival-29.jpg) Thank you to everyone at the Merchant City Festival for inviting us to be part of this fantastic event. (Thank you [Alistair Fleming Photography](https://www.flickr.com/photos/44246770@N03/?ref=bl.ag) for the photo with Mike and Chelsea) Across from us in the Merchant Square were the Merchant City Letterheads, featuring [Scott Telfer](https://www.telfergraphics.co.uk/?ref=bl.ag), [Stewart McLaren](https://www.instagram.com/mclarensigns/?ref=bl.ag), [Artisan Artworks](http://artisanartworks.com/?ref=bl.ag), [Dapper Signs](https://www.instagram.com/dappersigns/?ref=bl.ag) and [Ross Hastie](https://www.rosshastiesigns.com/?ref=bl.ag). They were working on a series of panels for the festival, and a David Bowie tribute night/auction on the final night. ![Merchant City Letterheads by Scott Telfer](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Glasgow-Letterheads-01-754x1024.jpg) Merchant City Letterheads by Scott Telfer. ![Cooper from Bristol’s Dapper Signs at work](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Glasgow-Letterheads-04.jpg) Cooper from Bristol’s Dapper Signs at work. ![Ross Hastie going large](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Glasgow-Letterheads-02-1024x704.jpg) Ross Hastie going large. ![Stewart McLaren taking a break from one of his panels](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Alistair-Fleming-01.jpg) Stewart McLaren taking a break from one of his panels. Photo: [Alistair Fleming Photography](https://www.flickr.com/photos/44246770@N03/?ref=bl.ag). Monday gave us a chance to take the [Pub Typology Tour](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/535f9b80e4b0ec04b0fc7f7a/t/59567540893fc04ec09403fc/1498838362311/DtfW%5FPub+Typology%5Fweb.pdf?ref=bl.ag), curated by [Dress for the Weather](http://www.dressfortheweather.co.uk/?ref=bl.ag) and focused on the architectural and design heritage of Glasgow’s pubs. We made it to four out of six, joined by [Adrian Harrison](https://vimeo.com/user2700197?ref=bl.ag), director of [21st Century Victorian](https://vimeo.com/65293538?ref=bl.ag). ![Six pub on the Pub Typology Tour from Dress for the Weather](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Pub-Typology-Tour-1024x726.jpg) Six pub on the Pub Typology Tour from Dress for the Weather. ![Mike Meyer braves The Steps](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20160802_135520.jpg) Mike Meyer braves The Steps. ![Tabac reflected](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20160801_153719408.jpg) Tabac reflected. ![The Scotia Bar, Glasgow’s oldest pub](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20160801_155254432.jpg) The Scotia Bar, Glasgow’s oldest pub. [Horn Please](http://www.projecthornplease.com/?ref=bl.ag) was one of the films we screened, alongside 21st Century Victorian and [Man with a Brush](https://bl.ag/man-with-a-brush/). By pure coincidence Glasgow’s [Tramway gallery](https://www.tramway.org/?ref=bl.ag) were holding and exhibition, ‘*[Pehchaan: Art from Another India](http://thegluefactory.org/pehchaan-art-another-india-gabriella-ditano-tramway/?ref=bl.ag)*‘, which happened to feature a series of commissioned truck ends, among other artworks and artefacts. ![Indian truck art piece from Pehchaan exhibition at Tramway Glasgow](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Tramshed-Pehchaan-Exhibition-2.jpg) Indian truck art piece from Pehchaan exhibition at Tramway Glasgow. ![Indian truck art piece from Pehchaan exhibition at Tramway Glasgow](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Tramshed-Pehchaan-Exhibition-8-1024x688.jpg) Indian truck art piece from Pehchaan exhibition at Tramway Glasgow. ![Indian truck art piece from Pehchaan exhibition at Tramway Glasgow](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Tramshed-Pehchaan-Exhibition-4-1024x672.jpg) Indian truck art piece from Pehchaan exhibition at Tramway Glasgow. ![Indian truck art piece from Pehchaan exhibition at Tramway Glasgow](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/aa/24aaa208-ebb0-4f83-bc52-1f4f253367c8/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Tramshed-Pehchaan-Exhibition-1.jpg) Indian truck art piece from Pehchaan exhibition at Tramway Glasgow. And of course there was plenty of [lettering and ghostsigns to be seen around Glasgow](https://ghostsigns.co.uk/2016/09/more-glasgow-ghostsigns/?ref=bl.ag), including the delights of the old Fruit Market where many of the old signs had been saved. Here are the three films we screened at the festival, thank you everyone that made the visit possible, we can’t wait to come back!