Bonus Material from BLAG 04

Just as I did for the last two issues, here is a deep dive into material that we couldn't squeeze into the pages of BLAG 04.

As well as the pretty pictures, you'll also find useful links, further reading, and some PDF downloads.

Serving suggestion: Enjoy BLAG 04 with friends over a beer. Yours truly and Insert Daniels (@insertdaniels) photographed by Edgar Gonzales (@e.go.shots).

I've set it up to follow the page order of the magazine itself, so you can flick through that as you scroll through this.

Enjoy!

Ye Olde Sign Shoppe

In his piece about the Beekmann firm in Amsterdam, Mathieu Lommen mentioned the Amsterdam script, a painted variant of copperplate italics. This pounce pattern shows the style in use, and was drawn by Beekmann Jr for his own front door on Amsterdam’s Prinsengracht canal.

The pounce pattern was first drawn in 1951, and modified in 1958. It measures 52 x 27 cm (20 x 11 in), and is now housed at the National School of Painters in Utrecht

NB. The Amsterdam script is distinct from the Krulletter (curly letter) which is documented in Ramiro Espinoza's excellent book.

A Love Letter to Amsterdam’s Curly Letter
An informative and visually rich guide to this vernacular style.

In addition to the regular Ye Olde Sign Shoppe column in BLAG, there are a host of former firms profiled online.

Ye Olde Sign Shoppe
Stories of sign painters and sign shops past from around the world.

Ghost Sign Corner

The latest permanent Light Capsule was another landmark for Craig Winslow and Matt Cohen, and lots of preliminary research went into its final execution. Here are some archival images that helped in deciphering the layers on the wall, the rig that they used, and the projection as palimpsest.

There's more Light Capsules action in Craig's permanent installation in Astoria, Oregon, which is profiled along with the wider project in this short film.

Alighting in Astoria: A Permanent Light Capsules Legacy
A wall of ghost signs brought back to life with a permanent Light Capsules installation.

On the Brush