BLAG Magazine: Adventures in Sign Painting Craft, Community & Culture
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Old book spread out to show a script alphabet on the left and a sign design for London's Ye Olde Curiosity Shope on the right.
Books

Bringing Back the the Coast Manual of Lettering and Designs

A Kickstarter to publish a new edition of this extremely rare antique sign painting book.

  • Better Letters
Better Letters Jun 19, 2025 • 3 min read
Letterheads Per L'Horta: An Intimate International Meet
Events

Letterheads Per L'Horta: An Intimate International Meet

The masses amass in Almàssera for an inspiring four days painting in the Valencian sun.

  • Better Letters
Better Letters Jun 5, 2025 • 8 min read
Hand-Painted Shopfronts in Rural Uganda
Places

Hand-Painted Shopfronts in Rural Uganda

Olivia Krawczyk introduces the hand-painted signs for businesses large and small in Kumi, Uganda.

  • Better Letters
Better Letters May 22, 2025 • 6 min read
Man sitting on a stool in an artistic workshop setting, smiling and holding a magazine with 'BLAG' on the masthead.
BLAG

Thoughts on the 2025 BLAG Reader Survey

"An absurdly cool niche publication" and more feedback from the third annual BLAG reader survey.

  • Better Letters
Better Letters May 15, 2025 • 6 min read
Brush Up Your Single-Stroke Skills at Letterboy's Block Party
Learning

Brush Up Your Single-Stroke Skills at Letterboy's Block Party

Review and sample video from the new online course and community, Block Lettering with a Brush.

Jenna Homen May 1, 2025 • 5 min read
Painted scene of a mill and cottage by a river, overlaid with text that reads "We are not superstitious but we believe in signs".
History

“We Are Not Superstitious, But We Believe in Signs”

The Gawthorp sign firm in Leeds were renowned in the trade at the turn of the twentieth century.

  • Better Letters
Better Letters Apr 24, 2025 • 5 min read
Painted and gilded panel with a cowboy pictured saying "Welcome Back To" above the main lettering that reads "El Dorado".
Events

A Golden Opportunity to Learn at the Return to El Dorado

Ghi Sign Service resumes its gilding-themed Letterheads meets following their pandemic postponement.

  • Better Letters
Better Letters Apr 17, 2025 • 5 min read
Woman sandwiched between two sheets of painted plywood, and painting Mr. Plywood's face onto one of these.
Projects

Mr. Plywood Stands Proud Again: Recreating a Portland Icon

Kirsten Bauer and Alina Radetsky collaborate to replace a celebrity sign of 60 years' standing.

  • Better Letters
Better Letters Apr 3, 2025 • 5 min read
Colourful mural with Ronald McDonald milking a cow while other characters from his story look on.
People

Uncovering the Spectacular Commercial Art of Wes Cook

A mural at McDonald's, Centralia, Washington, leads Cabel Sasser down a delightful rabbit hole.

  • Better Letters
Better Letters Mar 27, 2025 • 3 min read
Men in overalls posing on/in front of an old car that's hitched to a large trailer adorned with a sign advertising their business.
History

Ye Olde Sign Shoppe at the American Sign Museum

Signs, photos, and other artefacts from sign shops of old in the American Sign Museum's collections.

  • Better Letters
Better Letters Mar 20, 2025 • 7 min read
Illuminated neon signs that say 'GO' with arrows below pointing down-right, and 'GULF', among other neon signs.
Places

My Week at the American Sign Museum

Report from this incredible museum, which celebrates its 25th anniversary with a new book this year.

  • Better Letters
Better Letters Mar 13, 2025 • 12 min read
Women in Sign Painting: Burds of the Brush
Events

Women in Sign Painting: Burds of the Brush

Rachel E Millar shares her and her guests' reflections on the first Burds of the Brush in Glasgow.

  • Better Letters
Better Letters Mar 6, 2025 • 7 min read
Man working behind a sheet of glass adorned with gilded and painted lettering and pictorials.
People

Sketched Buk Brings the Brilliance of Gold to Bangkok

Thailand's Buk overcomes challenges to make glass gilding an important part of his design practice.

  • Better Letters
Better Letters Feb 27, 2025 • 6 min read
Street sign for Allen Street, W.8. in The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
Places

'Classifying Signs' by Harry Leeson

Class, taste, and the impact of street signs and public lettering policy on our built environments.

  • Better Letters
Better Letters Feb 20, 2025 • 5 min read
Warehouse space with scores of signs laid out, including many illuminated neon signs.
Films

Lisbon's Letreiro Galeria Glows in a Beautiful Short Film

Documenting Rita Múrias and Paulo Barata's tireless work to preserve a city's graphic heritage.

  • Better Letters
Better Letters Feb 13, 2025 • 2 min read
Black and white photo of a small group of people in a studio setting, engrossed in drawing and conversation.
Events

Is this a crazy idea?

Help give the Letterheads anniversary celebrations in June an international dimension...

  • Better Letters
Better Letters Feb 6, 2025 • 3 min read
Hand-drawn lettering in the style of a sign that reads "E. McLellan Signs".
Books

Bookish Good Luck at McLellan Signs in Nampa, Idaho

Jay Smith embraces serendipity to add to his library of sign painting and lettering books.

  • Better Letters
Better Letters Jan 30, 2025 • 5 min read
Partly finished painting of a man painting on a pictorial element on a window using sign painting tools..
BLAG

The BLAG 06 Digital Companion

Bonus content from the adventures in sign painting in Issue 06 of BLAG (Better Letters Magazine).

  • Better Letters
Better Letters Jan 23, 2025 • 19 min read
BLAG Magazine: Adventures in Sign Painting Craft, Community & Culture © 2025
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