Tools, tips, and resources for sign painting and lettering

Detail of a varnished sign reflecting the image of a bridge opposite.

Projects

Recreating Newcastle's Iconic Tyne-Tees Steam Shipping Sign

Ash Willerton's process for painting and gilding a replica heritage sign board on the River Tyne.

The ferrule and hairs of six flat sign painting brushes.

Learning

Tools of the Trade: Test Driving LetterArt's Flats

Studio Sign Co.'s Nick Lee tries out LetterArt's flat brushes: a sable blend and a synthetic.

Learning

An Introduction to Quick Showcard Lettering, Norwegian Style

Reproduction, with English translation, of a rare Norwegian showcard lettering and layout booklet.

Learning

Three Alphabets by Joe Ferry

Three alphabets painted in 1978 by Denver sign painter Joe Ferry, including A3 PDF download.

Diagram showing shades on letters to the left and to the right.

Learning

The Basics of Letter Shades: Left, Right, Up and Down

An introduction to the placement of shades on different types of lettering used in sign painting.

Ladders and a tower in place below a part-gilded dome.

Learning

Introducing the Basics of Architectural Gilding

Leah Beth Fishman gives a primer in the craft of gilding large and unusually shaped surfaces.

Instruction poster for casual sign painter lettering.

Learning

Tips for Left-Handed Sign Painters from Larry Stammers

Being left-handed is no barrier to becoming a sign painter, and these tips will help you get going.

"Bright vixens jump; dozy fowl quack" with pictures of a fox and a duck.

Learning

Playful Pangrams for Sign Painters (Plus Other Languages)

Power up your sign painting practise with these playful pangrams. And then try to write your own.

Hand-painted letters with upright appearance.

Learning

The Inspiring World of Vintage French Reference Alphabets

Bruno Durand guides his practise with reference to alphabets in vintage French sign painting books.

Learning

From Initial Contact to Signed Contract: How to Handle Freelance Art Clients and Get Paid

How to successfully manage the process from client enquiry to getting the sign/mural/lettering job.

Painted sign giving the illusion of an illuminated neon sign.

Learning

How to Create a Painted Faux Neon Effect with Dapper Signs

Dapper Signs' guide to creating faux neon lettering using sign painting and airbrush techniques.

Learning

How to Price Sign Painting Work

Approaches to pricing sign painting work and a simple online calculator to develop a basic hourly rate for use when quoting jobs.

Projects

Denver's Home Run: It’s Outta Here!

Mark Oatis' account of the processes and techniques used to paint a faux-aged mural sign in Denver.

Learning

Sharpen Your Typographic Eye with Martina Flor

Martina Flor's free Letter Hunters course will sharpen your typographic eye and improve your lettering.

Learning

How to Paint Touriga Casual with Fernando Mello's Reference Sheet

Type designer Fernando Mello shares the story of his Touriga Casual alphabet and free practise posters.

Learning

New Sign Painting Brushes of Note

A.S. Handover's synthetic sable Series K chisel-edge writers, and the 'Snapper' quill from Mike Meyer.

History

Signwriting & Type’s Enduring Relationship

Type Tasting's Sarah Hyndman on the recurring role of signwriting in the development of typefaces.

Places

Opening the Digital Doors to Letterform Archive

Letterform Archive's free, searchable online collection that includes a wealth of lettering inspiration.