People: Sign painters and lettering artists, past and present

A bar with bottles of beer on shelves in a window display, and hand-painted lettering on the fascia basking in sunlight.

Places

Signwriting-on-Sea: The Rich Craft Heritage of Hastings, East Sussex

Charlie Nelson on Hasting's signwriting history, and how the town continues to embrace the craft.

Black and white photo of a trailer decorated with flamboyant lettering advertising a fairground ride.

Events

The Fairground Painters with Amy Goodwin

Dive into the Dingles Fairground Museum collection, and meet the artists that produced the work.

Top of a gable end wall with large black letters painted on it that say "One man's trash, another man's treasure".

People

Chain Letter: Guido de Boer

Visual artist and educator Guido de Boer finds meaning in a phrase painted on a Copenhagen wall.

History

🎉 75 Today: Happy Birthday A.S. Handover! 🎉

Wishing all at A.S. Handover a happy 75th birthday, and giving thanks for their continued support.

Small sign with yellow border, picture of a chicken cutting ham, and lettering that reads 'Gallo Nero, Delicatessen, Londra'.

Places

Signs of the Summer: Postcards from a Busman's Holiday

A brush with Napoli in London, French ghost signs, George Biles in Bridport, and more holiday snaps.

Lisa Simpson looking at a sign that says "keep out" above another that says "or enter. I'm a sign, not a cop".

Books

¡Ay, Caramba! It's Cartoon Time

Collection of humourous cartoons with sign painting, lettering, type, and calligraphic themes.

Head and shoulders view of a man in a baseball cap in front of a window sign that reads "Hunger Buster".

Films

"A Piece of Urban Theatre": J.J. of LA

Meet J.J. of LA, Atlanta sign painter, in this recently republished documentary by Kelly Richardson.

Sepia photo of a topless man resting his arm on the back of a truck that has hand-painted lettering on the door.

People

A Mystery Sign Painter from 1950s Cuba

Photos of a Cuban sign painter and his work appear on eBay and make their way to Letterform Archive.

Black and white photo of an elderly man with a painter's palette standing in front of a 'Welcome to Bridport' sign.

People

Ye Olde Sign Shoppe: George Biles, King of Signwriters

The diverse and prolific output of sign painter George Biles and his Bridport Signs Service Studios.

Black and white photo of New York street with signs and graffiti on buildings behind a parking lot and men moving a cart.

People

Chain Letter: Marie Pressmar

Lettering artist Marie Pressmar is inspired by graffiti, signs, and more in a photo of New York.

Bright pink sign kit with a cartoon sign painter, a list of services, and contact details for Keith Knecht, Toledo, Ohio.

Books

Snapper: Keith Knecht

Keith Knecht shares some of his tales of a travelling sign painter in John J. Hodgins' Snapper book.

View of a hand holding a brush painting a red shadow on golden block letters on a window.

Films

Meet Claude Dolbec: Montreal's Elusive Sign Painter

Short documentary feature about Montreal's most prolific, but elusive sign painters: Claude Dolbec.

People

India's Sign-Wallas: On the Brush on the Subcontinent

Meena Kadri takes us to India to appreciate the flamboyant work of the country's 'sign-wallas'.

Man and woman facing the camera, holding a framed sign that reads "Barker Signs, Est. 1964".

People

60 Years On the Brush: The Barker Signs Story

Maurie Barker founded Barker Signs in 1964, with his daughter Liane now keeping things hand-painted.

Wall sign with tall sans serif letters painted dark blue with a yellow block shade.

People

Ye Olde Sign Shoppe: Gran Canaria’s Tomás Prieto Gálvez

Adventures in life, family, and sign painting with Tomás Prieto Gálvez in the Canary Islands.

Letters cut out of cardboard and arranged in a line with a large 'R' and 'S' followed by a smaller 'R'.

Books

Peeling Back the Layers of Chrystel Crickx's Typographic Legacy

Chrystel Crickx's novel contribution to lettering and type history is celebrated in a new book.

Picture book illustration showing a sign painter painting the sun which is making everything else hot.

Books

The American Folklore Legend of Slappy Hooper, Sign Painter

The telling and retelling of 'Slappy Hooper, World’s Biggest, Fastest, and Bestest Sign Painter'.

Elderly man standing in front of a shopfront which is emblazoned with a huge fascia sign that reads "SIGNS".

People

Meet Earl Phillips: Cleveland's Greatest Living Sign Painter

Biopic of Earl Phillips, proprietor of Cleveland's U-Need-A-Sign Co. at 131st Street since 1960.