The Pink One"Some people don't like pink" — Nick Barber in Sign Painters
The second issue of BLAG (Better Letters Magazine) is now on its way to subscribers around the world. I'll be sharing more from inside on the site soon, but only paid-up Blaggers will get the whole 64 advertising-free pages of adventures in sign painting delivered direct to their door. Needless to say, I'm tickled pink, and you can insert your own 'pinkie down' joke here... The only way to get your hands on Issue 02 of BLAG (Better Letters Magazine) is to sign up as a Blagger. If you want to try before you subscribe, then there are a few copies of Issue 01 in the online shop available for individual purchase. What's New Online?The latest adventures at bl.ag online take us to Lima, Peru, to learn about the vernacular Carga Maximá lettering style, and to New York for a crash course in architectural gilding. You'll need a head for heights to read about the exploits of one-time Lincoln sign painter Ernie Harrison, and will no doubt be moved and inspired by Archie Proudfoot's tale of unshackling himself from client work to thrive as an independent artist. Carga Máxima and the Sign Painting Styles of Lima, PeruDiscover Lima's vernacular sign painting styles, and the role of the sign painter Rodolfo Ponce Marin (aka Caribeño) in the proliferation of one called Carga Maximá. Read the full article...  Caribeño at work in 2016. Photo: Carga Máxima. Introducing the Basics of Architectural GildingApplying gold and other metal leaf to ceilings, walls, sculptures, and more is a gilding specialism that has long fascinated me. In this extended 'how to', New York architectural gilder Leah Beth Fishman shares some of the secrets of the trade. Learn more...  A quality gilded aluminium leaf finish on an unusually shaped ceiling. Photo courtesy of Gilding NYC. Ernie Harrison and His Fearless Crew of Lincoln PaintersMy latest piece about old sign shops takes us to Lincoln to hear about the life and work of Ernie Harrison; just don't look down! Read Ernie's story...  Ernie Harrison and two of his sign painting crew taking a break from their latest project for a photo opportunity. Going Clear: Clients and the Prison of CommissionsIn a personal and reflective piece, Archie Proudfoot describes how he has recently shifted his focus away from sign painting work to his own artistic practise. Get inspired here...  Eight of Archie Proudfoot's recent Ornamental Letters series, being sold as exclusive one-offs in his online shop. Sign Painters Don't Read SignsThe fourth instalment of my digitisation of Syl Ehr's Sign Painters Don't Read Signs is now available. In chapters VIII–X he lays down his gripes with City Hall, and amateur sign painters operating without a license, before getting into some discussion of different alphabets and sign painting techniques. Read the latest, and previous instalments, here... And One from the ArchiveThis 1870s photo of a showcard painter in London has circulated quite widely, but not everyone knows the story of this Frenchman and his agent 'Tickets'. Get the lowdown here... If you're looing for the perfect gift for the sign painter or letter lover in your life then here are some ideas, many taken from my recent post to instagram. Also check out: Gráfica Urbana de València book/print pack from Juan Nava; Strikethrough: Typographic Messages of Protest, exhibition catalogue from Letterform Archive; Bus Park Sign Shop zine from Nurse Signs; T-shirts, zines, and greetings cards from Type Tasting; Typism Book 8 from Typism; Clothing, signs, and stickers from Manning Signs. LinktreeThank you to Sibylle Hagmann, Martin Krabman, and Laura Meseguer for some of this month's links. Please send ideas for future issues to sam@bl.ag, or via the online submission form. BLAG on Fonts in UseThe typographic elements of BLAG (Better Letters Magazine) were recently featured on the Fonts in Use site, including the story behind the logotype created by Utile Studio. Find out more... Electro-Pounces"I couldn’t imagine living without an electro pounce. If you work as a sign painter full time, do yourself a favor and invest! It’s worth every penny." — Derek McDonald, Golden West Sign Arts
I have regularly received enquiries from people in Europe wanting to get hold of an electro-pounce machine. The good news is that Brian at CrockettsGarage will ship his top-rated machine (pictured), provided you contact him directly beforehand to get the important safety information. He also distributes in North America, where McLogan is another option for getting hold of one of these time-savers. Fairground ArtFilesharing site WeTransfer publishes an eclectic set of articles about a range of creative topics under their WePresent banner, and I learned a lot from their recent one on the history and contemporary practise of fairground art. This is a topic that has regularly featured at bl.ag online, including the When Better Letters Met Stan Wilkinson short film. Read the WePresent article... Typeseeing BarcelonaLaura Meseguer is a type designer from Barcelona, and she recently told me about some more short films she's made profiling the city's signage. Typeseeing Barcelona has English subtitles, while Safari typo! has them in French. Bits & BobsHere are a few more links that have caught my eye this month: Artists at Work on the Museum of the Street; Max Phillips on 'Typography’s lost place in architecture'; The Painting for Eternity film about mosaic restorations in Ravenna, Italy; The Street Signs Project with Lucille Tenazas discussing vernacular lettering as typographic inspiration; and the story of Moose McGowan, the sign painter on the edge of the outback. Events & ExhibitionsEvents have slowed down ahead of the Christmas break, but there are still some to look out for, as well as a host of exhibitions that will be closing in the coming month or so. One of these, Strikethrough! from Letterform Archive, is available as an online experience. Listings for the events page can be sent by email, or submitted using the online form. Ghost Sign CornerAn ultra-niche subcategory of ghost signs are those where only the outline of the shape remains, the lettering long lost. There is one of these on Garden Row in southeast London where only the scalloped render survives on the wall. It remained a mystery until I visited an exhibition a few years ago at the nearby London College of Communication and saw the picture on the right here.  Now and then, the wall at Garden Row, London SE1. It is possible that the lettering survives underneath more recent whitewashes, but details such as the S. Tull in the transom are long lost. It would be interesting to remove the current Food & Wine signage to see if anything of the curved shopfront remains beneath. The firm was previously Tull & Fentum, as shown in this piece of print advertising which repeats the "distance no object" line, and details the availability of "lead, oak, or elm coffins". And Finally...Health and Safety at WorkHere's a piece from Gary Larson's Far Side conveying a kind of meta 'sign painters don't read signs' message. Ace!  ℗ Gary Larson / The Far Side
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Thank you for reading this latest BLAG (Better Letters Magazine) newsletter. Don't forget to tell your friends (click/tap 'forward' on this email, or tell them to subscribe here), and get in touch with things to include in future issues. Thanks also to our sponsors, 1 Shot, A.S. Handover, Colossal Media, and Mike Meyer Sign Painter, and patrons (Blackout Signs & Metalworks, C&P Graphics, Chicago Sign Systems, Dragging the Line, John Moran, Right Way Signs, Skiltmaler Gundersen, Stender Bros. Sign Co., and W&B Gold Leaf. All good things, Sam bl.ag / @betterletters
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