Welcome to 2023 and the resumption of our adventures in sign painting after some time off. Issue 02 continues to land in subscriber letterboxes around the world, and work is well underway on Issue 03—there's even a chance to be featured, see below.

Masthead for BLAG 02, Winter 2022.

BLAG in print is only available to subscribers at the Blagger level or above. Subscribe now to guarantee getting a copy of Issue 02, and full access to all the articles at bl.ag online.

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BLAG 03 Submissions

Do you want to appear in Issue 03 of BLAG? And get a copy of the print magazine when it's published in June?

Until the end of the month I'm gathering work for the 'On the Brush' and 'Sundries' sections. These profile recent projects and quirky sign painting asides respectively. 'On the Brush' pieces should ideally help to inform readers about techniques used, lessons learned, or otherwise have some educational value.

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One way to guarantee your place in Issue 03 is to sign up as a patron or sponsor. This will ensure your business name, url, and instagram appear on the inside back cover of the magazine. Sponsors also get to include their logo...

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What's New Online?

As well as looking back at the online content from 2022, the latest bl.ag online articles take us to New Zealand for their latest Letterheads meet, Indonesia to learn about letter shades, Denver Colorado for the alphabets of Joe Ferry, and Somerset in England for a walk through Grierson Gower's incredible sign collection.

Thank you to Grierson Gower, Erwin Indrawan, Tobias Newbigin, Mark Oatis, Lydia Reeve, and Duncan Rourke for their contributions to these articles. Please send ideas for future pieces by email or via the online submission form.

Grierson Gower's Treasure Trove of Antique and Vintage Signs

Every now and then an innocuous email leads to a gold mine of sign and sign painting history, and this is what happened when Grierson Gower got in touch in 2021. His collection is something to behold and I recommend taking a tour...

Glass sign panel with painted and gilded lettering that reads "Superior Home-Made Sausages" and gives prices for beef and pork.
Exquisite reverse-glass work from a former London butcher, just one of the many pieces in Grierson Gower's vast collection.

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

In the latest instructional piece at bl.ag online, Erwin Indrawan has broken down the basics of working with letter shades. His simple diagrams walk through considerations for different directions of shades, and how to approach some fundamental lettering styles. Get shady...

The word "hello" with the letters shaded to the left and below.
Using a 45 degree angle to give the all the shades a consistent weight, one of the early tips in Erwin Indrawan's bl.ag online article.

Letterheads New Zealand Celebrate Their 25th Anniversary

After a hiatus due to the pandemic, things got back in full swing for Letterheads New Zealand in Wellington back in October. If you've never been to a Letterheads event, or are missing them, then whet your appetite for the next one with this review...

Woman painting lettering onto a car door.
Work in progress on a lettered car door as a piece of decoration for a forthcoming wedding, one of many projects at Letterheads New Zealand 2022.

Three Alphabets by Joe Ferry

Although we couldn't use them in the Sign Painting book, these three alphabets by former Denver sign painter Joe Ferry are now published for the first time online, including a PDF download to print and practise. Get the alphabets...

Hand-painted ABC.
ABC from Joe Ferry's 'Slanted Tuscan' alphabet, one of three alphabets published for the first time at bl.ag online.

BLAG's Top Ten for 2022, and Reflections on the Year

In the spirit of looking back and taking stock, I crunched the data to identify the top bl.ag online posts for 2022. Expect lots more of the same in the year ahead, and get in touch if you'd like to contribute. Find out which was the top 2022 post...

Thumbnails of images associated with popular articles about sign painting.
The top ten posts at bl.ag online in 2022, in no particular order.

You can support the work that goes into these newsletters and online articles by becoming a paid subscriber from just $5/month.

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Signpainters Don't Read Signs

The penultimate instalment from Syl Ehr's Signpainters Don't Read Signs is now online. In these chapters he gets into the meat of his New Era Roman alphabet, discusses 'psychological', and shares his stories of snappers and a mustard-eating cat. Get all six instalments here...

"Better appearing" writing in a regular alphabet and a proposed new alphabet.
One of Syl Ehr's demonstrations that his New Era Roman alphabet is 'better appearing' from his book, Signpainters Don't Read Signs.

And One from the Archive

Nearly four years ago Copenhagen Signs' Jakob Engberg published his book Danske Skilt ('Danish Signs'). This provided the opportunity to interview him about his work and sign painting story. Read the interview...

Sign painter working in reverse on a gilded window.
Jakob Engberg at Copenhagen Signs, from his Better Letters interview.
A massive BLAG welcome to Lexington Signs who have joined us as a patron, alongside 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. And thank as always to our sponsors, 1 Shot, A.S. Handover, Colossal Media, and Mike Meyer Sign Painter.

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Sign Painting in Ireland

Dee Maher Ring is currently doing some in-depth research on the story of sign painting in Ireland for her PhD, and her article for RTÉ includes some lovely archival videos. Read/watch here...

Kilkenny shopfront from 'Just our type: the story of Irish handcrafted signwriting' by Dee Maher Ring.

For more sign painting in Ireland...

Sign Painting on the Small Screen in Ireland
Illustrator Holly Pereira presents Irish TV show featuring sign painting, among other crafts.
BLAG (Better Letters Magazine)•Better Letters

On-Site Sketches

In this piece by Bob Sauls for SignCraft, there are ten pointers for improving on-site sketches. These can be used to sell jobs but building customer confidence in your abilities, and helping them to visualise how the final sign could look. Get sketching...

Sketch for a sign for Carrbelle & Riverwalk Wharf.
One of Bob Saul's sample sketches in his article for SignCraft.

For more sketching...

Getting Sketchy with Noel B. Weber
Noel B. Weber’s sign painting and Letterheads story, and book.
BLAG (Better Letters Magazine)•Better Letters

The Manning Signs Story

Andrew Manning was the topic of an in-depth profile piece on My San Antonio, telling the story of his thriving Manning Signs shop. (He also has an online shop bursting with merchandise.) Meet Andrew Manning...

Man sitting on a workbench surrounded by a variety of painted signs.
Andrew Manning at his shop, from the My San Antonio profile piece. Photo: Spencer Selvidge.

For more sign folk...

Sign Painter Profiles on Better Letters Magazine
Interviews, films, and profiles of sign painters past and present.
BLAG (Better Letters Magazine)•Better Letters

Dan Forster's Sketches and Vectors

Following his recent talk for Letter Exchange, Dan Forster and his work were featured on the Typism blog, giving an insight into the process behind his polished lettering pieces. Learn from Dan...

Three ornamented letter Fs with bevels being added to develop a final vector.
Dan Forster developing the vector of his letter F after the sketching process, from his process-based Typism article.

For more of Dan Forster's lettering heritage...

Men of Letters Tony Forster & Phill Grimshaw
Exhibition of lettering work by Tony Forster and Phill Grimshaw.
BLAG (Better Letters Magazine)•Better Letters

QEST Scholarships Now Open

In 2021 Robert Walker (aka By Umberto) was awarded a scholarship from QEST to study brilliant cutting with David A. Smith. For those in UK, this year's round of funding is open until 13 February, offering "up to £18,000 for the training and education of talented craftspeople". Learn more...

Man in protective goggles making cuts in glass with a spinning stone wheel.
Robert Walker (aka By Umberto) learning the craft of brilliant cutting with David A. Smith.

More brilliant work from David A. Smith...

Craft & Creativity: The Making of Ludlow and Blunt
David A. Smith and Danny Cooke on ‘The Making of Ludlow and Blunt’, an incredible artwork and film.
BLAG (Better Letters Magazine)•Better Letters

Events Roundup

There are now more than 50 online and in-person events listed now at bl.ag/events. These include a solid set of workshops in the realms of sign painting and lettering, alongside exhibitions in a host of European and North American cities.

Listings for future events and exhibitions can be submitted via sam@bl.ag or on this page of the site.
Man standing behind a sign board.
Nurse Signs and a promotional board for his solo show at Thank You Gallery in Virginia Beach.
Events
Sign painting, sign and lettering events, curated by BLAG (Better Letters Magazine).
BLAG (Better Letters Magazine)•Better Letters

Ye Olde Sign Shoppe: Signs by Rudy

On his recent travels down south, Mike Meyer came across this deserted building in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Standing lonely on the outskirts of the city, it once housed the shop of Rudolph 'Rudy' Gonzales. There's lots more about his Signs by Rudy business in this 2010 profile piece; sadly Mike was too late to meet him in person. RIP Rudy.

Man in sunglasses in front of an abandoned building lettered with 'Signs by Rudy'.
Mike Meyer in front of the former Signs by Rudy shop in Tucumcari, New Mexico.

Ghost Sign Corner

Tim Frame kindly shared this recent find in a small town antique shop. He adds the following context:

"This is a one-of-a-kind hand-painted sign from the Art Deco period for an orchestra sponsored as part of the Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.). A lot of art was created as part of the W.P.A. with many images available on US National Archives web site."

The W.P.A. Federal Music Project was started within the context of funding for other artistic activities in 1935. It led to the formation of numerous city orchestras across the USA, but it's not clear which part of the country was designated by "District No.7" here. The circular panel also has a hint of an older sign gradually being revealed beneath the Art Deco lettering...

Hand-painted sign for the W.P.A. Educational Program Orchestra. Photo: Tim Frame.

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And Finally...

Dream on!

The 'one from the archive' above reminded me of this t-shirt that Jakob rocked at the Abnormal Letterheads meet back in 2016. I don't think it was ever made generally available, but I think the lobby for an official release should start now...

T-shirt in Pop Art style with picture of a woman crying saying "Oh God! Why can't my boyfriend be a sign painter?!"

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.

All good things, Sam

bl.ag / @betterletters