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Welcome to your latest monthly dose of adventures in sign painting, which includes: details of how to access BLAG 01 digitally; the latest bl.ag online articles; hot links from around the world; event listings; a Melbourne ghost sign; and vintage sign painting-themed magazine covers.

Read BLAG 01 Online

Issue 01 of BLAG (Better Letters Magazine) is completely out of stock, but I've now set it up for reading online. This is available to all paid subscribers, including those on at the Browser plan.

What's New Online?

The latest articles at bl.ag online feature an old sign shop from Denmark, a look back at the impact of Sign Painters a decade after its release, a collection of sign painter podcasts, and the permanent illumination of a wall of ghost signs in Astoria, Oregon.

Submit to BLAG

If you have an idea for an article or feature for bl.ag online or BLAG in print, then submissions can be made via this online form, or by sending an email to me at sam@bl.ag.

BLAG (Better Letters Magazine) Submissions
Submit ideas for publication in BLAG (Better Letters Magazine).
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Sonic Sign Painters: Ten Podcasts For Your Enjoyment

I've curated a set of ten sign painter podcasts, totalling over nine hours, with links to even more for your aural pleasure. Listen here...

Sign painter being interviewed with a microphone while painting an 'on air' sign.

Alighting in Astoria: A Permanent Light Capsules Legacy

Craig Winslow's Light Capsules initiative now has its second permanent installation in Astoria, Oregon. Get behind the scenes...

Fading painted signs illuminated at night on a wall.

Ye Olde Sign Shoppe: Denmark's Adolf Andersen

The story of Danish sign painter Adolf Andersen, and a remarkable archive unearthed in Copenhagen. Read the full story...

Man standing outside a shop adorned with numerous signs.
The Barsøe Olsen sign factory where Adolf Andersen served his apprenticeship in the early years of the 20th century.
Sign & Sign Painting HIstory on Better Letters Magazine
The history of signs, sign painting and sign painters.
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Reflections on the Impact of Sign Painters, Ten Years Later

Those in the film, and whose careers may have taken a different direction without it, reflect on its impact a decade since its release. Read all the reflections...

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In the next newsletter I will share the recording of the introductions and discussion from Saturday's anniversary watch party. The film itself can be watched any time for free at signpaintersfilm.com.
Elderly man in a moment of contemplation.
Keith Knecht (RIP) in Toledo, Ohio, during the filming of Sign Painters in August 2011. Photo courtesy of the Sign Painters Flickr.

And One from the Archive

The Sign Painters anniversary watch party on Saturday included many tributes to those that the trade has lost in recent years. One of these was Cliff Headford, whose story we were able to capture in this short film before his death shortly afterwards. Be charmed by Cliff...

Elderly man on a sofa with his sign painting kit and various painted signs.
When Better Letters Met - BLAG (Better Letters Magazine)
Adventures in sign painting with BLAG (Better Letters Magazine). Inspiring and informing the international sign painter community.
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Linktree

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There have been some nice bits of sign painting press recently. These include: a collection of murals in Belfast for International Women's Day (see sign painter Laura Nelson's reflections here); a public arts programme in Delhi; an extended feature on Minneapolis sign painters; and profiles of Dublin's Vanessa Power and Oakland's Patrick Piccolo.

The Making of… The Kings Head Pub Sign

Helyn Gulley shares her process painting and gilding a new fascia sign for this heritage pub in Bristol, including a look at some of the beautiful pieces of interior signage found there. Read the full story...

Gold leaf being applied to a painted sign.
Work in process gilding the fascia sign for the Kings Head pub in Bristol.
👏🏽
I'm very happy to welcome our new sponsor, The Design Trust, and patron Sepp Leaf Products, to our adventures in sign painting. They join existing sponsors 1 Shot, A.S. Handover, Colossal Media, Mike Meyer Sign Painter, and Ronan Paints, 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. Thank you all for your continued support.

Ascenders Deadline Approaching

The Ascenders is the Type Directors Club portfolio competition for those under 35 working in the wider lettering and typographic realm. Last year I profiled one of the winners, David Barnett of Noble Signs, who is one of this year's judges. The submission deadline is 15 April. Find out more and enter...

TDC Ascenders identity for the 2023 competition.
The Ascenders is a portfolio competition for under 35s.
Noble Signs in the Ascendency in New York
David Barnett’s award-winning sign painting for the Ascenders at Type Directors Club.
BLAG (Better Letters Magazine)•Better Letters
Profile of Ascenders winner, David Barnett of Noble Signs.

The Ephemeral Art of Mexico City’s Food Stalls

Following up on Bryan Yonki's piece on the same subject, the New York Times have published a cool photo essay about the wanton destruction of numerous pieces of hand-painted food truck signage in Mexico City. Browse the essay...

One of Mexico City's characteristic hand-painted food trucks.
The Whitewashing of Vernacular Signs in Mexico City
The food stalls in Cuauhtémoc are having their hand-painted signs erased by order of the mayor.
BLAG (Better Letters Magazine)•Better Letters
Bryan Yonki's discussion of the loss of numerous hand-painted signs on Mexico City's food trucks.

Events Roundup

There are dozens of events around the world currently listed at bl.ag/events. These include sign painting and gilding workshops, exhibitions, Letterheads and Walldogs, and a host of online activities for those unable to get to these in person. Browse the events here and submit anything you're running for inclusion.

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At the Sign Painters anniversary watch party, original Letterhead Mark Oatis announced that the 50th anniversary meet will be held in 2025 at the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati. I will of course keep you updated with news of that project as it develops. In the meantime, here are some photos from the 40th anniversary event held at the same location in 2015.
Billboard designs by Leo Sievert to advertise the attractions of Capitola-by-the-Sea, part of the current Capitola - Signs of the Times exhibition.
Events
Sign painting, sign and lettering events, curated by BLAG (Better Letters Magazine).
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Event listings at bl.ag online.

Ghost Sign Corner

The Ghost Sign Corner feature in BLAG 02 is a piece by Sean Reynolds (@melbourne_ghostsigns) about a sign redirecting customers to the new location of the Newman's jewellery and watchmaking business in Melbourne.

It was therefore nice to see more press from Sean in this extended profile on the Guardian newspaper site. He discusses his obsession with ghost signs, and how being an outsider has helped him tune into the treasures that his adopted home of Melbourne hosts. Read the full profile...

One of Melbourne's many Velvet Soap ghost signs, captured by Sean Reynolds in his ongoing documentation of the city's fading painted signs.

And Finally...

Here are two sign painter-themed covers from The Saturday Evening Post, published just months apart in 1935. Thank you to Scott Norman for bringing the second one to my attention after it was posted to Instagram by Iván Guevara.

Norman Rockwell's illustration on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post for 9 February 1935. And Stevan Dohanos' contribution for the 12 April issue from the same year.

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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.

All good things, Sam

bl.ag / @betterletters / sam@bl.ag