Where Can I Learn the Craft of Sign Painting?

Despite the resurgence in sign painting, and interest in learning the craft, there hasn’t been a widespread reopening of technical courses, nor apprenticeship opportunities.

Those recently entering the trade have largely done so through a combination of workshops, short apprenticeships, online resources, and books such as Sign Painting.

Each of these can play a role, and this article guides you through some of the current options. Read on for a digest of sign painting workshops, apprenticeships, courses, and places to learn the craft online.

Sign Painting Workshops

In-person sign painting workshops are an excellent way to get some brush time, and to see if you want to take things further. They vary in length and format, from a one-day ‘toe-dip’ to longer multi-day experiences. Costs depend on the teacher, location, and duration of the workshop.

Students after a Bryan Yonki (Well Done Signs, @welldonesigns) sign painting workshop, and Mike Meyer (@this_is_the_real_mike_meyer) teaching his hand-lettering class.

You won’t be taking on commercial jobs after a single workshop, but you’ll know what materials you need, and what to practise. And you'll connect with people that are also interested in the craft of sign painting.

Sign painting workshops are happening regularly around the world. BLAG's event listings include details, split between ongoing programmes and one-off events.

Sign Painting Apprenticeships

The age-old way to learn a craft is through an apprenticeship, traditionally lasting from three to seven years. These days, at least in sign painting, these opportunities are largely restricted to family businesses.

Colossal Media apprentices at the shop's Brooklyn headquarters, from the article, 'The Apprentice: Colossal Style'.

However, there are firms that will take someone on if they show a genuine passion for the craft and a hunger to learn. These include Colossal Media (@colossalmedia), which has a large structured programme to develop its next generation of 'Walldogs'.

These apprenticeships can last from a month to a year or more if there is an eventual exchange of value. They won’t have you on the brush straight away, so you’ll need to practise in your own time. However, they are invaluable experiences if you work hard and keep an open mind about what you’re asked to do.

Sign Painting Courses (In-Person)

There are now very few technical courses teaching sign painting. If you can access one of these, they are an excellent way to learn in a formal setting over an extended period of time.

Sign Graphics at LATTC

Los Angeles, California

Practise makes progress: students on the Sign Graphics Program at LATTC. Photo from the book, Sign Painters.

With nearly one hundred years of being taught continuously at Los Angeles Trade Technical College (LATTC, @latradetechcollege), Sign Graphics is a two-year programme spread over four semesters. It is the most comprehensive course of its kind in the world, and focuses on traditional hand-lettering and sign painting, with forays into vinyl application, digital learning on SignLab, and gilding.

Many Sign Graphics graduates follow successful careers in the sign painting trade, and there’s a more about the programme in this tribute to former instructor, Doc Guthrie. The current lead instructor, Carlos Aguila, can be contacted with enquires.

Signwriting at Ballyfermot Training Centre

Dublin, Ireland

Students from the first cohort on the Signwriting course at Ballyfermot Training Centre.

This course at Ballyfermot Training Centre (@ballyfermot_tc) is a six-month programme of study in the crafts of sign painting and gilding for sign work. Students work through design and lettering, to the final application of paint and gold leaf. There is also instruction in using computers for sign design.

Course leader Colm O’Connor (@colmoconnor_signwriter) says that:

“The main point of the course is to arm the students with enough detailed knowledge to venture into the signwriting world.”

Sign Technician at College360

Silkeborg, Denmark

Students learning practical sign painting and sign making skills on the Sign Technician course at College360.

This College360 (@college360) course lasts between three and four years, and sits within Denmark’s strong tradition of technical education. It oscillates between taught classes and placements within a sign firm, known as an ‘an exchange education’. Final qualification is via the journeyman’s test, but competency in Danish is a prerequisite.

College360 Sign Technician Info Sheet PDF download (270 KB) of the information sheet for the Sign Technician course at College360. College-360-Sign-Technician.pdf • 270 KB

Intro to Brush Lettering at RMIT

Melbourne, Australia

Final projects from students Frances Danckert (left) and Lily Sinclair after the 12-week course.

This course is a unit within RMIT's Communication Design degree programme. It runs for 12 weeks and is taught by Barbara Enright (@barbaraenright) and Carla Hackett (@carlahackett).

The duo were brought to RMIT by Extending Expertise course co-ordinator Rebecca Nally, who commented that:

“The results have been amazing. Watching the therapeutic qualities of this craft take hold of the students, in what has been a tumultuous couple of years of online learning … has been a cherished learning experience.”

Barbara and Carla shared some of this teaching during their recent BLAG Chat.

Sign Painting Courses (Online)

One silver lining around the Covid-19 cloud has been the growth of online learning opportunities. These include synchronous courses, where you are with the teacher in real time, and those that are asynchronous and accessed ‘on-demand’.

The benefits of learning online are fairly obvious; they include the ability to study from wherever you are in the world, and a lower price point than an equivalent in-person experience.

On the downside, you’re largely on your own when it comes to actually practising, and it isn’t as easy to get the quality of feedback that a teacher by your side can offer. Additionally, on-demand courses rely on your own determination and discipline to work through the lessons.

Here is a selection of what's currently available to learn the craft of sign painting, and some related disciplines, online.

LetterArt Academy

A selection of courses from LetterArt's John King (@johnking101), available to study in your own time.

John is offering newsletter subscribers over 50% off his bundle of Sign Painting First Steps and Understanding and Drawing Gothic Letterforms. The coupon code BLVIP1 expires at the end of July.

Mentoring with Liane Barker

Personal online tuition from Liane Barker (@brushandpenstudio) with topics including sign lettering, layout, and gilding. Liane is also launching an asynchronous online course, Mastering the Art of Signwriting for Beginners.

Signpainters Academy

A selection of online courses with annual subscriptions from Bespoke Signs' Paul Myerscough (@bespokesigns).

Paul is offering newsletter subscribers 20% his courses using the code BLAG23.

Learn Fileteado Porteño

Tango Brujo by Gustavo Ferrari, instructor on the Learn Fileteado Porteño course which teaches this traditional Argentinian artform.

This new online course from Gustavo Ferrari (@ferrarifileteados) teaches the fundamentals of this vernacular artform from Buenos Aires in Argentina.

Gustavo has two special offers here for newsletter subscribers.

Joby Carter’s Absolute Beginners

Series of three evening classes taught live by Joby Carter (@joby.carter) via Zoom. Recordings are made available afterwards.

Learn Brush Lettering

An introduction to brush lettering tools, materials, and techniques from Barbara Enright (@barbaraenright) and Carla Hackett (@carlahackett).

An Introduction to Glass Gilding

The online course from David A. Smith (@davesmithartist) has dozens of lessons and projects to work on.

BLAG Events

BLAG Events are hosted online and either free or discounted for members. They aren't a structured course like those above, but do provide opportunities to learn from experts around the world.

BLAG Events

Sign painting, sign and lettering events organised by BLAG (Better Letters Magazine).

BLAG (Better Letters Magazine)•Better Letters

Browse forthcoming BLAG Events.

Letterheads

Better described as a ‘movement’ than an organisation, the Letterheads is a loose global network of people who are passionate about signs, sign painting, and lettering.

The Letterheads come together at ‘meets’ which can be organised by anyone, anywhere, any time. Meets vary in size from an evening gathering of a few folks, to multi-day international events with hundreds of people.

Recent Letterheads events around the world, many of which are reviewed here at bl.ag online and in the regular 'Meet the Letterheads' pages of BLAG (Better Letters Magazine).

Letterheads began with less-experienced sign painters, and champions the passing of knowledge between generations. Everyone is welcome, from complete beginners to those with decades of experience.

It is imperative that you get involved and do things, however intimidated you feel—surrounded by a wealth of collective experience, there's no better place to try things, make mistakes, and ask questions.

The Beginnings of a Movement by Mark Oatis Mark Oatis' 1985 Signs of the Times article about the Letterheads. (PDF, 3MB) 1985-May-Signs-of-the-Times-by-Mark-Oatis.pdf • 3 MB

Forthcoming Letterheads are listed here.

Next up is Burds of the Brush in Copenhagen, with others this year in Brussels (follow @francoistusseki for the announcement), Christchurch, New Zealand, and Sydney, Australia.

Are You Ready?

The journey of a thousand signs with a single stroke, and there's now nothing stopping you beginning your adventure in sign painting. Sign up for a workshop or course, and look out for other sign painting events and exhibitions where you can connect with others and build your network.

Future articles will look at the best sign painting books (including Sign Painting), and online communities where you can connect with, and get support from, other sign painters.

More Learning

Tools, Tips and Resources on Better Letters Magazine

Sign painting tools, tips, resources and learning opportunities.

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Event Listings

Event Listings

Sign painting and lettering event listings from BLAG (Better Letters Magazine).

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BLAG Events

BLAG Events

Sign painting, sign and lettering events organised by BLAG (Better Letters Magazine).

BLAG (Better Letters Magazine)•Better Letters