Canals, Kids, Karbid and More New Shop Stock

I've recently added some new titles to the online book shop. These have an international focus, and include the first children's book that I've ever stocked. Read on for more details, including the current bestsellers.

I will soon have more copies of Alfredo Genovese's Fileteado Porteño books, and the first delivery of Bryan Yonki's Hand-Painted LA: Some Los Angeles Signs, so look out for those in a future email.

Slappy Hooper

The Legend of Slappy Hooper, 30th anniversary edition.

There aren't many children's books that star sign painters, but The Legend of Slappy Hooper is one of them, based on a piece of 1930s folklore from Chicago.

Author Aaron Shepard has re-released the book to celebrate its 30th anniversary, and given me some exclusive copies before they go on general sale.

Boats & Brushes

The last ever copies of Flowers Afloat sold out very quickly, and so ahead of the forthcoming BLAG Demo with Ginny Barlow, I've stocked some alternative titles from the canal boat tradition.

The Art of the Narrow Boat Painters

The Art of the Narrow Boat Painters by A.J. Lewery.

A.J. Lewery has written a number of books on the British sign painting tradition, including Signwritten Art. This book, The Art of the Narrow Boat Painters, covers the craft's history, the motifs that characterise it, and some of its important practitioners, all richly illustrated with photos from Lewery's vast collection.

Roses & Castles

Roses & Castles: A Practical Introduction to Traditional Narrow Boat Decoration by Jane Marshall.

Roses & Castles: A Practical Introduction to Traditional Narrow Boat Decoration is a practical 'how to' book, but also includes a healthy dose of history and profiles of prominent craftspeople, past and present.

Roses are Red

Roses are Red: A Narrowboat Tradition with Ginny Barlow.

Berlin Ghosts

Karbid: Berlin — From Lettering to Type Design is in English, French and German.

These days, ghost signs in Berlin are relatively rare. However, many were captured by Verena Gerlach before their loss and appear in the trilingual Karbid: Berlin — From Lettering to Type Design, which is part history and part type specimen. It is a beautifully produced publication, exploring the connections between lettering, sign painting, and type within a specific historical and geographical context.

Jamaican Signs

Lots of Sign: Jamaican Dancehall Signs and Hand-Painted Jamaica by Tracey Thorne.

Back in 2020, I interviewed Tracey Thorne about her Hand-Painted Jamaica initiative. Accompanying this work are two zines, the more general Hand-Painted Jamaica, and then Lots of Sign which looks specifically at the island's dancehall signs. Both are now stocked in the shop.

More Signs...

More Signs, Graphics & Stuff by Gary Anderson.

Gary Anderson's More Signs, Graphics & Stuff is part instruction, part inspiration. After short chapters on design, illustration, layout, and colour, the bulk of the book consists of drawings and photos of real signs by the author; over 100 in total.

Top Five

Bestsellers from the BLAG Shop.

These are the current bestsellers in the shop:

• Signpainters Don't Read Signs by Syl Ehr
• Sign Painting: A Practical Guide to Tools, Materials, and Techniques by Mike Meyer & Friends
• Signwriting Tips, Tricks, and Inspiration by Joby Carter
• Signwritten Art by A.J. Lewery
• Ghost Signs: A London Story by Sam Roberts and Roy Reed

Event More Books

If you already have everything in the shop, then expand your library by tracking down some of the titles that have been covered in the past at bl.ag online...

Books & Publications on Better Letters Magazine

Publications about sign painting, lettering and typography.

BLAG (Better Letters Magazine) •Better Letters

Thanks for reading! Sam