Canal Life and the British Narrowboat Tradition

Ahead of our final BLAG event of the year, here are some links and resources for those interested in learning more about British canal boats and their decoration. These include films, books, and people involved with the craft.

Roses are Red: A Narrowboat Tradition

Ginny Barlow on the brush. Ginny is hosting the BLAG Demo, Roses are Red: A Narrowboat Tradition.

Thursday's BLAG Demo with Ginny Barlow is an opportunity to hear from a contemporary practitioner of this craft, and to learn how to paint one of its most iconic elements: the rose. Join us live from 19:00 London time, or register to have access to the recording for a couple of weeks afterwards.

Canal Life

Canal Life is a short film about life on working boats in the mid-twentieth century.

The 8-minute Canal Life is a lovely short film about life aboard the working boats in Britain in the middle of the twentieth century. If you want to get a bit deeper into the history, then there is an hour-long documentary: The Story of British Canals.

History & 'How To' Books

New stock in the BLAG shop.

A.J. (Tony) Lewery has played a major role in documenting and championing the history of canal boat decoration, and its practitioners. The Art of the Narrow Boat Painters is an excellent account, including technical information about different elements of the boats themselves, and how the decorations were/are incorporated. There are also a few pages on the living craft in Signwritten Art.

If you're more interested in picking up a brush and learning to paint some of the iconography associated with the boat decoration, then Jane Marshall's Roses & Castles introduces the basics, alongside some historical material.

Phil Speight

Phil Speight, photographed by Christopher Thomond for the Guardian.

Phil Speight is one of the most influential and highly regarded contemporary practitioners of the craft, and his work is captured beautifully in this online photo essay.

Phil also features in a piece about the Heritage Craft Association's 'red list' of endangered crafts where, in 2023, Canal Art & Boat Painting was added to the 'Endangered' category. The association's page on the craft includes a number of useful links and resources, including other books of note.

The link below is to a 2019 piece about the 'red list' at bl.ag online.

The ‘Red List’ of Heritage Crafts

Viable and ‘endangered’ lettering and sign crafts on ‘Red List’.

BLAG Magazine: Adventures in Sign Painting Craft, Community & Culture •Better Letters

Last Orders

If that's got you fired up to learn more, then join us on Thursday to learn from Ginny Barlow in the BLAG Demo, Roses are Red: A Narrowboat Tradition.

BLAG Demo on Thursday, November.

Event Listings

Event Listings

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

BLAG Magazine: Adventures in Sign Painting Craft, Community & Culture •Better Letters

Event Reviews

Event Previews & Reviews on Better Letters Magazine

Previews and reviews of of sign painting and lettering events.

BLAG Magazine: Adventures in Sign Painting Craft, Community & Culture •Better Letters