Welcome to The Hand Lettering Forum!
This is an interactive Bulletin Board on the topics of Sign making, design, fabrication, History, old Books and of coarse Letterheads, Keepers of the craft. The Hand Lettering Forum features links to resources, sign art history, techniques, and artists profiles. Learn more about Letterheads at https://theletterheads.com. Below you'll see Mchat has been added as a live communication portal for trial, and the Main forum Links are listed below.
This is an interactive Bulletin Board on the topics of Sign making, design, fabrication, History, old Books and of coarse Letterheads, Keepers of the craft. The Hand Lettering Forum features links to resources, sign art history, techniques, and artists profiles. Learn more about Letterheads at https://theletterheads.com. Below you'll see Mchat has been added as a live communication portal for trial, and the Main forum Links are listed below.
Search found 225 matches
- Sat Dec 26, 2015 11:29 pm
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Lettering on cloth
- Replies: 5
- Views: 7036
Re: Lettering on cloth
You might try getting the tee shirt damp with water before lettering with 1Shot. The 1Shot should be thinned a bit. I like white gasoline aka camping stove fuel - it seems to make the paint watery but not runny, sort of. The theory is that the water will fill the 'pores' and the oilbase paint won't ...
- Sat Dec 26, 2015 11:19 pm
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Advice on brushes
- Replies: 8
- Views: 8687
Re: Advice on brushes
Wow, that looks like a lot of texture. If you are sure your paint will stick to the fabric then the next question is the size of the lettering. Big letters (15 cm or more high) should be easy to do with a flat chisel-edge brush (some artist suppliers call it a "brights" shape), but smaller...
- Tue Nov 03, 2015 12:19 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Spray On Copper Mirrors
- Replies: 5
- Views: 6040
Re: Spray On Copper Mirrors
I'd like to give it a try - who makes the copper paint spray?
and if it is a spray, maybe one could fog copper then silver and get a blend?
Or mist a color on, then go over with copper to get a bluish or greenish copper mirror?
and if it is a spray, maybe one could fog copper then silver and get a blend?
Or mist a color on, then go over with copper to get a bluish or greenish copper mirror?
- Mon Oct 19, 2015 2:18 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: My First Reverse Glass Gild Sweetleaf Coffee
- Replies: 13
- Views: 16022
Re: My First Reverse Glass Gild Sweetleaf Coffee
Like they said - good work.
I wanted to thank you Jen for your first thread - it showed me Sam Alfano and i bought his DVD on scrolls - great stuff!
I wanted to thank you Jen for your first thread - it showed me Sam Alfano and i bought his DVD on scrolls - great stuff!
- Mon Oct 19, 2015 2:11 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Angel Gilding over Silver/Copper
- Replies: 3
- Views: 4429
Re: Angel Gilding over Silver/Copper
Hi Marvin, That statue sounds interesting - will it be at all like the Ben Dombey picture Sarah shows on the page you bookmarked? Her page shows a couple of combinations, but always gold or silver as the first layer. So I would start my experiments like that, with a translucent layer of gold or silv...
- Sun Apr 05, 2015 1:50 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Bubbling on reverse glass gold jobs
- Replies: 6
- Views: 8776
Bubbling on reverse glass gold jobs
I started a new thread not because of new info, but to combine some recent threads. If you want to jump back and forth between them, open each in a separate tab and you can feel like the computer nerd hero in a TV show. ............................. In the last couple of months we have had three pos...
- Sun Apr 05, 2015 12:16 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Le Franc 3hr tac time
- Replies: 12
- Views: 12300
Re: Le Franc 3hr tac time
Rich, how long did you wait before putting in the mica? The caveats here being: 1) screening is not brushing 2) putting mica on is not the same tack as applying gold leaf Still, do you have any feel for how the 50/50 LeFrancs mix was setting up? ........... Separate question: why bother with size at...
- Sat Mar 21, 2015 1:16 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: 1st Glass work
- Replies: 2
- Views: 3599
Re: 1st Glass work
Wow! Nice pictorials, and the "imitation silver" (is that aluminum leaf?) looks really bright.
I hope your signs bring in customers and the market lasts a long time.
I hope your signs bring in customers and the market lasts a long time.
- Sat Mar 21, 2015 1:06 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Le Franc 3hr tac time
- Replies: 12
- Views: 12300
Re: Le Franc 3hr tac time
Okay, now I'm confused. Andrew Lawrence wrote: "However a 50/50 mix with LSS quick and Lefranc 12 hr gave it a nice 1-3.5 hour window for gilding. At hour 4 it was dried so it looks like I've found the sweet spot. Brightness was all similar in all cases." Is this a 50/50 mix of LSS quick a...
- Sat Mar 21, 2015 12:39 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: hand gilded boat name with v-carved effect
- Replies: 3
- Views: 4314
Re: hand gilded boat name with v-carved effect
Andrew - is MING all 23K with different directions of burnish? It looks like the thin lines dividing the letters are 2k burnish too (?).
- Fri Feb 06, 2015 9:01 pm
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Le Franc 3hr tac time
- Replies: 12
- Views: 12300
Re: Le Franc 3hr tac time
Rick, there was a thread mentioning the new LeFranc sizes sometime in 2014, I think. My contribution was DON'T MIX 3 AND 12 HOUR SIZE. I have happily mixed LeFranc slowsize and Rolco quick for many years, but when I had a problem mixing the new formula (sort of ropy looking, dried way too fast) I ca...
- Mon Dec 08, 2014 1:03 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: De-lamination?
- Replies: 15
- Views: 14844
Re: De-lamination?
I wonder what adding hardener does to the drying/curing time.
I have always avoided adding extra chemicals to paint if I can, so now I have no experience to draw from.
(Bruce Buckley, I can't find your old post, and it sounds interesting. Could you re-post it?)
I have always avoided adding extra chemicals to paint if I can, so now I have no experience to draw from.
(Bruce Buckley, I can't find your old post, and it sounds interesting. Could you re-post it?)
- Sun Dec 07, 2014 3:54 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: De-lamination?
- Replies: 15
- Views: 14844
Re: De-lamination?
Here is another possibility, although your photos seems to show distinct bubbles rather than color changes. In 2005 we did a series of glass panels for a (new construction) ice cream shop, using 2tone letters with black outlines, mirror gold border stripes, and a mottled brown background over all. I...
- Sun Dec 07, 2014 3:03 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Advice needed!
- Replies: 5
- Views: 6133
Re: Advice needed!
Why not paint the pictorial on a separate board and mount it behind the glass (with a spacer so it doesn't touch the glass)?
- Tue Nov 18, 2014 3:01 pm
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Space Cadet
- Replies: 3
- Views: 3702
Re: Space Cadet
Umm, maybe the cart is coming before the horse? Remember the Signpainter's Trinity: LAYOUT COLOR LETTERING in that order. Your letters look fine to me, but what is the layout? Quick thumbnail sketches are a great technique. How generous are the borders? Basically, how does the proposed sign fit into...
- Tue Nov 18, 2014 2:48 pm
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Advice on Signing Work
- Replies: 3
- Views: 3977
Re: Advice on Signing Work
A rubber stamp can be "inked" with enamel paint and stamped on. Of course you'd need two: one forward for boards and in reverse for windows. Another possibility is a small silk screen - I have seen one stretched across the screwtop lid to a canning jar. The problem with silkscreen is you h...
- Sat Nov 08, 2014 6:26 pm
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Screen Printing_One Shot Paint
- Replies: 9
- Views: 10572
Re: Screen Printing_One Shot Paint
We do a small amount of screen printing in our shop, sometimes on site. It is a nice technology to have available and really only requires a few pieces of equipment [dark room, washout sink, pressure washer, good light source, vacuum frame (can be home made)]. One of the nice things is being able to...
- Sat Nov 08, 2014 5:56 pm
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: How was this made?
- Replies: 4
- Views: 4860
Re: How was this made?
Is it illuminated?
How big?
How big?
- Mon Nov 03, 2014 2:28 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: LeFranc 12 Hr Slow Size
- Replies: 9
- Views: 9084
Re: LeFranc 12 Hr Slow Size
I did a test in May 2012 with my "new" L&B 12 hour [sort of a tan label, it said: "Mixtion (gold size) - 12 hours (lead free)" bought in 2010] against my "old" L&B 12 hour (yellow label) from '05 or so. They looked and acted very similar - gold laid at 12 hours ...
- Mon Nov 03, 2014 1:55 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Spinning goldleaf
- Replies: 6
- Views: 11038
Re: Spinning goldleaf
Eric, I think you have the correct vision - the size is grooved and the gold (being incredibly thinner than even the thinnest size you can lay down) just goes along for the ride. What I visualize is this layer of jelly-like material (the size) with a thin thin thin layer of gold laying on top. We kn...
- Mon Oct 13, 2014 1:39 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Carving Brandy
- Replies: 6
- Views: 6881
Re: Carving Brandy
Great Stuff, Mr Bernhardt!
Did the punched background work out? With punched wood, how much do you worry about the crushed wood expanding over time?
Did the punched background work out? With punched wood, how much do you worry about the crushed wood expanding over time?
- Sun Oct 12, 2014 6:57 pm
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: OFFICIAL LOCATION OF INTERNATIONAL LETTERHEADS 2015
- Replies: 14
- Views: 13071
Re: OFFICIAL LOCATION OF INTERNATIONAL LETTERHEADS 2015
"... collection of photos of Australian signs. It's primarily focused on gold leaf glass work, but it's a database I've been compiling for a long time and covers an extensive range and a history of gold leaf window signs covering over 150 years. " WooHoo Yeah! I've not been to Australia, b...
- Fri Aug 29, 2014 2:29 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: What to do first? Gilding or silvering?
- Replies: 7
- Views: 7709
Re: What to do first? Gilding or silvering?
I'm not sure if the ancient sign masters did much solution gilding/silvering - you don't find much about it in old books. The mirror makers did some wonderful decorative work for bar signs and such. In any case, Larry has the best overview. After you have done any alterations to the glass, and clean...
- Mon Jul 28, 2014 10:49 pm
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Introduction
- Replies: 2
- Views: 2919
Re: Introduction
For small-muscle skills, practice is a great thing. But don't forget to sketch with a pencil - it can do many things that a lettering brush can't, plus it is good when practice is discouraging. In Philadelphia you should find many good signs and letters to sketch. Here's part of one from Shorpy.com ...
- Mon Jul 28, 2014 9:17 pm
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Clear Coating Reflective Glass Beads
- Replies: 12
- Views: 11406
Re: Clear Coating Reflective Glass Beads
great work, Chris. The scientific method is slow and tedious, but you get real info at the end. And of course we get it for free, so what's not to like? You didn't say if the final mix (40:1 aluminized beads: clear beads; clear topcoat) lets much of your custom base colors show through. It sounds li...
- Sat Jun 28, 2014 12:54 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Favorite Products
- Replies: 3
- Views: 3914
Re: Favorite Products
Umm, it is a bit like asking a bunch of cooks what ingredients they like best. There are different brushes for different surfaces, different paints ditto, different solvents, different substrates.... And of course different places have different supplies available. The needs and requirements of the ...
- Sat Jun 28, 2014 12:38 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: NEED HELP- Storefront Sign
- Replies: 1
- Views: 2109
Re: NEED HELP- Storefront Sign
If you've done metal signs before you should be OK. A traditional sign type was the galvanized sheetmetal sign made with bends on all 4 sides to hook over wood 1"x2". Any sheetmetal shop can do it. The wood stiffens the metal but the whole thing is light weight. Mount with screws through t...
- Sat Jun 28, 2014 12:23 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: How to remove amalgams on mirrror?
- Replies: 2
- Views: 2672
Re: How to remove amalgams on mirrror?
Can you mask it and sandblast it? But I don't imagine you could do that and still have a smooth surface. ................................................ This is what we have done once or twice - the real mirror guys may know something better. It is a messy, smelly, high-risk project. Something like...
- Sat Jun 28, 2014 12:07 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Glass Tombstones
- Replies: 32
- Views: 40590
Re: Glass Tombstones
Wow - very nice. I especially like the red glow in the center, even if I can't figure out how it works.
The overall look is traditional but a bit different, which maybe describes your mum?
The overall look is traditional but a bit different, which maybe describes your mum?
- Fri Jun 13, 2014 12:32 am
- Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
- Topic: Hi, Newbie Here
- Replies: 7
- Views: 5802
Re: Hi, Newbie Here
That ripple glass seems a bit cruel to start out on... Good on you for sticking with it. On the 'gaspipe' letter you picked it would make sense to use tape top and bottom - you get better coverage and don't have to work so hard to get sharp corners. It's not an appropriate technique for every letter...