Thanks, Danny. I love the creative signs they're producing and the music that goes with the video. The niche they've found is likely another fallout from the scarcity of unique, well made, hand lettered, hand crafted ANYTHING. He refers to what they do as "fictional nostalgia". Looks like ...

Thanks, Dave, for bringing this great little video clip to our attention a couple of weeks ago. Knowing the value of hand painted signs is nothing new in our circles (this is the Hand Lettering Forum, after all) but it's always gratifying to see someone on the outside recognize and bring it to the a...

Yeah, Pat. It's a beautiful sign and looks like it's in great condition but I too wonder what the original size was and what was cut off the bottom. I'm sure that affects the value of the sign but if I had the cash and lived in the Chicago area I'd be tempted to snatch it up. I love that volcano pic...

Duh! (forehead smack!)
I remember seeing it now but never focused on it.
Too much to take in there in Dunfries.
Wonder what else I missed.

Really nice, Mr. Blake.
This was surely in progress when I was there a few weeks ago, but you must have had it tucked away somewhere.
Would like to have seen it in person, but these photos are a real treat.
Thanks for posting them.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - all found in the town of Machine.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - all found in the town of Machine.

Dave, If there's anyplace in the world where you should be able to find clients willing to pay what your kind of work is worth, it's Dubai. (That is, if you can complete your orders before that gold mine caves in.) Looks like an interesting and unique place for a family holiday. Let's hope the polit...

Hi Tony, I have a Graphtec FC5100-75. It's a really great plotter - accurate, reliable, fine detail, etc. Unfortunately, they're pretty proud of these little pouncing tools and it looks like they run anywhere from about $86 US to $100. Not sure what they cost there in the UK. But it's a worthwhile i...

Doug, This method of transferring a design has been around for a long time. Artists have used it for centuries. You draw the design on paper. Then you perforate the paper along the lines of the design. When you tape the paper to the surface you want to paint, you "pounce" it or rub it with...

Dave, I'm fascinated by what you've described. When you refer to using it in a pictorial, would this be something where you have black line-work defining the pictorial and then you give it body and depth with the gold? Is it something where you have color and transparant glazes, backed up with gold?...

Thanks, Bruce, for your comments. There may be a way to cut acetate but what I actually did was to use "electro-cut" vinyl (the kind with a transparent plastic liner.) I flipped vinyl liner-side-up on my plotter and set the knife to score the liner so that it almost goes all the way throug...

Things have been pretty quiet here on the forum. Hopefully that's an indication that people are busy with jobs and don't have time to check in here! A few years ago Roderick had started a thread on the forum, inviting folks to showcase their glass signs. At that time I had just finished doing some p...

Hi Aaron, My experience with using regular high-performance vinyl has been pretty negative. I did it once or twice but never again. The heat created by the abrasive hitting the vinyl causes the adhesive to stick to the glass. This is particularly problematic if you are doing stages where you blast a...

Welcome, Sean. You obviously have a passion for handlettering. I love seeing that. You have a huge amount of photos there on flickr! It's interesting seeing the sketches and different artwork besides the sign work, but you obviously have a bias toward hand painted signs. Is the flickr site what you ...

Finished at last! The back cover is a very nice, understated complement to the front cover - which makes such a bold statement. I like the fact that it doesn't compete with the front (as if you could view front & back simultaneously) but it elegantly frames the song titles. (In the second photog...

I second what everyone else is saying. Nice work and great idea, Roderick. You and I talked last year (at Larry's place) about the importance of web marketing, which you seem to have been doing for quite a while. I hope it continues and you're able to keep the work-funnel full. It will be interestin...

Spencer, By all means, take Bruce up on his offer. He is a master craftsman, and any morsel you can learn from him will take you leaps and bounds. My suggestion to read and practice the hand lettering basics found on this site is an important element but there is no substitute for hands-on engagemen...

Hey, it's ALL ABOUT ME as this post has been near the top for several days! Kevin, thanks again for your input. That has been really helpful. I did try the PT Sans. I like the font better than Trebuchet but the weight seems to be a little light. I'm not a big fan of using a lot of light-colored text...

Kevin, Thanks so much for your constructive critique. That's an issue I've been somewhat aware of. It looks fine on my screen but the screenshot you sent is pretty terrible. Like I said, I just launched the site and need to tweak it. Probably should have worked out the bugs before going live. Dave -...

Wow. Thank you, Vance. I've looked at your website a few times and this thread could quickly become a mutual-admiration club! I've had a website for a number of years but it was basically a static, non-updated portfolio so I just had my site completely overhauled. I'm getting acquainted with the int...

Spencer, It's always great to see someone who is interested in the craft. You might begin by checking out some of the resources on this site. Go to the main page here: http://www.theletterheads.com/index.html Then start reading through the content. (I think I'll go back and review some of that mysel...

Aaron, You can rely on what Larry says (aka Wm. Blake). He's worked one or two framed glass wall signs. I remember having a similar question years ago. In some ways, it can be determined by the size of the final piece since since the larger you go, the thicker the glass. But 1/4" is a great all...

Nice of you to send this, Dave. Always somewhat daunting to face the critics, isn't it? McCormick acknowledged that you created a retro, rooted piece but in my view he missed forest for the trees. He passed over the cohesive design, use of color and iconic-period style that was masterfully executed ...

Mike has mentioned Lynda.com several times in the past. About a month ago I decided to look into it and discovered a storehouse of knowlege I've neglected for years. You can try it out for free for a week. There are over 1200 tutorials to which you have unlimited access for $25/month. I recommend do...

Dave, Yeah, I am a fan of his music. Not only his songwriting but the unique phrasing and rich tone in his voice all contribute to the beauty of his singer/songwriter style. I certainly hope he gets better. Had experience very recently with a family member who had granuloma after surgery and it was ...

I don't think anyone has alluded to this so far but according to this March 9th notice on his website, it looks like John Mayer's tour is cancelled because the granuloma in his throat has re-appeared. http://johnmayer.com/news/news-19004450899/ The album with Dave's artwork is still being released, ...

Agreed regarding the original hand drawings. It would be nice to have a cover with it done at that stage. Dave - I didn't mean to embarrass you or make you uncomfortable with my remark. It's just the way these things sometimes strike me. I have a number of people who inspire me and who I learn from;...

Dave, Well it's been a while since I visited the forum and, as usual, there are some gems I've missed out on - this one being the crown jewel! A a teenager back in 1968 when I saw Jimi Hendrix perform I felt like going home and burning my guitar. It wasn't in order to emulate Hendrix's signature per...

Dave, You've outdone yourself, again - despite all those bothersome curly thingies. Wish I could see it in person. I would love to see the other letters of the alphabet as well. I'm sure there are a lot of creative approaches. But there's nothing like gold on glass, especially when designed and exec...