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.

Search found 324 matches

by Dan Seese
Mon Mar 30, 2015 11:20 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: bubbles in reverse painted black
Replies: 7
Views: 8331

Re: bubbles in reverse painted black

So, I'm still trying to understand. You say, ". . . it started to bubble in the black area where the gold was. " and then you say, "No bubbling in the water gilding at all." So is it bubbling where the gold overlapped onto the back of the black but it's not bubbling in where it's...
by Dan Seese
Mon Mar 30, 2015 1:41 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: bubbles in reverse painted black
Replies: 7
Views: 8331

Re: bubbles in reverse painted black

Rod, I'm a little confused since in your initial post you said the bubbles are in the paint but later you clarify that it's in the gold and not the paint. So am I correct in assuming that there are NO bubbles strictly where the black paint shows but ONLY where you've water gilded and backed it up? I...
by Dan Seese
Thu Mar 12, 2015 11:47 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Pock marks in matte centers
Replies: 30
Views: 50879

Re: Pock marks in matte centers

Andrew, The glass door I'm referring to - where the black panel turned grey - faces east. I think I may have brushed around the letters first using OneShot or Japan Color and then rolled LSS Back Up Black in the panel. (Honestly can't recall exactly.) See photo: Austins gray.jpg The windows I've bee...
by Dan Seese
Wed Mar 11, 2015 7:45 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Pock marks in matte centers
Replies: 30
Views: 50879

Re: Pock marks in matte centers

Andrew, My reason for not using LSS back up black for outlining is that I have some work out there where the black has faded and gotten an unsightly gray over a few years' time. I don't often keep a very good record of what I did on specific jobs but I'm pretty sure I had been using the LSS backup b...
by Dan Seese
Tue Mar 10, 2015 11:35 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Pock marks in matte centers
Replies: 30
Views: 50879

Re: Pock marks in matte centers

Andrew, On this particular job I used a paint mask. My order of operations, in a nutshell: Obviously I clean the window several times with Bon-ami. Apply the mask to the glass. (In my shop, before applying transfer tape to the mask, I weed out the black outlines and shadows.) I brush the outlines &a...
by Dan Seese
Tue Mar 10, 2015 11:21 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: 1st Glass work
Replies: 2
Views: 3429

Re: 1st Glass work

Nice reverse painted pictorials, David!
by Dan Seese
Thu Mar 05, 2015 8:13 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Pock marks in matte centers
Replies: 30
Views: 50879

Re: Pock marks in matte centers

Thanks to everyone who contributed your insights here. It's been an education. Doug, when I apply heat I'm mostly moving the heat gun back and forth to provide warm air-flow to speed up the drying. I don't think it's an inadvertent amount of heat, but that could definitely be a factor if I got thing...
by Dan Seese
Fri Feb 27, 2015 11:37 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Pock marks in matte centers
Replies: 30
Views: 50879

Re: Pock marks in matte centers

OK, I haven't trashed my One Shot Fast Size yet so I'll give that a try. But it won't last that long anyway, as you've noted in its tendency to skin over almost instantly. Regarding the pock marks in the matte centers - I have just a bit of push-back on further reflection: The marks showed up only a...
by Dan Seese
Thu Feb 26, 2015 4:27 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Pock marks in matte centers
Replies: 30
Views: 50879

Re: Pock marks in matte centers

I think you may have put your finger on the problem, Pat. The first window I did was just fine. I used Gilder's Fast Gold Size (from Letterhead Sign Supply) mixed with LeFranc slow size. It worked great. When I got to the second window, where I experienced the problem, I was getting to the bottom of...
by Dan Seese
Thu Feb 26, 2015 9:24 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Pock marks in matte centers
Replies: 30
Views: 50879

Re: Pock marks in matte centers

Hey, Pat. I used One Shot Fast Size with some LeFranc Slow Size mixed in to extend the open time. Here in dry Colorado, that open time can go off pretty quick - which it did. (I don't recall how long it was but it wasn't quite long enough for my liking.) After both the matte & burnished gilds we...
by Dan Seese
Wed Feb 25, 2015 11:22 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Pock marks in matte centers
Replies: 30
Views: 50879

Pock marks in matte centers

I just completed a couple of gold leaf windows and noticed on one of the windows that some of the 16kt matte centers have little pock marks in them. Has anyone ever run into this? I have a theory as to what caused it but wanted to see if anyone else has had this happen. It doesn't look bad unless yo...
by Dan Seese
Tue Feb 17, 2015 1:27 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lettering on corrugated metal
Replies: 4
Views: 6425

Re: Lettering on corrugated metal

Thanks, Andrew and Pat, for taking the time to respond! Pat - I always like to see how your brain works. This is an interior ceiling in a restaurant and relatively small letters on large corrugation. Breeze won't be a problem but magnets might be useful . . . unless it's aluminum. Andrew - Prior to ...
by Dan Seese
Wed Feb 11, 2015 6:02 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lettering on corrugated metal
Replies: 4
Views: 6425

Lettering on corrugated metal

I have a project coming up in a couple of weeks where I need to do some basic helvetica lettering on a corrugated ceiling. The letters aren't that tall ranging from 8" - 15". The corrugation is really deep with the peaks & valleys each being about 2". It's been a long time since I...
by Dan Seese
Wed Oct 15, 2014 7:55 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Vault Door Restoration Needed
Replies: 3
Views: 3776

Re: Vault Door Restoration Needed

This is helpful information, Bruce & John - whether I end up doing it or someone else. This is almost 500 miles from my place. I've done vault doors both on location as well as removing them and restoring them in my shop. Doing it on location brings a multitude of problems, and unfortunately, th...
by Dan Seese
Sun Oct 12, 2014 5:05 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Vault Door Restoration Needed
Replies: 3
Views: 3776

Vault Door Restoration Needed

I was contacted by some folks in Spencer, Nebraska who are looking for someone who could restore some old vault doors in a 1906 bank building. It needs to be completed before the middle of November and done on location since it's a working bank. I'm not sure if I can fit this into my schedule but th...
by Dan Seese
Sun Oct 12, 2014 4:56 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: OFFICIAL LOCATION OF INTERNATIONAL LETTERHEADS 2015
Replies: 14
Views: 12547

Re: OFFICIAL LOCATION OF INTERNATIONAL LETTERHEADS 2015

Sign me up for your seminar, Bruce!
(a priori)
by Dan Seese
Thu Oct 09, 2014 12:55 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Black Lion Pub London
Replies: 3
Views: 3675

Re: Black Lion Pub London

Absolutely heartbreaking, Doug. This sign & the Salisbury & Bath House blew me away when I first saw them in Schwartaman's "DESIGNAGE" book. (Well, just about everything in that book blows me away.) Now I'm sorry I missed this one while in London last year (too much to take in duri...
by Dan Seese
Wed Sep 17, 2014 4:17 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Mike Reilley
Replies: 4
Views: 4407

Re: Mike Reilley

Thank you, Mike & Kent, for letting us know about Mike Reilley's recent death. I didn't know him real well, but I always enjoyed interacting with him - preparing for the '95 meet and periodically discussing our career twists & turns through the years. His enthusiasm portrayed the heart of a ...
by Dan Seese
Thu Jul 31, 2014 7:42 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Reverse job on double-glazed windows
Replies: 5
Views: 5208

Re: Reverse job on double-glazed windows

Looks great, Lorenzo! Nicely executed.
by Dan Seese
Thu May 08, 2014 8:53 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: OFFICIAL LOCATION OF INTERNATIONAL LETTERHEADS 2015
Replies: 14
Views: 12547

Re: OFFICIAL LOCATION OF INTERNATIONAL LETTERHEADS 2015

Just saw this! So, Mark, reason prevails! I was looking forward to the Vegas meet but as I think about it, I'm not sure you would have survived. :wink: The Sign Museum sounds like a perfect venue providing the opportunity to attend a momentous meet and to experience the museum. Many thanks to Tod &a...
by Dan Seese
Thu Mar 13, 2014 2:34 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Graffiti on Historic Ghost Sign
Replies: 8
Views: 6989

Re: Graffiti on Historic Ghost Sign

Thanks Larry! Great advice. I'll suggest that but somehow I don't think that's the answer they're looking for. :? (And thankfully there are people, beyond sign painters, who are interested in preserving these moments in time.) Pat - you've made some good observations here (with your empirical habits...
by Dan Seese
Thu Mar 13, 2014 12:42 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Graffiti on Historic Ghost Sign
Replies: 8
Views: 6989

Graffiti on Historic Ghost Sign

I just received a phone call from the Fort Collins Historic Preservation planner informing me that a ghost sign had been tagged. She emailed this rough photo of the vandalism. graffiti.jpg Her question was if I know how to remove this without damaging the sign underneath. I have an over-the-counter ...
by Dan Seese
Mon Mar 10, 2014 11:19 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Pat Mackle in the News
Replies: 3
Views: 4074

Re: Pat Mackle in the News

Thanks for the link, Erik. Pat is the definitely the man who can take care of this for them. Better than sandblasting bricks, right Pat? And speaking of bricks: Though the vandalism of this historic artifact is no laughing matter, I've had to re-do some vandalized gilded window signs in the past and...
by Dan Seese
Fri Feb 14, 2014 3:08 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: La Belle Miette
Replies: 11
Views: 9340

Re: La Belle Miette

Hey Bruce,

Superb work, as always.

Thanks for making my day!
by Dan Seese
Tue Jan 28, 2014 10:34 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: In Memoriam - Starr Bright
Replies: 8
Views: 8468

Re: In Memoriam - Starr Bright

I never met her but had heard of her. I'm so sorry you lost a friend like this.

Life is short and frail for each of us, isn't it?

Thank you, Robare, for letting us know.
by Dan Seese
Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:52 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Alf Becker alphabets
Replies: 10
Views: 10316

Re: Alf Becker alphabets

Lee, that looks like a fantastic book!
Terry, I think these are the scans you're looking for but mine are probably just as bad as yours.
I got mine from Joe Broxterman and they're likely part of the same collection of copies from ST.
by Dan Seese
Wed Dec 18, 2013 8:39 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Dublin signwriters short film
Replies: 16
Views: 13025

Re: Dublin signwriters short film

Well, here's a slight diversion from the topic about the film (which, proud of my Irish heritage, I had particular pleasure watching) but I'm picking up on Pat's comment about the exterior lettering on windows in Georgetown. A couple of years ago my wife and I were visiting Georgetown. We stopped in...
by Dan Seese
Mon Dec 16, 2013 9:47 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: A Christmas Gift
Replies: 2
Views: 2692

Re: A Christmas Gift

Nice sign too, Bob. I especially like your treatment of the dimensional element at the top.
by Dan Seese
Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:20 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Magic Eraser for excess gold removal
Replies: 13
Views: 12069

Re: Magic Eraser for excess gold removal

Andrew, Thanks for breaking your silence by sharing with us a great tip. I'll give it a try. I've found a small amount of "Splash" on cotton also works well for gold removal (something John Studden showed me). Doing those transom addresses and trying to match the original style - looks lik...
by Dan Seese
Tue Dec 03, 2013 11:21 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: New Guy - Returning
Replies: 3
Views: 2587

Re: New Guy - Returning

Welcome, Rob. (Welcome back!) Activity on the forum ebbs & flows but if you stick around long enough (and delve into the archives) you'll find a wealth of knowledge and generous camaraderie. Looking forward to what you'll bring to the table as well, since the diversity here continues to expand. ...