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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 1684 matches

by Mike Jackson
Mon May 20, 2013 6:14 pm
Forum: Annoucements
Topic: Tornado - Moore, OK
Replies: 1
Views: 9822

Re: Tornado - Moore, OK

Mark, I was glued to my TV for about an hour today. From all I can gather, the path went a few blocks south of the area that would have affected my Mom's house. It might have done some damage at my old shop, but I won't know that for a long time. I have another post in this forum on the topic, and w...
by Mike Jackson
Mon May 20, 2013 4:48 pm
Forum: Annoucements
Topic: Tornado through Moore, OK
Replies: 14
Views: 17726

Tornado through Moore, OK

Some people here probably went to the 1986 Oklahoma Bash in Moore, Oklahoma. I was watching CNN this afternoon when they started reporting a potential tornado in the south Oklahoma City area. I called my mom to make sure she was getting the alert. She was sitting on the front porch watching the skie...
by Mike Jackson
Sun May 19, 2013 11:28 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Outlaw Run Roller Coaster
Replies: 0
Views: 2668

Outlaw Run Roller Coaster

http://www.google.com/search?q=outlaw+run+roller+coaster&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=3KSZUeb-FqiOigK47oGwCw&sqi=2&ved=0CD0QsAQ&biw=1880&bih=973 The Travel Channel had a show on tonight called Future Scream Machines. It has a section on the Outlaw...
by Mike Jackson
Sat May 18, 2013 10:39 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Projectors
Replies: 10
Views: 7344

Re: Projectors

Kent, I believe there is a scene in the old Michelangelo movie where they were using a candle or lamp to cast a shadow of a human figure onto a wall. Someone was tracing the outlines of the shadow, and in another scene, you could see them punching holes in some sort of paper or hide. It has been a l...
by Mike Jackson
Thu May 16, 2013 9:02 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Projectors
Replies: 10
Views: 7344

Re: Projectors

Kayla, There are various "lines in the sand" in regards to what is actually "old school" or traditional. For example, is premixed paint cheating compared to having to mix our own colors with pigments and binders and dryers? How about using a table saw vs a hand saw? How about usi...
by Mike Jackson
Wed May 15, 2013 11:07 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Adobe going to Creative Cloud
Replies: 18
Views: 12196

Re: Adobe going to Creative Cloud

It is all a matter of perspective, I suppose. When the last suite came out, I had a charge on my credit card for over $700 for the one month. That was to update CS5 to CS6 Design and Web Premium Suite. That stings way worse than paying $600 spread out over the year (and that's after the first year. ...
by Mike Jackson
Wed May 15, 2013 10:28 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Practice Materials
Replies: 16
Views: 10852

Re: Practice Materials

Kayla, You can order prepainted 18x24 metal sign panels at most sign supply outfits. They are usually painted white on both sides and are usually not too expensive. The other alternative is to find a real estate company that went out of business or changed their name and check into getting a few of ...
by Mike Jackson
Tue May 14, 2013 5:20 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Yet another newbie.
Replies: 6
Views: 4485

Re: Yet another newbie.

Hi Kent,
I am ,let's say, 100% positive the Pratt and Lambert Duasol or Durasol product was on the market long before Steve Burman and Chromatic were in business. I learned of the product right after I started lettering in 1973. I think I still have a can of it in the cabinet. Will look later.
by Mike Jackson
Tue May 14, 2013 12:24 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Adobe going to Creative Cloud
Replies: 18
Views: 12196

Re: Adobe going to Creative Cloud

Doug, You are going to be a big winner in all of this. You can sign up for the Creative Cloud on a single program basis and get CS6 today for $10....(per month) and when CS7 (CC) comes out, it will not cost you another dime per month. Even after the first year, you get to keep updating it with all o...
by Mike Jackson
Sun May 12, 2013 6:10 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Yet another newbie.
Replies: 6
Views: 4485

Re: Yet another newbie.

Hello Aaron, Welcome to the Hand Lettering Forum. You are in good company here. If you already have Turpentine, you can start letting with the One-Shot today. Sope people prefer it over Mineral Spirits for thinning paint. It is usually more expensive, so people use Mineral Spirits to wash out their ...
by Mike Jackson
Tue May 07, 2013 10:06 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Photographing glass signs and mirrors
Replies: 13
Views: 8657

Re: Photographing glass signs and mirrors

glasslighting1.jpg Here's a very old shot I took in the garage. The sheet is a light amber color that gets reflected into the gold leaf on the sign. Roderick showed a similar setup with a black background. Knowing the burnished gold will reflect like a mirror, I'd probably opt for the lighter color...
by Mike Jackson
Tue May 07, 2013 9:27 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Adobe going to Creative Cloud
Replies: 18
Views: 12196

Re: Adobe going to Creative Cloud

Kelly,
Thanks for the update on my questions. Adding those to the mix certainly makes the monthly fee more tolerable.

Mike
by Mike Jackson
Tue May 07, 2013 9:25 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Practice Materials
Replies: 16
Views: 10852

Re: Practice Materials

Jon, The guy at the sign supply store has probably never painted a sign. The fact he sold you a gray quill and a water based paint might be a red flag. You are going to get advice here from people that have been painting signs for 20, 30, and 40 years that might be of more benefit to you. No matter ...
by Mike Jackson
Tue May 07, 2013 2:28 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Practice Materials
Replies: 16
Views: 10852

Re: Practice Materials

Jon, Ronan makes both the Aqua Coat (acrylic, water based) paints and regular lettering enamels and bulletin enamels. Normally, when you see the word enamel, it will be oil based and you thin with turps or mineral spirits. Occasionally, you will see house paint called Acrylic Enamel. Rest assured th...
by Mike Jackson
Tue May 07, 2013 10:02 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Adobe going to Creative Cloud
Replies: 18
Views: 12196

Re: Adobe going to Creative Cloud

I have the CS6 Design and Web Premium. I had to pay around $600 to update it last time from CS5. If they were to come out with CS7, it'd cost me another $600 or so. After the first year, I'd be paying about $600 to have the cloud version ($360 for the first year), so all in all, the costs might be a...
by Mike Jackson
Tue May 07, 2013 8:48 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Adobe going to Creative Cloud
Replies: 18
Views: 12196

Re: Adobe going to Creative Cloud

Robare, Even if someone is using a new release of the Creative Cloud ....call it version CC1...they can always save the file as a TIF and it will open in CS6. TIF can safe with layers, so you don't lose any of the features. There will be quite a few speed bumps on this transition. I suspect some wil...
by Mike Jackson
Mon May 06, 2013 11:35 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Midnight in Paris
Replies: 2
Views: 2479

Midnight in Paris

I watched Midnight in Paris a few months ago and enjoyed it. The movie was on again last week and I got to watch most of the middle of it. If you get a chance, you should catch it, too. In the story, a writer wanders around in Paris in the present day, but magically changes into "vintage" ...
by Mike Jackson
Mon May 06, 2013 11:03 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Adobe going to Creative Cloud
Replies: 18
Views: 12196

Re: Adobe going to Creative Cloud

I'll throw out a few tidbits on this topic. I need to read up more on it, but did some a while back to see if SignCraft would be interested in the article. Here's the current price for the entire Adobe Suite at B&H Photo and Video: Adobe Creative Suite 6 Master Collection for Windows $2250 Photo...
by Mike Jackson
Mon May 06, 2013 7:05 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Adobe going to Creative Cloud
Replies: 18
Views: 12196

Adobe going to Creative Cloud

http://www.macrumors.com/2013/05/06/ado ... ive-suite/

If this page is correct, Adobe will not offer a traditional version of CS7. We'll have to pay monthly to get the updated software from the "Cloud".

Mike Jackson
by Mike Jackson
Mon May 06, 2013 6:32 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Practice Materials
Replies: 16
Views: 10852

Re: Practice Materials

Hi Jon, Welcome to the forum! I learned with OneShot and Ronan lettering enamels using gray quills, usually painting on enamel coated old real estate sign blanks. Cheap and available. I'd say this is still the best way to go, but times are changing. Also, people use(d) poster paint on paper. Some of...
by Mike Jackson
Fri Apr 19, 2013 9:19 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Spam Emails...not sure what is going on.
Replies: 3
Views: 3005

Re: Spam Emails...not sure what is going on.

Yes, I delete them and add them to the block list. The emails don't have attachments or links—just a string of random words. I can't understand what benefit they get from sending them.
by Mike Jackson
Thu Apr 18, 2013 10:19 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Spam Emails...not sure what is going on.
Replies: 3
Views: 3005

Spam Emails...not sure what is going on.

CHAPTER XXVI, She aimed right for us. They talked low and earnest. I get a lot of emails with messages with just a bunch of jibberish similar to the one above. There are no links and no attachments. I wish I knew why they'd be sending them? Maybe it is just a way of checking to see if my email addr...
by Mike Jackson
Wed Mar 20, 2013 9:52 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: News From the American Sign Museum
Replies: 4
Views: 4308

Re: News From the American Sign Museum

Dale,
I will follow up on this later, but I am fairly sure Tod it still alive and working hard on the newest version of the American Sign Museum.

Mike Jackson
by Mike Jackson
Tue Mar 19, 2013 9:56 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Yard Stick font
Replies: 6
Views: 6293

Re: Yard Stick font

Aaron, The lower case characters for many scripts are often very similar. The upper case characters usually have the "style", so it'd be very difficult to know exactly what the rest of the letters would look like. I am attaching a screen grab of Script MT Bold which might help some. I thin...
by Mike Jackson
Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:57 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Yard Stick font
Replies: 6
Views: 6293

Re: Yard Stick font

Aaron,
Do you have any examples or photos of the yard stick font in use?
by Mike Jackson
Thu Mar 14, 2013 7:30 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: The $277,050 Calligrapher
Replies: 15
Views: 10763

Re: The $277,050 Calligrapher

Speaking as one of the administrators, I don't see a problem with Chuck's question. He simply asked which do you like better?...and not should they can the calligrapher? It might be implied to some extent, but it took other comments to bring that out. I suspect there are LOTS of calligraphers out th...
by Mike Jackson
Fri Feb 22, 2013 11:19 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: New to the forum, new to lettering...
Replies: 11
Views: 7759

Re: New to the forum, new to lettering...

Julio,
Your photos will work on this forum if you reduce the size down to 800 pixels or less. Right now, the ones I checked are 960 pixels and the forum software is rejecting them.

Mike Jackson
by Mike Jackson
Tue Feb 12, 2013 7:40 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Insurance Rant
Replies: 5
Views: 3937

Re: Insurance Rant

Follow Up: I called my claims agent about insurance on the lens when I shipped it back. With the equipment policy I have, loaner and rental equipment is covered while I am the responsible party. In this case, When Nikon receives the lens, my connection with the lens ends, but if UPS were to lose it ...
by Mike Jackson
Tue Feb 12, 2013 2:06 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Insurance Rant
Replies: 5
Views: 3937

Re: Insurance Rant

Dan, I understand if I ship a $65 item that fits in the same box and weighs the same as a $6500 item, there has to be a difference in the cost of shipping it. I get dizzy thinking about how many packages are shipped daily by both the Post Office and UPS that have insurance added to the service. Real...
by Mike Jackson
Mon Feb 11, 2013 2:41 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Insurance Rant
Replies: 5
Views: 3937

Re: Insurance Rant

The first $100 of insurance is free at UPS. I shipped a $6000 lens back to Nikon. Shipping was around $38 which was high enough. I paid an extra $10 for shipping on the next $1000, but opted not to pay for the insurance on the remaining $4900. That would have cost me another $78 for them to do their...