Sign Painter's Fantasy Camp

[Robare M. Novou]

Summer is fast approaching.

And so is this years "Sign Painter's Fantasy Camp".

But before I announce this years lineup, I would like to know who all is interested it attending.?

Also...who's allergic to campfires.? Last year a few attendees got burned. But that's another story for another time.

Please post if you are interested in attending.

And pleaseee...no more requests for "Pimp My Sign".! That was stupid to begin with.

Thank You.

[Lee Littlewood]

So what is "fantasy camp"?
Is it like fantasy baseball, where we can pick our team? I pick Rose Oatis as my team n, and the letter "L" as our mascot...

[Robare M. Novou]

Yes and No.

It's like Baseball Fantasy Camp.

Just like well known Ball Players teach the fundamentals and advanced techniques of being a good ball player, well respected Former and Current Sign Painters will play host to attendees wanting to learn the fundamentals and some tricks of the hand lettering trade.

For instance, instead of learning to stealing second or third base, you learn to steal a few pints of One Shot near the end of camp. I'm good at it, so I'll be teaching that part of it.

The rest, well, I haven't gotten the complete list of instructors together just yet. There are a few on the short list, and some have given a verbal confirmation...depending on the number of participants.

So Lee, can I add your name to the list of participants.?

RMN

[Larry White]

Whare?

[Kayla Wade]

Utah is nice this time of year.

[Robare M. Novou]

Utah is nice anytime of the year....most spectacular state to drive thru....love the scenery.

Almost ended up living there.

RMN

[Robare M. Novou]

Larry...

Put yer feet together, Close yer eyes, Now click your heels and repeat the following:

"There's no place like Sign Painters Fantasy Camp...There's no place like Sign Painters Fantasy Camp...There's no place like...."

RMN

[Kayla Wade]

Utah is nice anytime of the year....most spectacular state to drive thru....love the scenery.

Here here!


Seriously though, where and what exactly is this thing?

[Robare M. Novou]

These days there seems to be a rather large contingent of young adults wanting to learn the craft of hand lettering.

Bravo I say, Bravo.!

But who and where does one turn to for the knowledge of hand lettering.?

This site is a good start, plenty of quality advice on the hand lettering forum, as well as some of the other topic areas on this sites home page.

Like anything, it all starts with the basics.

Learning the trade and not the tricks will get you off to a good start.

You won't get great or good overnight. So have some patience.

Remembering that correct study and practice will get you there quicker.

Cutting corners won't cut it either.

Get yourself an old speedball lettering book, not a newer edition. The newer ones have been leaving out most of the fonts and stroke steps favored by hand lettering sign painters. Try to get an edition from the 50's, 60's, and/or 70's. They are cheap and plentiful...check out ebay for some good values.

Subscribe to Signcraft Magazine...a sign painters favorite in most sign shops. Good for a few layout ideas.

Watch some the hand lettering videos on YouTube. Make sure you watch the slow hand letterers. As that is how you will be doing it until your speed picks up.

Learn how to draw the letters by hand before you learn how to paint them by hand.

Post your progress photos here, for us to critique.

Attend a Local or National Letterhead meet.

Find someone in your area that can teach you, or a like minded apprentice that is looking for someone to study with.

I'd tell you how and where to buy brushes, but I want to see some hand drawn alphabets first.

Proper brush manipulation comes with practice.

And don't think about reinventing the wheel, what ever your little mind can come up with, remember... it's all been done before.

Stick the basic fonts...Block, Casual, Script, Thick-Thin, and maybe some Old English...maybe.

Once you are familiar and proficient with those fonts, the rest will be a piece of cake.

Oh, and one last thing, dedication...you got to be dedicated to this...none of this here today gone tomorrow B.S., OK.?

Now get out your pencil and get to it.

And if you are serious about "Sign Painters Fantasy Camp", I will put your name down on the participant list.

RMN

[Kayla Wade]

Yes sir!

[Tony Segale]

Where?

[Aaron Aziz]

I am interested but location definitely makes a difference.

[Robare M. Novou]

Live the Dream...Live the Fantazy...Sign Painter's Fantazy Camp.!!

[Larry White]

Exaybachay!....

(He who talks loud, saying nothing)

[Anna Frederick.]

this sounds amazing. i'd love to attend (as long as i'm able to based on when/where it is). i'm yet another newbie -- and have had a heck of a time finding anyone in my area to learn from. in the meantime, i've been stalking the forum here for quite some time, absorbing what i can -- but i have got to get some hands-on training from someone who actually knows what they're doing! and this sounds like a perfect answer to that.

[Dale Johnson]

I wanna go. Lets try to do it in FL sometime after September and it would be nice if it were near Daytona Beach. I have been to the Airbrush School in Orlando and did learn so much. But I need to learn lettering.