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Hand Lettering Mess

Hand Lettering topics: Sign Making, Design, Fabrication, Letterheads, Sign Books.

Moderators: Ron Percell, Mike Jackson, Danny Baronian

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Aaron Aziz
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 2:08 am
Location: North Dakota (eastern)

Hand Lettering Mess

Post by Aaron Aziz »

So as has been the result whenever I pick up a brush, I am left with more questions and frustration then anything else. So does anybody want to buy a sign shop, going cheap this week ( just kidding) But seriously here are some of the question I am left with...
How far do I choke up on the brush?
What angle should I be have between by brush and my substrate?
Some body told me that " before you can become a hand letterer, you need to learn how to be a fill-in artist." Is this actually good advice?
Should I be able to see my substrate through my paint strokes? (one shot and coroplast)
Larry White
Posts: 1213
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 4:18 am

Re: Hand Lettering Mess

Post by Larry White »

Pierre Tardif from Canada has recently completed an instructional
brush lettering film. I believe it will be available at the end of the
month. If his instruction is as good as his lettering, it ought to be
a darn good video! Perhaps you should look into acquiring one.

The Abc of Sign Painting

Hey, good luck!
Larry White
That's enough for now... it's gettin' late
Town Of Machine
http://www.walljewelry.com
Mark Summers
Posts: 177
Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2009 4:03 pm
Location: Frisco, Co
Contact:

Re: Hand Lettering Mess

Post by Mark Summers »

Aaron, I call myself a graduate of the school of 'No Parking Signs'. So the name of the game is mileage. No other way to get around it.
You are going to have to stroke, stroke, stroke till that brush has a mind of it's own. One thing I might suggest is to hold the
brush very loosely. A common mistake is to hold the brush to tight maybe because you are a little tense. When I hold the brush
it is just shy of falling out of between my thumb and index finger. You are only experiencing what we've all been through. I fantasized
a 'quill' bondfire in the early days. Punched a few walls and cursed a bit. You'll get it. Just keep stroking.

Mark
Mark Summers
Posts: 177
Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2009 4:03 pm
Location: Frisco, Co
Contact:

Re: Hand Lettering Mess

Post by Mark Summers »

Here is something to look at from another board I post on. I think it says it all.

Mark
Attachments
Talent.jpg
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Doug Bernhardt
Posts: 1077
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:29 am
Location: Ottawa Canada
Contact:

Re: Hand Lettering Mess

Post by Doug Bernhardt »

A whole bunch of good advice. The video will be of help for sure....Pierre is excellent but lots of practice and stuff in the garbage bin is the order of the day. I cut my teeth on "fancy" shocards and no parking signs. Just keep plugging along
Tyler Tim
Posts: 209
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2012 12:12 am

Re: Hand Lettering Mess

Post by Tyler Tim »

Look around and see if you can find a copy of Bill Boley Basiks of Lettering.
Sure I paint thing for my amusement and then offer them for sale. A brushslinger could whither en die from lack of creativity in this plastic town my horse threw a shoe in. :shock:
Ron Berlier
Posts: 245
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 3:27 am

Re: Hand Lettering Mess

Post by Ron Berlier »

Though a bit pricey, here is a link to a couple of copies.
http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchR ... +Lettering

HTH
Ron Berlier
Wherever I go, there I am.
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