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 18 matches

by Frank Smith
Wed May 18, 2016 8:11 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: "Tennis elbow" from lettering?
Replies: 4
Views: 5015

Re: "Tennis elbow" from lettering?

Joe, one of the best things you can do is sign your work like other artists because you are one!
by Frank Smith
Mon Feb 01, 2016 12:36 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Question to the forum participants
Replies: 1
Views: 2592

Re: Question to the forum participants

Beautiful! I would draw and make art like that all day long if there was enough demand for it.
by Frank Smith
Thu Oct 22, 2015 11:02 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Letter Head Fonts
Replies: 1
Views: 2582

Re: Letter Head Fonts

Another source is The Fontry. Mike is a signmaker, himself, and a perfectionist about crafting and kerning. I find his Atkinson font collection and Becker font collection especially useful.
by Frank Smith
Sun Nov 16, 2014 9:20 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Advice on Signing Work
Replies: 3
Views: 3764

Re: Advice on Signing Work

My best advice is to develop a signature and a legible one.
It can be used to brand you and your work.
http://albanysigns.com/sites/default/fi ... nner_0.jpg
by Frank Smith
Sat May 17, 2014 6:55 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Pulled Ferrule off of handle.
Replies: 6
Views: 5460

Re: Pulled Ferrule off of handle.

Glues are great and I've used them for 30+ years, until this year. Now I've found something that's quicker to apply, easier to apply and has no drying time. It's duct tape— the thin shiny metal kind, not the cloth kind. It's thin enough to not interfere with my grip. I don't know anyone else who use...
by Frank Smith
Mon Sep 09, 2013 5:38 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Looking for good software advice.
Replies: 25
Views: 19692

Re: Looking for good software advice.

The easy way to zoom in Corel is with a scroll mouse— just use the scroll wheel to zoom in and out. You can simultaneously move the mouse forward, back, left and right to pan around.
by Frank Smith
Fri Sep 07, 2012 7:38 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: lettering enamel over wood grain
Replies: 4
Views: 3824

Re: lettering enamel over wood grain

What Joe says is absolutely right and sometimes I've done it the same way, right down to the same brand. Lately, I've been persuading people to go with another way if the sun will be insisting on wrecking the urethane, though. Faux woodgrain on MDO with acrylic housepaint. The cans say "Lifetim...
by Frank Smith
Fri Jul 16, 2010 7:56 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Xacto knife blades
Replies: 5
Views: 3292

Re: Xacto knife blades

:? They're also known as exac-toes in honor of their favorite landing pad.
by Frank Smith
Wed Mar 10, 2010 12:21 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: History Channel - 'Pawn Stars'
Replies: 6
Views: 4040

Re: History Channel - 'Pawn Stars'

Don't worry about getting to see it... they rerun Pawn Stars a lot. I'll sure look a lot closer next time Estrella comes around.
by Frank Smith
Thu Jan 14, 2010 8:46 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: What constitutes sharing of fonts?
Replies: 8
Views: 5249

Re: What constitutes sharing of fonts?

This constitutes sharing of fonts: http://www.fontspace.com/the-fontry/fha-eccentric-french A limited character version of Eccentric French is now free for non-commercial use. http://www.fontspace.com/gallery/690x400/3/59b0c85b42544469a22c7ac60fac0ecd.jpg It's legit; we hope to sell a few more full ...
by Frank Smith
Thu Jan 14, 2010 8:27 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Tips on Creating More Business, or being more efficient
Replies: 1
Views: 1474

Re: Tips on Creating More Business, or being more efficient

We get all in one service from Road Runner and everything works great; the credit card terminal (omni 3200) has no problems with it, don't know what I'd do without it. We saved a small fortune by weaning ourselves from the 3 yellow books here in Albany. New business comes from having a great website...
by Frank Smith
Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:43 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Do you accept credit cards !
Replies: 6
Views: 3257

Re: Do you accept credit cards !

Just get the cc # over the phone with the expiration date, security #, and the name on the card. Then key the info into your terminal as it prompts you. Next time you phone order something with your cc, take note of how they ask for each piece of info and what their general manner is. It's pretty ea...
by Frank Smith
Sun Jun 21, 2009 11:32 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Imatation Smaltz???? Whadaya think?
Replies: 2
Views: 1928

Re: Imatation Smaltz???? Whadaya think?

I like it. I rarely roll paint on, but usually brush it, often quite thick. You might also offer a "Florentine Swirl" paint texture. The secret, if any, is to be uniformly random in the swirls; it comes easily to me, the hand/wrist motions being similar to painting or sketching other rando...
by Frank Smith
Sun Jun 21, 2009 11:32 am
Forum: Hand Lettering Gallery
Topic: Imatation Smaltz???? Whadaya think?
Replies: 2
Views: 8571

Re: Imatation Smaltz???? Whadaya think?

I like it. I rarely roll paint on, but usually brush it, often quite thick. You might also offer a "Florentine Swirl" paint texture. The secret, if any, is to be uniformly random in the swirls; it comes easily to me, the hand/wrist motions being similar to painting or sketching other rando...
by Frank Smith
Mon Apr 20, 2009 7:32 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: What constitutes sharing of fonts?
Replies: 8
Views: 5249

Re: What constitutes sharing of fonts?

Roderick, thank you, I enjoy seeing my Pablo portrait every day in a corner of my studio. I priced it like he would, so it may not sell anytime soon. Maybe I should add a separate webpage of just the odd vinyl stuff I make... Bobbie- pen & ink, of all the media, is my truest passion, sometimes. ...
by Frank Smith
Mon Apr 20, 2009 6:43 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: What constitutes sharing of fonts?
Replies: 8
Views: 5249

Re: What constitutes sharing of fonts?

Welcome here, Dave, I'm somewhat new here too. I looked up your work online it really got me thinking about how us creative folks find the niches we do. Anyway, the Eccentric French font you're going to use for the Royal Wedding envelope is one of my favorites. It was originally published in 1909. H...
by Frank Smith
Mon Feb 16, 2009 10:02 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Questions concerning fonts...
Replies: 6
Views: 4220

Re: Questions concerning fonts...

What these fonts need is to become families, I think. Much easier said than done. I'd love to make a condensed version of Eccentric French, and then an italic of both the regular and condensed versions. First, I'd need the software, then learn the software, then find the time outside of work and fam...
by Frank Smith
Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:40 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Old Grumbacher handle-less quills
Replies: 10
Views: 6754

I use both oil and water paints and old handles aren't always very good- the oil or water both get into the wood eventually and it rots. I buy dollar store brushes just for the handles.