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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 104 matches

by Jay Allen
Thu Apr 04, 2013 2:26 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 30 - Chicago Heights, IL
Replies: 0
Views: 2861

Lincoln Highway mural number 30 - Chicago Heights, IL

Click the arrows on the right to play and you'll get a nice musical accompaniment!! Number 30 will be installed tomorrow in Chicago Heights, IL This story tells the story of Henry Ostermann, the Field Secretary for the LH . . . and here's his story: "Chicago Heights, an important stop on the Li...
by Jay Allen
Thu Apr 04, 2013 2:17 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 29 - Crest Hill, IL
Replies: 0
Views: 2464

Lincoln Highway mural number 29 - Crest Hill, IL

Click the arrows on the right to play and you'll get a nice musical accompaniment!! Number 29 will be installed tomorrow in Crest Hill, IL This story touts the achievements of women along the highway in its early years. Here are the stories as shown on the mural: "Anita King, a former race car ...
by Jay Allen
Thu Mar 28, 2013 4:28 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 28 - Franklin Grove, IL
Replies: 8
Views: 6005

Re: Lincoln Highway mural number 28 - Franklin Grove, IL

Well, thank you, Mark!! You've been supportive for the duration of the project, that's for sure!!

Almost done . . . 2 to paint - 2 to install - 1 went up today. Four long years . . . but seemed worth it when working with such talented friends/employees.

Blessed, one could say . . .!!
by Jay Allen
Tue Mar 19, 2013 5:06 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 28 - Franklin Grove, IL
Replies: 8
Views: 6005

Re: Lincoln Highway mural number 28 - Franklin Grove, IL

As with anyone put in a situation like that - with a legacy project - giving your all means you still have things to learn, Mark. So I learned a lot of new things as I went along . . . no question about it. Bill Hueg was integral in that added knowledge . . . Equally important was working with publi...
by Jay Allen
Tue Mar 19, 2013 8:58 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 28 - Franklin Grove, IL
Replies: 8
Views: 6005

Re: Lincoln Highway mural number 28 - Franklin Grove, IL

Thank you, Megan . . . It's been quite a journey these last 4 years . . .
by Jay Allen
Sat Mar 16, 2013 6:07 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 28 - Franklin Grove, IL
Replies: 8
Views: 6005

Lincoln Highway mural number 28 - Franklin Grove, IL

Time for a new slideshow since PhotoBucket's new site's slideshow feature isn't working yet... Click the sound button in the upper left of the image and you'll get a nice musical accompinament!! Number 28 will be installed in Franklin Grove, IL Here's the story of the Cloisonné pin, the two gentleme...
by Jay Allen
Wed Feb 06, 2013 10:51 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 27 - Mokena, IL
Replies: 8
Views: 5529

Re: Lincoln Highway mural number 27 - Mokena, IL

Well, thank you, 'Joe Chisel' . . .!!! It's been an eye opener in many ways.

Good hearing from you! It's been a long while since Milwaukee 2004 . . .
by Jay Allen
Tue Feb 05, 2013 10:15 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 27 - Mokena, IL
Replies: 8
Views: 5529

Re: Lincoln Highway mural number 27 - Mokena, IL

Erik . . . exactamundo! I have a willing source of publicity in local media (we all do - newspapers rely on businesspeople for their business news since most don't have many or any reporters now) so that is exactly what we have planned . . . A celebration of completion and a 'we're open for the sign...
by Jay Allen
Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:43 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 27 - Mokena, IL
Replies: 8
Views: 5529

Re: Lincoln Highway mural number 27 - Mokena, IL

Mister Masters!!! Good to hear from you, Bill . . .!! Thanks for the kind words!! That's high praise from a man of your skills. Please tell Janice I said 'hello' . . . Erik . . . Yes. Yes it is. Almost 'was' . . . and it saved me from going under in the downturn in the economy. 'Karma' for past good...
by Jay Allen
Wed Jan 30, 2013 11:47 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 27 - Mokena, IL
Replies: 8
Views: 5529

Lincoln Highway mural number 27 - Mokena, IL

Number 27 was installed in Mokena, IL yesterday. The mural depicts a tractor in front of the Cooper & Hostert Garage, owned by brothers-in-law Barney Hostert and Elmer Cooper. Beyond selling gasoline and repairing motor vehicles, the garage was the first Ford Agency in the area to sell Ford cars...
by Jay Allen
Wed Dec 05, 2012 4:47 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 26 - Matteson, IL
Replies: 0
Views: 2420

Lincoln Highway mural number 26 - Matteson, IL

Number 26 is about to be installed in Matteson, IL This one tells another story of a local garage - Mahler's Garage - and how instrumental the family was in how new roads such as the Lincoln Highway could provide them with a living - as they provided disabled automobile owner's with service. It actu...
by Jay Allen
Fri Oct 19, 2012 12:20 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 25 - Lynwood, IL
Replies: 5
Views: 3934

Re: Lincoln Highway mural number 25 - Lynwood, IL

Cheryl . . . 'cut-and'roll' by using computer cut masking will get you that precision, dear. Just 'shortcutting' things on a production job . . . Efficiency. So really this was just a freehand painting of the 3 pictorials. Even the small type on the Prest-O-Lite ad was computer generated, cut as a m...
by Jay Allen
Sat Oct 13, 2012 11:44 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 25 - Lynwood, IL
Replies: 5
Views: 3934

Re: Lincoln Highway mural number 25 - Lynwood, IL

Thank you, Ron . . . very much. It's been quite a learning experience . . . Getting to be a tad of a grind now as the final month's pass. By January or February we'll be done with designs, finishing painting and everything up by the end of March. I will then begin to slowly unwind with a moderate am...
by Jay Allen
Mon Oct 08, 2012 12:14 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 25 - Lynwood, IL
Replies: 5
Views: 3934

Lincoln Highway mural number 25 - Lynwood, IL

Number 25 is about to be installed in Lynwood, IL This one tells another story of Carl Fisher, the man who dreamed up the idea for a national transcontinental road . . . He also co-created the Dixie Highway, the Prestolite headlight company, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (shown in the small photo ...
by Jay Allen
Sun Jul 29, 2012 3:35 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 24 - Batavia, IL
Replies: 0
Views: 2423

Lincoln Highway mural number 24 - Batavia, IL

Number 24 is about to be installed in Batavia, IL This one tells another story about trolley cars . . . and their eventual demise due to the popularity and speed of automobiles . . . The photo they supplied is almost 'as is' - except I added a gentleman (that's debatable) in the front left . . . An ...
by Jay Allen
Wed Jun 06, 2012 9:19 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 23 - New Lenox, IL
Replies: 3
Views: 2837

Re: Lincoln Highway mural number 23 - New Lenox, IL

Thanks, Ron . . . thanks, Erik . . . Ron, Steve Berman (used to be with Chromatic) developed the most universally acceptable clear for the varied paints and methods with the CSX5000 clear he developed with Clearstar (now Marabu North America). We roll it on a 10' x 20' mural (5 Dibond panels) in les...
by Jay Allen
Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:44 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 23 - New Lenox, IL
Replies: 3
Views: 2837

Lincoln Highway mural number 23 - New Lenox, IL

Number 23 is about to be installed in New Lenox, IL This one tells the story of trolley cars . . . and their eventual demise due to the popularity and speed of automobiles . . . The photo they supplied showed the trolley car and another vehicle much farther back in the photo . . . we cropped in a di...
by Jay Allen
Fri Apr 27, 2012 5:16 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 22 - Park Forest, IL
Replies: 3
Views: 2676

Re: Lincoln Highway mural number 22 - Park Forest, IL

Well, you sort of have me there, Mark. It wasn't just painting values this time around . . .!! Thank you for your kind words again. Most appreciated!! But, to be brutally honest, the truth is that I was painting a painting of a painting . . . so someone else kinda did the 'heavy lifting' by establis...
by Jay Allen
Wed Apr 25, 2012 11:44 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 22 - Park Forest, IL
Replies: 3
Views: 2676

Lincoln Highway mural number 22 - Park Forest, IL

Number 22 is about to be installed in Park Forest, IL This one tells the story of why the Lincoln Highway was named after the former President . . . Seeing as how automobiles weren't around in Lincoln's day (if I have my history correct), the only real option was to paint a portrait - and tell the s...
by Jay Allen
Wed Feb 29, 2012 11:35 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 21 - Sauk Village, IL
Replies: 5
Views: 3499

Re: Lincoln Highway mural number 21 - Sauk Village, IL

Tony . . . that compliment means a lot coming from you, sir. You've been at this far longer than me. Thank you so much. But really, didn't I have the very best instructor? Hard to deny that . . . Huegy is simply amazing. You should see the 32" x 146 foot mural he did for our new Conservatory he...
by Jay Allen
Tue Feb 28, 2012 4:12 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 21 - Sauk Village, IL
Replies: 5
Views: 3499

Lincoln Highway mural number 21 - Sauk Village, IL

Number 21 is about to be installed in Sauk Village, IL This one tells the story of how the indian trails across our nation turned into paths and then into roads . . . and how sharing of the road often saw livestock blocking a vehicle's progress. The original photo didn't have a car in it so I superi...
by Jay Allen
Wed Dec 14, 2011 2:10 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 20 - Frankfort, IL
Replies: 9
Views: 5039

Re: Lincoln Highway mural number 20 - Frankfort, IL

Seagull, it's me in that photo - believe it or not. No pink clothing to be found you notice . . . and earphones should not be confused for an extension cord . . . they don't have to plug me in. I go like that anyway . . . And my 'art store' brush rack is actually a piece of HDU drilled to hold my 'l...
by Jay Allen
Wed Dec 14, 2011 1:27 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 20 - Frankfort, IL
Replies: 9
Views: 5039

Re: Lincoln Highway mural number 20 - Frankfort, IL

Erik . . . Want to know something absolutely true?? Bill Hueg still suffers from the paralyzation of fear each and every paint he undertakes. When I heard that I knew I would be OK. Keep high standards. Challenge yourself at everything - daily - to stay in 'practice'. Live to satisfy yourself FIRST ...
by Jay Allen
Wed Dec 14, 2011 11:27 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 20 - Frankfort, IL
Replies: 9
Views: 5039

Re: Lincoln Highway mural number 20 - Frankfort, IL

Erik . . . I'm 52 years old. What I have learned in my craft is patience - and to take things one step at a time. One, that way I don't break or pull anything . . . ;) Two, well, that sorta goes without saying . . . but it's what you do with any challenge . . . you forget fear and concentrate on the...
by Jay Allen
Tue Dec 13, 2011 6:02 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 20 - Frankfort, IL
Replies: 9
Views: 5039

Re: Lincoln Highway mural number 20 - Frankfort, IL

@Vance . . . probably confusing you because the white you see is actually the protective mask of the Dibond panels. We chuck in a Sharpie on the router (unplug the motor so it doesn't spin) and draw the border work - then Joe hand cuts it. The border was uncut but drawn in the first few photos - the...
by Jay Allen
Mon Dec 12, 2011 7:52 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 20 - Frankfort, IL
Replies: 9
Views: 5039

Lincoln Highway mural number 20 - Frankfort, IL

Number 20 is about to be installed in Frankfort, IL This one is another tribute to the Boy Scouts and their installation of 3,300 LH markers along the entire length of the road back in 1925 . . . as a tribute to Abraham Lincoln. This story was about the Eagle Scouts (and their escorts) that went on ...
by Jay Allen
Fri Sep 30, 2011 12:26 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 19. . . Oswego, IL
Replies: 7
Views: 4855

Re: Lincoln Highway mural number 19. . . Oswego, IL

Baronian . . . YOU BET this is shameless self-promotion!! Who else has deep enough pockets than other talented sign men and women to afford us and our work? My best clients are found here on this message board . . . so that's why I post this stuff!!! ;) To be truthful, as the original photo shows, t...
by Jay Allen
Fri Sep 30, 2011 9:28 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 19. . . Oswego, IL
Replies: 7
Views: 4855

Re: Lincoln Highway mural number 19. . . Oswego, IL

I've posted each one here since the first . . . though I can't recall if the first few were actual step-by-step's . . .

Thanks for the kind words, Mike. It's been a challenge . . .
by Jay Allen
Thu Sep 29, 2011 10:41 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 19. . . Oswego, IL
Replies: 7
Views: 4855

Re: Lincoln Highway mural number 19. . . Oswego, IL

Mike . . . My 'network' through my volunteer efforts locally is what brought this job to us. This project - once we got started - actually saved my business from an unknown fate - what with the economic downturn. Sales dried up for everyone, for the most part. Karma is a loooong train coming sometim...
by Jay Allen
Wed Sep 28, 2011 5:50 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Lincoln Highway mural number 19. . . Oswego, IL
Replies: 7
Views: 4855

Lincoln Highway mural number 19. . . Oswego, IL

Number 19 is now installed in Oswego, IL - a tribute to a the Boy Scouts and their installation of 3,300 LH markers along the entire length of the road back in 1925 . . . as a tribute to Abraham Lincoln. The concrete markers were all installed in one day . . . and work began with a signal from the B...