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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 1210 matches

by Larry White
Thu Feb 21, 2019 3:30 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 5
Replies: 2
Views: 13158

Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 5

I added an airbrushed black glaze around the pictorial border. It has added a needed contrast. Now I'll call it done! Thanks for following along. FinishedPhotoWeb.JPG Here it is in it's finished frame! God bless Rick Glawson for his enthusiastic rediscovery and sharing of this craft, without him, I ...
by Larry White
Thu Feb 21, 2019 3:30 pm
Forum: Hand Lettering Techniques and Step by Steps
Topic: Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 5
Replies: 1
Views: 9174

Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 5

I added an airbrushed black glaze around the pictorial border. It has added a needed contrast. Now I'll call it done! Thanks for following along. FinishedPhotoWeb.JPG Here it is in it's finished frame! God bless Rick Glawson for his enthusiastic rediscovery and sharing of this craft, without him, I ...
by Larry White
Thu Feb 21, 2019 3:11 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 4
Replies: 1
Views: 12558

Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 4

Step 8 - Rendering Secondary Copy HBN-Step8-1.JPG I water gilded 18K gold and Paladium leaf, then back painted the copy. I took my original layout drawing and scanned the various text. I then ran the Corel Trace function on the bitmap image, giving me a vector file. After a bit of tweeking of the f...
by Larry White
Thu Feb 21, 2019 3:11 pm
Forum: Hand Lettering Techniques and Step by Steps
Topic: Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 4
Replies: 1
Views: 9092

Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 4

Step 8 - Rendering Secondary Copy HBN-Step8-1.JPG I water gilded 18K gold and Paladium leaf, then back painted the copy. I took my original layout drawing and scanned the various text. I then ran the Corel Trace function on the bitmap image, giving me a vector file. After a bit of tweeking of the f...
by Larry White
Thu Feb 21, 2019 3:09 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 3
Replies: 0
Views: 17676

Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 3

HBN-Step5-6.JPG The line work is "over run" at the ends and then trimmed back to leave a sharp corner. HBN-Step5-7.JPG This shows the "over run" ends after they have been trimmed back. HBN-Step5-8.JPG And, here it is from the front. HBN-Step5-9.JPG Here it is from the front. The...
by Larry White
Thu Feb 21, 2019 3:09 pm
Forum: Hand Lettering Techniques and Step by Steps
Topic: Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 3
Replies: 0
Views: 11017

Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 3

HBN-Step5-6.JPG The line work is "over run" at the ends and then trimmed back to leave a sharp corner. HBN-Step5-7.JPG This shows the "over run" ends after they have been trimmed back. HBN-Step5-8.JPG And, here it is from the front. HBN-Step5-9.JPG Here it is from the front. The...
by Larry White
Thu Feb 21, 2019 2:58 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 2
Replies: 0
Views: 17602

Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 2

HBN-scrollwrork.jpg I then proceeded to water gild the robbon in Rouge Gold. Water gilding over embossed varnish is much like gilding over glue chipping as it takes a couple water gilds, then needs to be finished with a surface gild. It's difficult to get the gold to fully go down into the embossed...
by Larry White
Thu Feb 21, 2019 2:58 pm
Forum: Hand Lettering Techniques and Step by Steps
Topic: Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 2
Replies: 0
Views: 10934

Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 2

HBN-scrollwrork.jpg I then proceeded to water gild the robbon in Rouge Gold. Water gilding over embossed varnish is much like gilding over glue chipping as it takes a couple water gilds, then needs to be finished with a surface gild. It's difficult to get the gold to fully go down into the embossed...
by Larry White
Thu Feb 21, 2019 2:45 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 1
Replies: 1
Views: 12936

Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 1

HBN-Web.JPG I saw this wonderful image as I was looking through my Letterheads magazines. It was rather small, but I was able to get a larger version. Looks to me like it would make a very nice reverse glass sign. Defining Design Elements - The first thing that caught my eye with this one was the f...
by Larry White
Thu Feb 21, 2019 2:45 pm
Forum: Hand Lettering Techniques and Step by Steps
Topic: Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 1
Replies: 1
Views: 9286

Hamilton Bank Note reverse glass sign, Step-by-Step Part 1

HBN-Web.JPG I saw this wonderful image as I was looking through my Letterheads magazines. It was rather small, but I was able to get a larger version. Looks to me like it would make a very nice reverse glass sign. Defining Design Elements - The first thing that caught my eye with this one was the f...
by Larry White
Mon Oct 17, 2016 11:10 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Reference material
Replies: 3
Views: 4584

Re: Reference material

Back in 2013, we did this piece as a meet project. Mr. Dickinson talked about doing a train piece, so I put this artwork together. I referenced Rick's "Pier Pale Ale" for the "End of the Line" letters as a tribute to him. EndOfTheLineWeb.jpg David Trujillo is alive and well and l...
by Larry White
Tue Oct 11, 2016 4:52 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Interesting Split Shade Technique...
Replies: 16
Views: 16372

Re: Interesting Split Shade Technique...

Correct...the green glaze was "brush blended" in a fading technique over the entire open shade area.That's what produces the fading green color. This was the only glaze color used. After it was dry, the opaque red was applied. What you see is the true red color and the changing of the red ...
by Larry White
Fri Oct 07, 2016 11:48 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Interesting Split Shade Technique...
Replies: 16
Views: 16372

Re: Interesting Split Shade Technique...

Close...it actually went more like this.... 1) Cut glass, nip the edge, then drill the holes (if you drill the holes prior to nipping the edge, there will be a weak spot at the hole and the stress of nipping could break the glass at that weak spot) 2) Apply computer cut mask of the lettering brightl...
by Larry White
Wed Sep 21, 2016 11:58 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Interesting Split Shade Technique...
Replies: 16
Views: 16372

Re: Interesting Split Shade Technique...

Its transparent screen ink in varnish.
by Larry White
Wed Sep 21, 2016 11:31 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Interesting Split Shade Technique...
Replies: 16
Views: 16372

Re: Interesting Split Shade Technique...

A gang of us descended upon Ron Percell's Micro Meet
up in Petaluma, CA. Figured it best I bring my own project,
and I thought it would be a good idea to finish this one up quick....
FinishEmUpWeb.jpg
FinishEmUpWeb.jpg (85.17 KiB) Viewed 15817 times
FinishEmUpWebDetail.jpg
FinishEmUpWebDetail.jpg (113.64 KiB) Viewed 15816 times
I executed it as described at the beginning of this post.
by Larry White
Fri Sep 16, 2016 5:40 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Interesting Split Shade Technique...
Replies: 16
Views: 16372

Re: Interesting Split Shade Technique...

6 years ago, I mentioned I might like to try this shading style someday....
That day is tomorrow....but we do it MY way!
by Larry White
Fri Sep 16, 2016 2:05 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Original Dead Men
Replies: 686
Views: 2082287

Re: Original Dead Men

Did up this little ditty of one of our Dead Men mottoes... Got the frame with the 100+ year old glass in it at an estate sale for $50. KYLBHdoneweb.jpg Did a slightly smaller version which now hangs in the Esoteric Gold Company studios. KeepYourLovingBrotherHappy2web.jpg Up next is a companion piece...
by Larry White
Fri Sep 16, 2016 1:47 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: The Forum vs Facebook
Replies: 13
Views: 12464

Re: The Forum vs Facebook

I'll second that! This site has always been a great source for information and sharing knowledge. It has remained my home page, but I haven't posted here as much as I have in the past. I will follow your leader and participate a bit more here. In reality, I don't really care too much for FB, aka &qu...
by Larry White
Thu Jun 23, 2016 11:08 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Glass gilding easel and shop setup
Replies: 4
Views: 6075

Re: Glass gilding easel and shop setup

Check out the easels in use at the Esoteric Gold Company. Esoteric Gold Co. FB page The glass is put into a slotted wood frame with a bolt and wing nut sticking out at the mid point of the side pieces. These bolts fit into a "U" channel in the metal upright support pieces. The metal suppor...
by Larry White
Wed Feb 24, 2016 12:20 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: The printed image on the signs
Replies: 4
Views: 5659

Re: The printed image on the signs

The pictorial is a painting on canvas. It is not printed on the glass. The painting was cut to fit the open window in the glass. Both the glass and the painting were coated with varnish. With the glass face up, the painting was positioned into the window from the underside. Starting from the center ...
by Larry White
Fri Feb 05, 2016 12:45 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Mica for acid etched glass
Replies: 1
Views: 5234

Re: Mica for acid etched glass

EtchTexturesWeb.jpg Yes, the muscovite mica in flake form is what you want to use with HF acid etching. As pictured above, the ground mica flakes are screened to various sizes to create different textures. It is always best to screen the dust out of the flakes. The flakes I purchased were screened ...
by Larry White
Wed Jan 27, 2016 11:26 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Signcraft Magazine...
Replies: 1
Views: 3307

Signcraft Magazine...

Does anyone out there have any old Signcraft Magazines,
collecting dust in a corner, that they would like to pass on
to a young inspiring sign artist?

That would be swell.

-Thanks!
by Larry White
Wed Jan 20, 2016 11:35 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Mirror glass. Questions on technology
Replies: 7
Views: 7703

Re: Mirror glass. Questions on technology

The Hand Lettering Forum has an international flare....I like it!
by Larry White
Thu Jan 14, 2016 1:37 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Pittsburg Safe Co graphics reference
Replies: 2
Views: 3934

Re: Pittsburg Safe Co graphics reference

Try looking up John Arnott on So. Cal...
he's done a number of these safe restorations.
by Larry White
Mon Jan 11, 2016 12:00 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Mirror glass. Questions on technology
Replies: 7
Views: 7703

Re: Mirror glass. Questions on technology

You basically have 2 choices:

1) Silver the glass with silvering solution. http://angelgilding.com/kits-chemicals/ ... ilver.html

-or-

2) Create a silver mirror by water gilding silver leaf, or 12K gold leaf.
by Larry White
Wed Sep 16, 2015 10:40 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: "Modern" lettering brushes
Replies: 3
Views: 4349

Re: "Modern" lettering brushes

I have purchased some brushes from Scharff Brushes, they all seam to be pretty good.
Scharff Sign Painting Brushes

Letterhead Sign Supply, and TCPGlobal are also good sources. Of course, knowing what
you want to do will make selecting brushes easier.
by Larry White
Mon Sep 14, 2015 10:45 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Help ID'ing a font
Replies: 3
Views: 4363

Re: Help ID'ing a font

Looks like it might just be hand drawn for that sign.
You could try http://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/
to assist in finding something close.

Good luck...
by Larry White
Mon Dec 08, 2014 11:24 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Christmas / Holiday Images : Add your images here!
Replies: 2
Views: 4140

Re: Christmas / Holiday Images : Add your images here!

Here's a Merry Christmas sign I made about 20 years ago....