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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 1684 matches

by Mike Jackson
Fri May 21, 2004 5:44 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Silvering!
Replies: 7
Views: 6812

Catharine, I seldom get commercial quality, edge to edge, perfect silvering. Heck, I doubt I ever got one of those. Normally, I will have and inch to two inches of border in paint, so I always know I have a little room for flaws. Also, on most sign designs, you end up with very little mirroring show...
by Mike Jackson
Tue May 18, 2004 9:55 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Angel Gild?
Replies: 3
Views: 4785

Hi Raymond, Let's see...you live in Texas. Hotter than the bowels of .. Right? Yep, you better keep 'em refrigerated or at least in an air conditioned room. I have to worry about my chemicals freezing in the winter. http://www.ebottles.com/bottles/catimages/aroma.jpg http://www.ebottles.com/bottles/...
by Mike Jackson
Sat May 01, 2004 3:07 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: glue chippng To leave the mask or not
Replies: 7
Views: 6990

Roderick, You must have spoken with Danny Baronian today and I just talked to him on the phone. He said you were squirting the glue on the glass and not pouring it....however....most of my responses today and last night were directed at the steps you outlined below. I AM COATING THE GLASS WITH ASPLA...
by Mike Jackson
Sat May 01, 2004 10:08 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: glue chippng To leave the mask or not
Replies: 7
Views: 6990

Roderick, IF you used asphaltum, covered it with stencil, and frosted the glass, then poured glue in the frosted areas and cut along the edge of the stencil at the right time, you will not have any more or any less plinking caused by anything to do with the asphaltum being there or not. The glue wil...
by Mike Jackson
Sat May 01, 2004 12:12 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: glue chippng To leave the mask or not
Replies: 7
Views: 6990

Roderick, Please use Upper Case / Lower Case on your posts....just a courtesy to the rest of us. Please go back up an re-read what I wrote in the last post. It explains the two versions in a nutshell each. You don't need asphaltum if you pour the glue while the stencil is still on. IF you use asphal...
by Mike Jackson
Fri Apr 30, 2004 10:37 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Origins of Glue Chip Glass
Replies: 19
Views: 18960

Tom, Rick Glawson had that kind of curiosity...had to find out how and why along with when. I have a little of that in me, but not to that extent. There might be a few variables to consider. I know animal hide glue has been around a long time and the page I linked to earlier indicates various forms ...
by Mike Jackson
Fri Apr 30, 2004 10:22 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Origins of Glue Chip Glass
Replies: 19
Views: 18960

Tom, Maybe you should "start" your search on this topic at the introduction of "commercial glass". http://gom.mse.iastate.edu/Complete/NonFrames/History.htm Here are a couple of lines from that site: 1800 - Industrial revolution dawns a new era in glass manufacturing. "Synth...
by Mike Jackson
Fri Apr 30, 2004 10:13 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: glue chippng To leave the mask or not
Replies: 7
Views: 6990

Roderick, Sounds like you are mixing the two techniques. No need to use asphaltum at all if you leave the stencil on until you pour the glue. If using the asphaltum method, you normally remove the stencil right away and use a squirt bottle filled with warm glue. The glue goes onto the frosted areas ...
by Mike Jackson
Mon Apr 26, 2004 2:46 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Origins of Glue Chip Glass
Replies: 19
Views: 18960

glue

David, I could probably envision someone accidentally dropping some hide glue on some glass at a factory, long ago, but for the process to have really worked the glass would have had to been frosted. If not frosted, it would have simply peeled up. So, two odd variables would have had to combined to ...
by Mike Jackson
Mon Apr 26, 2004 11:04 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Origins of Glue Chip Glass
Replies: 19
Views: 18960

rawson

Tom, I don't know how long people had been glue-chipping glass prior to Rawson and Evans. I don't think they invented the proecess, but the patents indicate they invented technology and progressed the process. I am always "interested" in historical information like this, but it doesn't &qu...
by Mike Jackson
Mon Apr 26, 2004 10:44 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Origins of Glue Chip Glass
Replies: 19
Views: 18960

chipping

Tom, Just in case you have found "the parent page" of this site, check out all the goodies on this site: http://www.theletterheads.com The Hand Lettering Forum is just part of the web site we affectionately call " The Original Letterheads Web Site ". Some people call it "the...
by Mike Jackson
Sat Apr 24, 2004 12:23 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Concerns about Acid Etching:
Replies: 7
Views: 5895

acid

I have probably written about this before, but now looks like a good time to write it again. Back when we had the old shop, we hosted a small "art camp" style meeting and had a nice enthusiastic group. A couple of people worked on glass. We set up an area in the back room for some acid etc...
by Mike Jackson
Fri Apr 23, 2004 2:00 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Concerns about Acid Etching:
Replies: 7
Views: 5895

posts

The last thing I want is to be "big brother". I had two choices here tonight and made the one which made most sense to me. I could have left it on and edited a line or two within it or under it suggesting care and caution, and maybe that was enough. You had mentioned the name of a person i...
by Mike Jackson
Thu Apr 22, 2004 11:18 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: General Rules, Guidelines, and Disclaimers for this Forum
Replies: 1
Views: 20533

General Rules, Guidelines, and Disclaimers for this Forum

We hope to keep this site simple and uncluttered, but a few notices are necessary. #1: Please register using your REAL FULL NAME ...no nicknames! #2: When registering, you will see a page showing some letters you must re-enter into a field. Make sure you follow the instructions EXACTLY . This is a n...
by Mike Jackson
Thu Apr 22, 2004 11:05 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Concerns about Acid Etching:
Replies: 7
Views: 5895

Concerns about Acid Etching:

Hi Forum readers, Larry White posted a very nice thread earlier today about a new acid etching process he has been trying. I had a couple of concerned readers, so I deleted it and asked Larry to try it again without being quite so technical and just give an overview. I think he will do it later. Man...
by Mike Jackson
Mon Apr 19, 2004 10:46 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Production of Glue Chip Samples...
Replies: 5
Views: 5933

glass

We did a piece similar to this one a long time ago when we were having problems with "plinking". Our glue was chipping a bit too strong and taking away some of the clear where is shouldn't. I don't remember if it was Rick or someone else, but we heard you could add glycerin to the glue to ...
by Mike Jackson
Wed Apr 14, 2004 8:52 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Rawson & Evans: Think BIG
Replies: 8
Views: 6937

Rawson & Evans: Think BIG

http://www.theletterheads.com/rawson/vandyke450.jpg Larry's version of the Labelle sign might appear large to most of us used to making smaller "Letterhead" sized signs...ones you can fit under your arm or cary with you to a meeting. As I mentioned in his post, many of the Rawson & Ev...
by Mike Jackson
Mon Apr 12, 2004 4:01 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Heberling's Basic Lettering book
Replies: 1
Views: 3542

Heberling's Basic Lettering book

http://www.signmuseum.com/exhibits/library/25books/hebrling.jpg The book in the photo above is on The American Sign Museum's site under my Top 25 Vintage Sign Books. It is listed as #13 http://www.signmuseum.com/exhibits/library/25books/topbooks3.html I recently purchased a Heberling Basic Letterin...
by Mike Jackson
Mon Apr 12, 2004 12:11 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: The History of the Airbrush...
Replies: 4
Views: 3863

books

Larry, ST published a book called "A Treatise on Airbrushing" (I have it filed away in a box somewhere since it is not one of my favorite books). It had very generic information overall. This is a very primitive "airbrush" that was powered by the artist blowing through what resem...
by Mike Jackson
Sun Apr 11, 2004 11:51 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Strong's Book of Designs
Replies: 5
Views: 16788

strongs

Hi Mike, I looked throgh my three old Strongs books. "Skating at Belle Isle" "I can, will and do make SHOW CARDS quick and cheap" "Splash with me at Pleasure Park" "music" with a harp and guitar shiloette. http://www.theletterheads.com/wwwboard/messages/4757.h...
by Mike Jackson
Sun Apr 11, 2004 2:23 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: La Belle Supreme Cigar sign... now it's really done!
Replies: 23
Views: 42119

gold

My concern would be getting the gold out of all the deeper crevices if Angel Gilded first. Unlike silvering, you actually have to scrub the gold off I have found that to be a real hassle at times. On some Angel Gild pieces, I find the excess gold comes off easily with only cotton and on others it al...
by Mike Jackson
Sun Apr 11, 2004 10:01 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: La Belle Supreme Cigar sign... now it's really done!
Replies: 23
Views: 42119

color

Larry, Rick Glawson and Pat Mackle had a nice photo portfolio of Rawson and Evans pieces. Unfortunately, all the photos were sepia toned (basically black and white) images. All of us that visited the Conclaves saw a few Rawson panels hanging around, but I never knew which ones Rick had restored and ...
by Mike Jackson
Sun Apr 11, 2004 12:09 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Letter to Painters: John Ohnimus 1906
Replies: 3
Views: 6021

ok

Hi Tony, Even though some of Ohnimus' artwork was quite ornate, he knew how to make the design legible and how to pull the reader's eye to the center of attention. Much of the work I see around me, and word done of the DTP generation has lost touch with that concept. It is sad to see!...but maybe Oh...
by Mike Jackson
Fri Apr 09, 2004 10:11 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Procedure question for M. Jackson
Replies: 8
Views: 15400

http://www.theletterheads.com/signphotos/etchchip.jpg http://www.theletterheads.com/wwwboard/messages/3978.html http://www.theletterheads.com/wwwboard/messages/4156.html http://www.theletterheads.com/wwwboard/messages/4118.html Dennis, I went back to the old Forum and found the three "Parent&q...
by Mike Jackson
Fri Apr 09, 2004 7:32 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Letter from Grandson of John Ohnimus
Replies: 10
Views: 10622

books

Hopefully this post won't sound too self-serving, but it's part of the Henderson book history..... Back when we were still in Oklahoma, I was actively searching for old books. That was way before the Internet, so finding them was generally pretty tough. I created a small business called Carousel Boo...
by Mike Jackson
Fri Apr 09, 2004 5:57 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Letter to Painters: John Ohnimus 1906
Replies: 3
Views: 6021

Letter to Painters: John Ohnimus 1906

John Ohnimus wrote the introduction for the 1906 Henderson's Sign Painter book. It is a little choppy reading but quite worth it. MJ LETTER TO PAINTERS All that is set down in the following pages must be taken for purely personal expressions of an opinion as to how signs could be done. The main tren...
by Mike Jackson
Fri Apr 09, 2004 3:27 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Letter from Grandson of John Ohnimus
Replies: 10
Views: 10622

henderson

http://www.theletterheads.com/signphotos/henderson03cover.jpg While on this subject, some people might not know that Signs of the Times reprinted the Henderson Sign Painter in 1991. Henderson's name is on the title, but I've never actually seen any plates designed by him. Henderson had published &q...
by Mike Jackson
Fri Apr 09, 2004 2:50 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Letter from Grandson of John Ohnimus
Replies: 10
Views: 10622

ohnimus

http://www.theletterheads.com/signphotos/ellosignshop.jpg Hi again, I invited John (the grandson) to visit the site and join in on the discussion. He is 61 now. I believe he would get a warm fuzzy feeling getting to talk to people who admire his Grandfather's work so much. From what I read in his l...
by Mike Jackson
Fri Apr 09, 2004 11:40 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Letter from Grandson of John Ohnimus
Replies: 10
Views: 10622

photo

Image

Here's one of John Ohnimus' plates from the Henderson Sign Painter book. I think it speaks for itself. He was a very strong designer, especially in his black and white plates. The color plates in the old book are simple and beautiful, too.
by Mike Jackson
Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:46 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Letter from Grandson of John Ohnimus
Replies: 10
Views: 10622

Letter from Grandson of John Ohnimus

Hi all, Last night I received an e-mail from the grandson of John Ohnimus. I used some of the premium illustrations from the Henderson Book in the new Americana Collection of Panels and Ornaments. They are the best of the group by far. John Ohnimus was living in Denver at the time he did the artwork...