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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.

Atkinson Book. Source for endless posts

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

Moderators: Ron Percell, Mike Jackson, Danny Baronian

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Mike Jackson
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Location: Jackson Hole, WY
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Atkinson Book. Source for endless posts

Post by Mike Jackson »

Hi Letterers,
Most of us probably own Frank Atkinson's book on sign painting--either an original or the ST reprint. The average person probably knows there is a bunch of text in the front section, but I doubt many have read much of it. Okay...I'm partially guilty, but I have read quite a bit of it over the years.

If the topics dry up here, or you are just looking for a new technique or challenge, pick up your book and look for an interesting tip or process. You will be amazed!

Back in the early '80s, we used to demonstrate a technique for Imitation Marble, right out of the book. It's on page 42 of my book.

"Imitation Marble: Excellent for pleasing backgrounds on any sign surface. Prepare a water tank larger than the sign to be marbled. Fill with water, add two ounces of gum tragacanth for every gallon of water, and cover surface of the water with colors mixed with equal part of oil, Copal varnish and turpentine. Colors should be of a thin brushing consistency to enable one to readily pour them upon the water from bottles. Whe surface of water is covered, for the color film into pleasing design in imitation of marble, using a stick for this purpose. When ready carefully lay face of sign upon the water surface and lift immediately. Lay sign flat on trestles to dry. Should dry in thirty hours."

I bought a pound of Gun Tragacanth from Brainerd Chemical Company in Tulsa, OK for the Oklahoma Bash and we had a lot of fun with it. That process was used at quite a few Letterheads meetings following it, but I haven't heard of anyone doing it in a long time. You can work this process on MDO, aluminum and even cardboard.

The best examples seemed to use pastel colors if applying them over a light color background, but dark colors would work fine if the background was dark. You can use the same solution for a long time if you pour it back into a gallon jug as most of the paint eventually sticks to the sides of the tub or sinks to the bottom. There is a little "skill and technique" involved in setting the piece of wood or material onto the marble film since it is possible to trap a bubble if you set it straight down. We used to lay it in at a slight angle.

The stuff sinks a bit and is probably toxic (along with the paint), so wear rubber gloves!

I've heard you can do this process without the gum tragacanth, though I suspect it helps float the paint film better. Try it!.. even if you don't have the chemical.

Maybe I can post a photo of this process someday. Anyone can do this process, so it is a big hit at a Letterheads meeting. In the end, the person who experiments with the colors and shows some self control will find quite a few uses for it.

Mike Jackson
Mike Jackson / co-administrator
Golden Era Studios
Vintage Ornamental Clip art
Jackson Hole, WY

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Jill Marie Welsh
Posts: 29
Joined: Sat Jun 19, 2004 9:40 am
Location: Butler, PA USA

Post by Jill Marie Welsh »

Mike,
I have seen this technique at meets too, and it does produce some pretty panels.
I also like to experiment with a spray bottle of water, spritzing a panel, then spray-painting in either direction across the water globules to get an interesting effect. This can be done with either regular spray paint or 1-Shot sprayed thru an air gun, altho I have not tried that method.
Another neat way to get a cool panel background is to spritz it lightly with turps from a spray bottle after you have blobbed on a few 1-S colors with a foamie. Stand it up and let it drip.
You can also blow paint blobs across a panel with an air gun for fun crazy effects.
My favorite thing to do is take 3 colors of 1-S, a light, a medium, and a dark, drizzle liberally onto a flat panel and then daub with a plastic grocery bag till it's all blended. Turn the bag often so the pattern varies. Then squiggle on grain lines with a very thin brush....Redneck Marble!
I know that all of these would make poor Mr. Atkinson turn over in his grave, but they are fun and easy ways to liven up a sign. And I am never one to be conventional.
Love....Jill :wink:
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