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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.

Learning Hand Lettering in Melbourne, Australia??

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

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Spencer Harrison
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2012 8:29 am

Learning Hand Lettering in Melbourne, Australia??

Post by Spencer Harrison »

Hi,

I'm a young graphic designer with a keen interest in the craft of hand lettering and hand made signage. I would really love to learn proper techniques for how to do it and have been trying to locate a class or someone willing to teach me here in Melbourne, Australia.

Does anyone know if any such classes exist? Or know of anyone who would be interested to run some workshops or something on hand lettering here in Melbourne?

Any leads would be appreciated.

Cheers
Spencer
Dan Seese
Posts: 324
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 11:29 pm
Location: Fort Collins, CO
Contact:

Re: Learning Hand Lettering in Melbourne, Australia??

Post by Dan Seese »

Spencer,
It's always great to see someone who is interested in the craft.
You might begin by checking out some of the resources on this site. Go to the main page here:
http://www.theletterheads.com/index.html
Then start reading through the content. (I think I'll go back and review some of that myself!)
You'll find hand lettering basics here:
http://www.theletterheads.com/lhparts/lettering.html
This gives you some practical strokes you can begin practicing.
Of course having the right tools is essential and a mentor or a workshop is THE BEST way to have some interactive help, but this might give you a little nudge in the right direction.
I don't really know how it's done in your hemisphere because it requires an additional skill of hanging upside down . . .
Good luck.
Dan
"The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne."
Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340 - 1400)

http://DanSeeseStudios.com
http://www.DanSeeseStudios.com/blog/
http://www.facebook.com/DanSeeseStudios
BruceJackson
Posts: 251
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2004 7:28 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

Re: Learning Hand Lettering in Melbourne, Australia??

Post by BruceJackson »

Hi Spencer,

I am in Melbourne, in Warrandyte. You are welcome to come out and visit my studio. Learning to use a brush simply takes time...Like learning a musical instrument, in requires practice.

I'll give you some pointers and instruction to get you started.

Dan, you'd be pleased to know that signwriting upside isn't a problem. Gravity takes care of that and the drips of paint still fall down, not up. The big difference is fact that you have to mix the paint in the opposite direction.....the same direction as water down the sink... Disobey this law of physics and all kinds of things will go wrong.

Phone 0412 321 252 or 9844 2200
Dan Seese
Posts: 324
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 11:29 pm
Location: Fort Collins, CO
Contact:

Re: Learning Hand Lettering in Melbourne, Australia??

Post by Dan Seese »

Spencer,

By all means, take Bruce up on his offer. He is a master craftsman, and any morsel you can learn from him will take you leaps and bounds. My suggestion to read and practice the hand lettering basics found on this site is an important element but there is no substitute for hands-on engagement with a teacher, something I wish I'd had more of especially early in my career.

Recently I read from Ken Myers, one of my favorite thinkers & cultural commentators: "Learning about something from a teacher who is physically present and conversationally engaged will shape your understanding differently than learning from a book or a website." This is just common sense. Both types of learning have their place, but if you were to choose one or the other, take the embodied mentor.
Dan
"The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne."
Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340 - 1400)

http://DanSeeseStudios.com
http://www.DanSeeseStudios.com/blog/
http://www.facebook.com/DanSeeseStudios
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