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good ol' days... step by step

Advanced Hand Lettering Techniques and Step by Steps.

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Tony Segale
Posts: 702
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:20 am

good ol' days... step by step

Post by Tony Segale »

for fun, I decided to post a step by step of a large mural I'll be painting soon.
I know about computers, some, but certain jobs require certain skills.

The mural is to honor the first merchant in a new town called Lodi, around 1875.
Imagine, a town built around a railroad. The rendering will also include a few other businesses that followed,
all located on Sacramento Street. This mural will be the first in addition to those created during
the Head West Walldog meet, 2 years ago, and will be approx 50' x 14'.

The first rough concept was created on the computer using a Letterhead Font and
either some Jackson or Butler elements. Once the mural was approved and funding arrived,
I wanted to draw a larger to-scale version, which is 34" x 9''. With this size, I'll be painting
a watercolor study prior to painting on the wall.

While drawing the new and improved version (with no offense to three parties mentioned earlier),
I remembered... there was no computers in them days. So, the new sketch is rendered with the
good ol' days style of draw, cut and paste. After all, I like to take care of things personally.

I'll add a few updates as they become available, until then keep your eyes and your heart open.
Aho.
Image
first computer concept

Image
help him back to the drawing board

Image


oh, one more thing, when your gettin a shave...
make sure the right man's wearing the jacket.
Last edited by Tony Segale on Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear.
http://www.tonysegale.com
http://www.tonysegale.wordpress.com
Larry White
Posts: 1213
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 4:18 am

There never was any good ole days....

Post by Larry White »

A good long step-by-step sounds pretty good right about now.
So you do that cousin, you get those watercolors right out.
I'll be lookin' over my shoulder the rest of my days, waitin' for the updates.
So you keep on as you are and we'll look forward to learnin' some things!

At least that Town of Lodi knows, when your lookin' for a new mural...
make sure the right man's sportin' the brush!


Remember boys!...when the spirit is willin', the flesh has the
strength of ten!

Aho!

-WB
Last edited by Larry White on Fri Aug 08, 2008 9:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
Billy Pickett
Posts: 118
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2004 11:59 am

Post by Billy Pickett »

...Wouldn't it be more authentic if the mural did NOT have photos on it (and THREE of 'em) ? Photoshop and computers were not around in the era you what to represent.
Tony Segale
Posts: 702
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:20 am

Post by Tony Segale »

good point, Billy Bob...

them new fangled cameras were around in them days to take the picture...
however, it will be painted into the mural, not a digi-print.
In the new sketch, I sketched the decorative oval on tracing paper to
reproduce two of the same, and hand cut the opening for the photos.

I did use the help of a copier to enlarge the photos to the sizes I wanted.
I'll be transferring all art to watercolor paper soon, and I'll include that
step-by-step.

If the risks are little, the rewards are little.
and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear.
http://www.tonysegale.com
http://www.tonysegale.wordpress.com
Billy Pickett
Posts: 118
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2004 11:59 am

Post by Billy Pickett »

...Tony, your art has alot of potential, and obviously much time has been spent creating it. I realize that this is a new mural, and not a reproduction of what an 'old' advertising sign would look like. In the era you want to portray, commercial wall dogs would (probably) not have been inclined to paint versions of photographs on brick or wood walls. Using pre designed clip art may have been pretty rare too. ...Much of the art being designed these days for the 'new' wall dog and L'head meets does include photos though. Photographs (and tiny copy) can add a TON of work to a wall project, but if you're really into painting it, and have the time, go for it. I just think that there could be a design solution that has the historical references you want, is less busy, and is (somewhat) more simple to execute.
Tony Segale
Posts: 702
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:20 am

Post by Tony Segale »

Billy Bob,
there's charcoal in that sketch
and Sharpies, too.
I tried hard.
and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear.
http://www.tonysegale.com
http://www.tonysegale.wordpress.com
Kent Smith
Posts: 569
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2004 6:41 pm
Location: Estes Park, CO
Contact:

Post by Kent Smith »

While photgraphic representation was not done, there was a wall painter here in Colorado gold mining towns of Black Hawk, Central City, Idaho Springs, Georgetown and Breckenridge who did similar artwork although more stylized. I particularly remember one where he had done the name of the establishment with the picture of the interior to show that they had a huge stock, so you would know they could sell you anything you needed. Remember that with a lower literacy rate, their audience would get the message in pictures. You might call them story walls too. When both Georgetown and Idaho Springs were restoring for tourists in the 1950's, Dad and I repainted many of those originals. The scrolls and dingbats are similar to the flavor of those early painters.

I will be interested in seeing the finished project.
Mike Jackson
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Post by Mike Jackson »

Tony,
I like the hand drawn one, too.

Actually, I believe you will see quite a few renderings in the old atkinson plates. He just did "shorthand" roughs of what would be painted renderings in the final signs, probably off some sort of photo he had in front of him. Also, a huge pecrcentage of the old 1880-1920 letterheads and billheads had some sort of rendering, such as an old building or factory scene. Of course, they weren't "photographs", but stylized litho etchings of the time.

Your "sketch" appears to me to just be the basis of what you will be simplifying and rendering to make this sign project do-able. Carry on!

Thanks for taking the time and energy to document it here for the site.

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

Photography site:
Teton Images
Jackson Hole photography blog:
Best of the Tetons
erik winkler
Posts: 1097
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:48 pm
Location: Amsterdam Netherlands
Contact:

Camera Obscura

Post by erik winkler »

Sorry guys i can not help myself!

There are photographic renderings for more than 2500 years.
The only question is how photographic is it?
I must post this......:

"The beginning… Well, the beginning of photography can be relationated with invention of camera obscura, which tracks can be found in Chinese philosopher Mo-Ti (5th century BC!). He noticed the phenomenon of inverted image formed by light as they passed through a pinhole into the darkened room, which he gaved name of “collecting place” or “locked treasure room”. So, you can consider photography as a gift from our mother nature – inventions are sometimes nothing but the discovery of obvious things nature offers us.

In 4th century BC, Aristotle projected the shape of partially eclipsed sun on the ground… through the holes in a sieve. I am not quite sure while he understood the mechanism of light projection; I would say that he was a curious observer and he rather knew ‘how’ and not ‘why’.

Alhazen, an Islamic scholar, was the first to experiment and to gave the full description of the principle. He experimented with five lanterns outside a room with a small hole.

The device itself was clearly described by Leonardo da Vinci in 1490. Those days, camera obscura was a large room and its use was rather limited to astrology. For example, Dutch scientist Reinerus Gemma-Frisius used it to observe a solar eclipse in 1544. In 16th century, a convex lens is added into the aperture for the sake of improving the image quality and the mirror to reflect it down onto a viewing surface, later. The world of arts appreciated the invention as Giovanni Battista Della Porta recommended its use as an aid for drawing for artists in his 1558 book Magiae Naturalis.

Nevertheless, the term of ‘camera obcura’ was given by German astronomer Johannes Kepler. For astronomical aplications he used a portable tent camera which he used for surveying in Upper Austria in the early 17th century. The utility, as we know it today, is a box with a hole, in its simpliest version, or lens which lets the light rays come in.
From now on, the development of camera obscura took two directions. First, as an entertainment tool, there were several camera obscura rooms in places of unique beauty.

The second track of the invention development was its application in arts. As a drawing tool, used by such names as Canaletto, camera obscura was not so far, but not so close either, from what we know today as photographic camera."
I knew about the Camera Obscure during my Art History days and the art historians find it still a shame to admit that probably the best painters during the last 3 centuries learnt about this tool to copy the dimensions and details of the 'real' world on 2D. Our famed Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer is one of them:
http://girl-with-a-pearl-earring.20m.co ... bscura.htm.



Image
Pricipal basics of Camera Obscura.


Image
Italian princpipals of the Camera Obscura in the year 1544!


Image
Camea Obscura booth.



Think he know's it all Erik
Realizing we are in the 2nd renaissance of the arts.
Learn, copy and trying to improve...
Still in the learning phase ;-)
Amsterdam Netherlands
www.ferrywinkler.nl
www.schitterend.eu
www.facebook.com/Schitterend.eu
Tony Segale
Posts: 702
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:20 am

Post by Tony Segale »

Well, I didn't expect so much interest.
Thanks for the historical timeline, Erik, very interesting.
Sometimes a man's life depends on a mere scrap of information.

Perhaps I need to explain, when I begin a project like this, I always let the design evolve.
A man has to change sometime. And many times, I change some of the elements to
improve the overall layout and theme. When I was asked by the Art Advisory Board what colors I'll being using,
I never gave a firm commitment. That, too, can change as it develops.

That is why I'll be rendering this design now in pen first, and watercolor second.
In these two pics, you see the tracing paper rolled over the entire design.
Now I can begin the pen work, What I do here, will be what I transfer to the watercolor board.

The fun part of this process is, even in this old grainy photo, I can make out the brackets of the C.O.Ivory sign
as it is attached to the flag pole, building and supporting posts. Also, there is a Wells Fargo & Co Express sign on top of his building.
The exact year is 1876. And the horse drawn wagons have a canvas roof and side, with the sides in the rolled-up position.
A devasting fire occurred here about 20 years later. Photos after rebuilding with new brick structures,
show the flag pole still stand and retained to honor Mr Ivory.

This will be a long process, no hurry, the important thing is it will be up for a long, long time.
I need this piece to not only stand along with the other nine masterpieces, but make a statement of its own, as well.
But you know, the thing is, once I get paid, I always see the job through.

Image
begin the pen work

Image
as it develops...

Image

now time for weekend projects...landscape therapy.
Aho

and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear.
http://www.tonysegale.com
http://www.tonysegale.wordpress.com
Jerry Berg
Posts: 369
Joined: Wed May 02, 2007 3:17 pm
Location: pacific northwest

Post by Jerry Berg »

Looking good Tony. We'll be keepin an eye on this.
Last edited by Jerry Berg on Sun Aug 10, 2008 9:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
DAVE SMITH
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Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2004 11:12 am
Location: ENGLAND

Post by DAVE SMITH »

It's great work! Very nice looking mural mate. Looking forward to seeing the finished wall
Dave
Danny Baronian
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Post by Danny Baronian »

Nice job as usual Segale!

Need any help, there's a couple of us not far from you, you've got the numbers....

Danny
Danny Baronian
Baronian Mfg.
CNC Routing & Fabrication
http://www.baronian.com
Kelly Thorson
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Location: Penzance, SK Canada
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Post by Kelly Thorson »

It's going to be a beauty Tony. You just keep raising the bar! :)
I just checked on your mural the other day, the locals love it as do the owners of the store it is on. I'm really glad we decided to do them on the panels as there are some major changes upcoming in downtown Moose Jaw. Yours won't be affected but some others may be moved. There has been a lot of talk about how the Letterhead Group improved the face of the murals project. :)
I believe there is no shame in failure. Rather, the shame lies in the loss of all the things that might have been, but for the fear of failure.
Tony Segale
Posts: 702
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:20 am

Post by Tony Segale »

Thanks for all the nice comments.
Kelly, the watercolor maquette I created for the Chinese Mural in Moose Jaw, acquired a first place ribbon in Watercolor division of the annual Spring Art Show at Mondavi Woodbridge Winery here last March.
That is why I plan on creating watercolor renderings in the future, rather enjoy that medium.

Anyway, I got a little distracted from my step by step last week. A 100' x 8' mural I completed at the end of March '08, never had a colored rendering created prior to painting, just colored markers sketch.
I had promised the PALS organization (People Assisting the Lodi Shelter, animal shelter) that I would create a piece which they can auction off as a fundraiser.
Well, I got the call the mural dedication was last Saturday, 8/16, so I put one project on hold to finish the other.

Image

This was painted on five 12"x30" aluminum panels left over from the large mural funded by City of Lodi's Art in Public Places.
It was painted with Benjamin Moore exterior latex.

I'll be back to my step by step this week.
(its still fixed to the layout table under the PALS panels)

You know, the thing is, once I get paid, I always see the job thru.
Aho
and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear.
http://www.tonysegale.com
http://www.tonysegale.wordpress.com
Tony Segale
Posts: 702
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:20 am

Post by Tony Segale »

"Outside of evil, what else have you managed to do?
It seems to me you once had a mural someplace."

Finshed the 'pen and ink' step of the mural layout.

Image

ink on tracing paper overlapping the pasted concept


Image

slide a piece of paper between the two...tracing and pasted concept.
here you can see a few elements i left out, and couple new ones I added.
I do like to keep my options open, create as I draw.


Image

added pen lines for visualizing the gray stucco wall the mural will be painted on


Now, I'll put this on hold for a day, finish a large watercolor...


Adiós, half-soldiers.
and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear.
http://www.tonysegale.com
http://www.tonysegale.wordpress.com
Jerry Berg
Posts: 369
Joined: Wed May 02, 2007 3:17 pm
Location: pacific northwest

Post by Jerry Berg »

Looking real nice. How much time do you have into this so far? I sometimes put more time into a layout than the actual job for personal satistaction reasons, not really getting compensated for the extra time. These drafts and your painted versions will be keepsakes I'm sure. Again, very nice work Tony.
Tony Segale
Posts: 702
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:20 am

you're only wasting time...

Post by Tony Segale »

Good question, Jerry. This project is funded by the City's Art in Public Places. The City Council was very excited after the Head West Walldog project and wanted to add more.
This is the first addition, and a lot of time has been spent meeting with the building owner ( many occassions to acquire consent), the AiPP committee and finally a City Council meeting.
Plus the research time including meeting with the local historian, scanning through several binders of old photos, scanning a couple dozen of those photos and finally selcecting the pieces that fit.
I would say that total time has been at the least 30 hours.

The original 'draft' concept came in about 3 hours. Then reworking and choosing various elemnets I wanted to use, or thought might fit, another 6 hours.
(I forgot to mention, I purchased several rolls of paper at a local estate sale, that is what was used for the cut and paste concept I used to trace. The rolls were 18" x 80' Glendale shelf and lining or general use paper,
including one roll of MyLady white bond. I figured it be good for pattern paper also. seven rolls for a dollar)

I believe I have about 20-24 hours in the pen and ink layout on tracing paper.
The compensation for the job is worth the time I'll be spending on this project, from drawing board to site cleanup.

Now, it's time to transfer the pen and ink work to the watercolour paper. I'll be using Arches 260lb cold press, heavy enough not to need stretching.
The size is 26" x 41", sometimes referred to as 'elephant ear'. Here you see the wc paper mounted to a piece of 1/2" black gatorfaom, 28x44,
with the tracing paper pen and ink layout hinged on top of the wc paper.

Image


The extra paper below the drawing will be useful for color samples and techique tests.
(The watercolour painting will be auction off after the completed mural.)


Image

Next, I pull out my roll of blue Saral wax free paper and slide a piece between the papers, and I'm ready to begin the transfer process.

I'm pretty excited about the paints I decided to use on the wall...
yesterday, I stopped in the local Benjamin Moore paint store and they gave me a fan deck and swatch books of BM's newest line of exterior paint called Benjamin Moore Aura.
It cost a little more than their other high quality line but the coverage is less... some darks required in the past 3 coats, now only two and it is self priming!
The colors, called "affinity colors", are very subdued, muddy or historic looking.. very much remind me of the Keim color spectrum.
I think I found my 'general' color palette.

That's enough for now, back to the drawing board, its gettin late!
and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear.
http://www.tonysegale.com
http://www.tonysegale.wordpress.com
Larry White
Posts: 1213
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 4:18 am

You D D D B....

Post by Larry White »

Seven rolls for a buck...sounds like robbery.

How many hours is that? I wouldn't know, cause I don't add.

...Thanks for the behind the scenes peek at this project.

I've followed along, and I enjoy it....

SWM...

-BB
Duncan Wilkie
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Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Contact:

Post by Duncan Wilkie »

A very interesting step by step Tony. This is going to be a worthy addition to the legacy left behind by the Walldogs. Where is it in relation to those murals?
I've been to a lot of meets, and Lodi was overall my most enjoyable, the work done was jaw dropping.
Tony Segale
Posts: 702
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:20 am

Post by Tony Segale »

after 5.5 hours of transfer drawing the layout to the watercolour paper,
magic... the design appears.

Image


any unwanted blue from arm rest smudges are easily lifted with a kneaded eraser,
pressing into the marks like using silly putty

this shows the color chart of the new BenjaminMoore paint line next to the layout


Image


Duncan, this will be painted on a wall located 1.5 blocks from Grandpa Dan's and close to Gary Anderson's.
From wh ere you worked on GDan's, walk up Walnut St., east, towards Sacramento St (street with parking garage and the Oatis mural), turn right and you'll see the big wall.
Any and all of you WDawgs from the Lodi meet, and those who couldn't make it, are always welcome to come and tour the murals, and we'll grab a pint.
Mark has been here twice since the meet in '06.

Now, back to relaxing and swinging the watercolours....

no hurry, the important thing is there's a holiday.

Aho
and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear.
http://www.tonysegale.com
http://www.tonysegale.wordpress.com
Tony Segale
Posts: 702
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:20 am

Post by Tony Segale »

Don't rush me!

Ready to begin watercolour process.

Image

area setup with pen layout in sight...

Image

mixed a gray and washed aroung the mural, to represent the color of the wall
and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear.
http://www.tonysegale.com
http://www.tonysegale.wordpress.com
Tony Segale
Posts: 702
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:20 am

Post by Tony Segale »

Image

getting lost in the clouds with some color, painting the flag and main text.

normally with watercolour, you want to paint light to dark, but I like to cut in some of my darkest areas first,
as you see the trees, then I proceed to letter the small sign.

all my colors are painted in the bottom area of the paper for reference,
and all colors are mixed, not straight as they come from the tubes.
and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear.
http://www.tonysegale.com
http://www.tonysegale.wordpress.com
Tony Segale
Posts: 702
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:20 am

Post by Tony Segale »

Image

with the main scene completed, I'll move on to the two secondary images


Image

and with these two finished, I'll move next to the leaf designs and borders
and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear.
http://www.tonysegale.com
http://www.tonysegale.wordpress.com
Tony Segale
Posts: 702
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:20 am

Post by Tony Segale »

now, I'll complete the rest of the frame and borders, trying to choose colors that contrast to the scenes

Image

and then finish the entire maquette with a darker wash of gray around it to further 'pop' the image

Image
and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear.
http://www.tonysegale.com
http://www.tonysegale.wordpress.com
Tony Segale
Posts: 702
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:20 am

Post by Tony Segale »

here is a closeup of all three street scenes

the first, the main scene measures 5 3/4" x 17" on the paper
story telling text will be lettered in the bottom wood molding

Image

the two ovals are 3 3/4" x 6"
story titles will be lettered in each scroll

Image

Image
and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear.
http://www.tonysegale.com
http://www.tonysegale.wordpress.com
Tony Segale
Posts: 702
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:20 am

Post by Tony Segale »

the flag is an important part of the mural.
this entire block of buildings were lost in a devasting fire around 1898 and the only landmark which remained for a few years after was the 'Ivory Flag Pole'.
It was later removed after completion of the mission style arch which is adorned with the gilded california grizzly.

Image

now that the full colored maquette is complete, I can make colored copies to take to the site,
plan my attack and have all my colors premixed and ready to go.
I will continue to provide step by step at the wall site, weather permitting.
and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear.
http://www.tonysegale.com
http://www.tonysegale.wordpress.com
Jerry Berg
Posts: 369
Joined: Wed May 02, 2007 3:17 pm
Location: pacific northwest

Post by Jerry Berg »

Absolutley beautiful work there Tony. Thanks for sharing the steps. I'm sure this will look more than great, hopefully I will be able to see it some day. Wish I could be out there painting with ya. Wonderful work on these renderings.
Larry White
Posts: 1213
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 4:18 am

Post by Larry White »

Letter the scrolls YOU!



So you know murals, and you can watercolor...

Image

Thanks for the "Harmonica Returns His Name" print, nice addition to Machine...very nice!


Good luck on that mural... :D


.
Tony Segale
Posts: 702
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:20 am

Post by Tony Segale »

ha-ha-ha!

He is no fool, our dead friend!


during the month of October,
I participated in the Lodi Artist's Open Studio Tour.
Instead of asking guests to sign a book,
I offered index cards for their info to be dropped in a jar for a raffle.
In the spirit of keeping the 'good ol' days' in the west alive,
the prize was a copy of the movie 'Once Upon a Time in the West'
and a copy of an Artists's Proof of the oiriginal 26"x42" watercolor.
I was glad to make this nice lucky lady happy.

Image
and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear.
http://www.tonysegale.com
http://www.tonysegale.wordpress.com
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