Articles

I stick my tools—X-Acto knives, razor blades, etc.—in a scrap of HDU board on my weeding table. It saves time because they’re always… Read More

My philosophy is “why carve and make stuff if it is already available?” Ornamental iron is a great example. These signs use ornamental… Read More

Sign kit, brush box, sign box—call it what you will, but it’s still an essential tool for the sign painter. A well-stocked kit… Read More

When you flip through the online portfolio of the work of RT Signs [Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada], you can’t help but be struck by… Read More

In most cases, brush strokes do not show up in a newly lettered sign. But over the years, the rays of the sun… Read More

This project was done for my friends down at Monterey Signs. The client had provided a drawing of their logo and wanted a… Read More

Maker Spaces, Art Labs, and Creator Spaces dot cities across the United States. Those are just a few of the names for facilities… Read More

Almost every sign sale begins with a conversation between the customer and the sign maker. In that conversation—and every subsequent one—you are laying… Read More

Many years ago, an elderly sign painter showed me how to fold a paint cup or box that holds your paint while lettering…. Read More

Ten years ago, Troy Koskiniemi downsized radically—from a 7000-sq.-ft. shop to the 1000-sq.-ft. garage at his and his wife Susan’s home because a… Read More

Here’s my method for creating a faux wood finish on HDU board that makes it look like the face of a sign panel… Read More

Back before sign ordinances limited their usage in many communities, banners were a very popular low-cost, high-impact form of advertising for small businesses…. Read More

When James drove the company’s crane truck on to the scale with a load of signs on board, he was told he was… Read More

There are obvious benefits to keeping your shop organized. When you need something, you know where to find it—if you put it back… Read More

Australian Letterheads, a 3D printed model sand rail and the Quebec sign museum project…   28th Annual Australian Letterheads—October 13–15, 2023 The Australian Letterheads’… Read More

Ah, script fonts—the fancy, curly-haired cousin of the font world. These fonts are like the divas of the design world, demanding attention and… Read More

In early days, buildings in many of the large cities were made of bricks. Much like the brick house in the children’s story… Read More

For the Kaschaks, their sign business has been a three-decade work-in-progress. It has evolved from a part-time basement sign shop to a full-time… Read More

Oh, serif fonts…the sophisticated, elegant, and timeless beauties of the typography world. They’re the Audrey Hepburns of fonts—the fonts that never go out… Read More

Ah, sans-serif fonts! The no-frills, straight-to-the-point, “I ain’t got time for serifs” of the font world. These fonts are like the James Bond… Read More