I have a customer that has 2 cloth awnings that have lettering on them. She wants the lettering blocked out since it is a new business.
The question: what type of paint was used on awning and oviously no one knows. One awning person that manufactures these said they have used 1-shot using a stencil.
Has anyone yaken part in a challenge like this and if so what type of paint did you use. I am thinking that tycote would help in closing the pores and making the paint adhere better. Comments?
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
Lynn, I have a whole article that my father wrote about lettering an awning in New York City.
I'll try and find it for you tomorrow and email it to you.
Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :
Lynn,
Check the "Step-By-Steps" page. Personally, I like to use Nazdar's Permaflex ink.
.
Posted by LynnMineer (Member # 1509) on :
Kimberly, I will be waiting for you info....thanks so much!
And thanks Glenn, I will check that out.
Posted by bruce ward (Member # 1289) on :
cut stecil out of vinyl, paint very carefully with latex more than likely will take 2-3 coats
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
Okay, I was able to find the article and scan it as a Word document but I can't post it here. If anyone wants to read it, let me know and I can email it to you. Unfortunately, it wasn't written by him but rather his ex-wife so there is a dirth of technical info in it. I'm sure that it was done in either One Shot or Chromatic paint. The awning is in NYC and it was done either in late '86 or early '87.
Finished awning:
First a pattern was hand-lettered and then pounced by hand using a pounce wheel:
It was then taped to the awning and pounced using white talc.
Hand-lettered by the world's cleanest sign-painter. Only my father would paint a sign in a dress shirt and a pair of nice slacks. LOL I don't ever recall seeing a drop of paint on anything he owned.
Posted by Raymond Chapman (Member # 361) on :
Nice Kim. I remember your Dad doing that awning. He sent me a photo.
As you said, Al was very neat. I represent the other side of that situation.
What few awnings I have done were just painted with One Shot right on the fabric - usually took two coats. To coat out an area, I would suggest a latex primer followed by either enamel or latex paints. With either, you will probably have some cracking of the paint with time.
[ February 04, 2006, 01:34 PM: Message edited by: Raymond Chapman ]
Posted by Bob Rochon (Member # 30) on :
Very Nice Kimberly,
I haven't lettered an awning in about 10 years but the last one I did was much like you and Raymond have explained. I used chromatic primer and one-shot for the top coat. I did 2 coats of primer for it dried faster and covered better before top coat. Then I did 2 coats of top coat. A bit overkill I would imagine but it never failed before the business went out of business.
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
about the only "hand lettering" job I ever did was 8" Helvetica condensed on sunbrella using a pounce pattern, white one shot & a foam brush ... I did 2 coats one right after the other before I moved on to the next letter. It came out nice (white on burgandy)
I have screen printed many awnings with the Naz-Dar PX series Glenn mentioned as it offers a permenant flexibility to resist cracking... but it was too thick to paint with & I wasn't sure if I should try to thin it
Posted by jack wills (Member # 521) on :
Great shots Kimberly. I don't even want to go into that subject. We would literally draw straws to see who HAD to do an awning. I was at about 80% elected most times.
UHGG...!
I worked for a guy in Mountain View,CA who was neat like your Dad.
Jack
Posted by Rich Stebbing (Member # 368) on :
1-Shot Poster Paints always worked for me.
Posted by Robert Salyers (Member # 5) on :
wonderful pics Kimberly! Totally cool!
Posted by Bruce Williams (Member # 691) on :
Canvas awnings are nearly the only excuse to pull a brush nowadays. I like to make a pounce pattern, use poster enamel as primer, then letter with lettering enamel.
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
A side note regarding the pictures Kimberly posted:
Every now and then, someone will make the extreme statement that real sign painters don't use mahl sticks. Check out who is relying on that "crutch"--Al Zanetti, not only one of the neatest, but one of the best sign writers who ever lived.
[ February 04, 2006, 10:16 PM: Message edited by: David Harding ]
Posted by Bruce Bowers (Member # 892) on :
Al Zanetti was one greatest ever.
I had the honor of meeting him. I know I have said it before, but that was one of the highlights of my career.
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
... I did 2 coats one right after the other before I moved on to the next letter. It came out nice (white on burgandy)