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Howdy, I am kinda new on Letterville and am wanting to get into hand lettering.
I have been cutting vinyl for about 11 years. I have also done a great deal of large format printing since 1997. Now I am trying to get back to my fine art roots and hand paint signs. Using brushes from art school and one-shot I have been trying my hand at glass, wood, and aluminum panels with a little success. Now I need more help.
1. What brushes should I purchase as a must have for lettering, outlining & filling? 2. What two books should I purchase? 3. What One-shot additives/reducers are a must?
Keep in mind I am trying not to spend too much money. Sign "painting" is just a hobby right now that I would like to turn into business.
Dennis Baughman Midtown Signs Kansas City, MO
-------------------- Dennis Baughman Midtown Signs LLC 3840 Warwick Blvd. Kansas City, MO 64111 dennis@midtownsigns.com Posts: 14 | From: Kansas City | Registered: Jun 2004
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I don't hand letter but my husband does. I think the best advise I can give you is to go to a meet and get with some of the hand lettering people and see what works for you. I would think it would helpful to go and actually get to handle the brushes, try different paints and methods and see what feels comfortable. Also you might get a bunch of info by just keeping your eyes open. There are so many different types of brushes, I think it would matter what feels good in your hand and pulls the best line for you. Most guys would be happy to talk to you and show you what works for them. You can see what type of kits they have, what they pallette their brushes on, how they store them, on and on. Look under Future Live Meets to the left and find one in your area or travel to one as a business/vacation. The one in Detroit in August sounds like it is focusing on the hand lettering and history of lettering. The one in Lincoln Illinois is more centered around wall work and murals but that will be people who do the hand lettering too. Pick a meet and GET THERE! I'm sure you will get suggestons here too. This is a great place for a beginner, IF you can sort out the info. That's why I think it is better to go SEE what we are talking about.
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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1st off...art school brushes you can put in the trash can. this aint paintin "happy little trees"! if you look in the LETTERHEAD ARCHIVES...you will find a post about sign kits,and what goes in them. lettering brushes are a whole different set of tools....you need to start with a #4, 8, 12, LETTERING QUILL. these can either be brown or gray, browns are softer, greys a lillte stiffer. dont much matter for a beginer. these are for painting on smooth surfaces, metal, MDO, GLASS or vinyl. FITCHES are for brick walls, rough surfaces. truck flats are for smooth surfaces but take some time to learn to use. when you buy new brushes, befor you ever put them in paint, leaave them soak a couple day in 10W motor oil. this will put oil in the heel, and then paint wont get in there and dry.
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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Check on www.autoartmagazine.com They usually host a pinstripers meet in the Kansas City area every year. I suggest you find out about it and get there.
They also run weekend classes there for Airbrush and Pinstriping. You might find that to your liking.
-------------------- Harris Kohen K-Man Pinstriping and Graphix Trenton, NJ "Showing the world that even I can strategically place the pigment where its got to go." Posts: 1739 | From: Trenton, NJ, USA | Registered: Jun 2001
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Glad to see that you are giving this a try! My kit consists of a WalMart $3.99 plastic tackle box. In it are: Brown Luco Quills #3,#5,#7,#9,#11 Jenson's Swirly Q Alan Johnson Signature brushes (small and smaller) French Masters brushes #2,#4,#6,#8,#10 2 Mack long-handled sword stripers #00 & #0 1 Excaliber striper #000 1 german red sable from John Jordan 1 small red sable from Timi ...assorted other brushes.... Pounce Wheel (for making patterns) a Han-See pounce pad pencil sharpener x-acto knife single-edged razor blades 3M fine-line tape (for straight lines if needed) masking tape collapsible mahl stick blue & white Stabilo pencils A Sharpie marker small ruler tape measure a small jar of baby oil (for brushes) a screwdriver small paint cups popsicle sticks 2 small clamps
I do have another kit for gold leaf, and I do have some nice fitches, but I don't keep them in my kit. Check the Merchant's page. You should be able to find some of these things right here in Letterville. Try to get to a meet as soon as you can. The knowledge you pick up there, as well as the adrenaline, is priceless. What you now think of as a hobby will become an addiction. Love...Jill
-------------------- That is like a Mr. Potato Head with all the pieces in the wrong place. -Russ McMullin Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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try & buy yourself an experienced hand to go with them!
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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quote:Originally posted by old paint: 1st off...art school brushes you can put in the trash can. this aint paintin "happy little trees"!
I think OP might have forgotten to add one of these
Welcome to Letterville Dennis.
-------------------- Jon Aston MARKETING PARTNERS "Strategy, Marketing and Business Development" Tel 705-719-9209 Posts: 1724 | From: Barrie, ON, CANADA | Registered: Sep 2000
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Brushes are like a pair of jeans. They can be really comfortable, but it takes time to break them in. Learning how is the key.
The best thing you could do is to check the "Future Live Meets" page here and make plans to attend a meet. It's a great way to learn lettering and pinstriping, which brushes are used for which lettering styles, and always a life changing experience.
Past that, it comes down to personal tastes and what you feel comfortable using for lettering and striping. There's a wide variety out there, many available on the merchants page here in Letterville.
As for which One Shot materials, many distributors offer a 12 can start up set of lettering enamels. It gives you the opportunity to experiment with mixing colors. The mid temp reducer and hardener would be a plus to pick up as well.
As for books...I've always thought Speedball lettering books were a great resource for the person starting out. It illustrates the strokes nicely and is a solid foundation of basic skills.
Hope this helps. Rapid
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
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I have made more money with a No. 8 quill than anything else ! Fitches come in second LOL.
I second Pat King's suggestion to go to Fred Self's meet! You will meet some pretty talented folks and get to try your hand at a lot of things! Get some sleep first! I have a hard time walking away before Sunday!
Ray is right, these meets will absolutely change your life! For weeks it's just so hard to find all the time you want to play with everything you've learned!
I would find a lightweight sign kit if I were you! Start a collection of milk crates too! LOL
posted
Dennis,in addition to whats already been said,check out this website www.learn2paintsigns.com it pops up from time to time here and its usually split 50/50 on people either ripping it or praising it depending on who's replying at the time,but having seen the lessons its actually very good for someone just starting...nothing takes the place of practice but at least you have a visual reference point and explanation to return to regardless of if you go to a live meet or not......not everyone can always attend one. Sid Moses also sells a video lettering course at www.moseart.com thats pretty decent. Also dick blick used to have a fully stocked sign kit in their catalog,maybe they still do,you dont have to buy it but if you look at it it had a complete content list of paint,brushes and accessories for what they felt was a basic sign kit,wouldn't hurt to compare that with what everyone has told you here,at least you'll have another idea list to pull from.
-------------------- Gavin Chachere Plotter in the garage,New Orleans La.
"Sgts Shugart and Gordon again request permission to rope down to crash site two" Posts: 1223 | From: new orleans.la. | Registered: Mar 2000
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Yes Gavin the "Complete Stocked" version is STILL listed in Dick Blicks Catalog.Very good start up investment,along with Ray's mention of a Speedball lettering book.
hope this helps
-------------------- PKing is Pat King The Professor of SIGNOLOGY Posts: 3113 | From: Pompano Beach, FL. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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