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Mike Stevens "Mastering Layout" is the best. Well written, good examples, organized well, and just a gem! Dan Antonelli and Gary Anderson books are good eye candy/inspiration books, any of them. They provide a good library of ideas.
-------------------- 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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If you can get a copy of Signcraft, there are several books available thru them that have different lettering techniques. Some art stores have books on basic lettering and calligraphy that will show you brush strokes and techniques.
There are also some videos on Youtube that showcase some lettering.
You might do a 'quest' around your area to try to find some crusty,leftover old-timer who may be willing to take you under his wing and give you some tips. That's very valuable. Most of us know of at least one crusty old-timer from Ore. Get a few brushes and a couple cans of paint, and find an old car fender or a piece of glass to practice on. You can take a thinner rag and clean off your practice on the fender, and a razor blade will clean off the glass.
posted
The very basic book on lettering is the Speedball book of lettering. It is basically for pen and ink, but they have a good section on hand lettering. Lots of practice is required, and making time, not waiting to find it. Bill
-------------------- Bill Riedel Riedel Sign Co., Inc. 15 Warren Street Little Ferry, N.J. 07643 billsr@riedelsignco.com Posts: 2953 | From: Little Ferry, New Jersey, USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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"...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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I'll second Bill's recommendation. The Speedball Lettering Handbook is by FAR the best text for the money on letterform structure and brush technique. It's relatively inexpensive and available at most art supply stores that carry the Speedball nibs and inks. While it was written for pen and sable brush lettering, the illustrated brush stroke techniques are easily applied to the switch to quills and enamels. Over the years there have been numerous updates to the basic book, and some of the earlier versions do contain some fine examples of hand lettered alphabets....as opposed to fonts.
Another book that's out of print, but does a very credible job of supplying fundamental instruction on brush technique is " The Basiks of Lettering" authored by Bill Boley. It was published by ST Publications ( Signs Of The Times ) back in the day when showcard writing was still a respected practice and a market existed for such work. Incidentally, Mike Stevens once credited the same Bill Boley as being most influential in his development, particularly in his observation and use of spatial relationships in his layouts. If you can locate a copy, it would be well worthy of acquisition, if only for the instruction on how to render script styles of lettering that absolutely shine.
-------------------- Ken Henry Henry & Henry Signs London, Ontario Canada (519) 439-1881 e-mail: kjmlhenry@rogers.com
Why do I get all those on-line offers to sell me Viagara, when the only thing hardening is my arteries ? Posts: 2684 | From: London,Ontario, Canada | Registered: Feb 1999
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-------------------- John Lennig / Big Top Sign Arts 5668 Ewart Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada bigtopya@hotmail.com 604.451.0006 Posts: 2184 | From: Burnaby, British Columbia,Canada | Registered: Nov 2001
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chris, All the options You have been given are great but you my try your local library ours here in Evansville, Indiana seems to be Blessed with some older books on hand lettering. Most are on basic stuff give it a try.
-------------------- Jack Lindenberger 1927 Theatre Dr. Evansville, Indiana Posts: 9 | From: Evansville, Indiana | Registered: Mar 2009
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As most here will attest, my lettering skills would fit in a thimble with enough room left over for an Abrams tank, but ignorance hasn't yet stopped me from voicing a suggestion.
The late Jack Rumph told me to practice using the newspaper classifieds turned sideways. He said the medium was cheap and already had horizontal lines at convenient intervals.
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5084 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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