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Hey everyone. This is my first posting, so bare with me and my grammer. I've been in the the sign biz for about 10 years now, hand carving,some designing, and now now running a cnc router, but I want to learn hand lettering. I have looked around and really found no books with lessons or instruction. I dont have a mentor available at the moment. Any and all help would be great. Thanks in advance, Garry
-------------------- FATTY'S SIGN WORKS WEST MILFORD N.J. GARRYPETRICH@NETZERO.NET Posts: 4 | From: NEW JERSEY | Registered: Mar 2003
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Hi Garry, of course you should try and get to a Letterhead meet, but in the meantime you might want to look at this link www.learn2paintsigns.com. Hope this helps.
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And they are in Jersey! Never heard of them before but they're worth a phone call.
-------------------- Kimberly Zanetti Purcell www.amethystProductivity.com Folsom, CA email: Kimberly@AmethystProductivity.com
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” AA Milne Posts: 3722 | From: Folsom, CA | Registered: Dec 2001
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I'm still in the early learning stages myself. If you ever want to get together and mix it up or just BS give me a hollar over here in Oak Ridge. It would be a pleasure to meet you.
Is that you with the van that says Truck Lettering?
-------------------- Alan Ackerson LetterWorks Design and Graphics alan@ack2.com Posts: 776 | From: Oak Ridge, NJ | Registered: Aug 2002
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Hey Alan, no thats not my truck, but I've done a few. As far as getting together to chat... i'm tied up at the moment. My wife just gave birth to my son, on my birthday a few days ago. I'm selling a house , buying a house, and just plain tired. Thanks for the input. Talk to you later. G.
-------------------- FATTY'S SIGN WORKS WEST MILFORD N.J. GARRYPETRICH@NETZERO.NET Posts: 4 | From: NEW JERSEY | Registered: Mar 2003
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There are a lot of different approaches...the easiest most efficient way for someone that is going to be "self taught" is to find a sign you like lay a piece of clear plex or glass over it and emulate the sign ...you'll soon find out what strokes work and which don't.
One small "secret" is a basic...All strokes go down and to the right (unless of course you're left handed). In that case ...god bless you!
The second most important secret...is to find and attend as many Letterhead meets as you can. You will find many mentors there.The sooner you do a meet the less likely you ar to create bad habits usually assocciated wwith self taught methods.
Here's some strokes you need to learn...---- //// ((( ))) (include some verticle strokes not available on the keyboard here)lay them out about 4" tall with a base and top line then "letter" them over and over (hundreds of times)til you are comfortable then turn them into letters.
The third...never give up, never give up, never!
If there is anything you need help with feel free to contact me (via e-mail)<jumperz@prodigy.net> and I will do what I can to help. There are others on this board that will offer up this kind of help...it's not the most practical way of learning to letter... but better than a stick in they eye.
Aand here's the best advise I give you...Make contact with Bill Riedell...he's very near you and I'm certain he will help you as long as your sincere about your quest...did I mention he's a great human being and you'll be the richer for it.
Good luck and bless you for asking!
[ April 07, 2003, 09:19 AM: Message edited by: Monte Jumper ]
-------------------- "Werks fer me...it'll werk fer you"
I am in the same boat. Recently, I picked up: Brush Lettering Step by Step by Jim & Bobbie Gray from the library. It has a good overview of tools for painting and layout as well as a well-illustrated step-by-step guide for a handful of alphabets.
Good luck,
Marty
-------------------- Marty Engel Berkley, MI Hill Mountain Signworks LLC
marty@hillmountain.com 248-890-8265 Posts: 58 | From: Berkley, MI | Registered: Dec 2002
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Speedball lettering @ 7.50 at your art supply store. Check the Letterville bookshop they have a few good listings. Buy one and wear it out. like Beigleson's ABC's of Lettering. There are others.
Monty, any chance of putting together a quick demo of your casual lettering demo from the Swampland?
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Welcome Gary, I will be at Alan Ackerson's on the 26th of this month. The answer to really learning is never wait to find the time, you have to make the time if you are serious. A big thank you Monte, they don't come much better than you. Who else would invite someone or two as far away as Australia.
-------------------- 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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Correction: Alan will be coming to my place on Sat.
-------------------- 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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It is a good idea to get the basics down first. I learned the basics on paper signs. We used to do a ton of them in Chicago. We had lots of repeats to do or we could use the same layout just change the words by painting a "master sign" and once it was dry, overlaying a clean sheet of butcher paper and repeating the same strokes over and over again. I felt that the tooth in the paper slowed the brush down and that would offer more control. More control is the important thing when learning. Speed is the important thing when you have a ton of paper signs. Learn and practice good habits. One mentor of mine said half the battle in lettering is mixing paint properly. Believe me its true,Good luck & enjoy
-------------------- Chuck Reed CR Signs 10442 Cook Circle Huntington Beach, Ca. 92646 714.962.7805 CRSigns2@aol.com Posts: 14 | From: 10442 Cook Circle Huntington Beach, Ca. 92646 | Registered: Oct 2002
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Here's how I learned... Call a few other painters in the area and see if they have some old wood signs kicking around. (usually ones they have taken down to replace) Scuff them down a bit with a scotchbrite pad or fine sandpaper to give them a quick cleanup and you'll probably notice that the brush stokes will be more apparent. This will give you almost a roadmap for how to swing a brush around.
-------------------- 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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Monte, Your Post brought a smile to this old letterhead. In the 70's my friend Bruce (Left handed) and I would start writing from 2 ends of the sign. The only problem occurred when Bruce who was a lousy speller would make a mistake and we would have to wipe off parts that he had done.
-------------------- Don Lopez Signs Signwriter Faulconbridge N.S.W. Australia 02 4751 2158 Posts: 80 | From: Australia | Registered: Jan 1999
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