Before the age of computers and vinyl stickers all commercial signage was layed-out and painted by hand. For a few decades handpainted signage was almost gone. Today there is a new demand for handmade signs. They simply have so much more character than computer generated letters!

 

Creating letters with pencil, brushes and paint can be so rewarding. Taking your time to construct and paint your own lettering gives you a real good understanding of the basics of typography. In three workshop lessons Pieter will teach you how to create your own handpainted signs.

 

Lesson 1: The basics of painting letters

 

Pieter will give students an introduction to the craft of sign painting:

•           A short history of sign painting

•           Different types of lettering and techniques to paint

•           An overview of materials (brushes, types of paint, other tools)

•           How to set up your workspace

•           Basic strokes to create block letters

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Lesson 2:  Writing and painting Casual Script

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Casual Script is a lettering style that is very useful to create consistent and readable lettering with a brush or brush pen. Once you get the hang of it you will notice that it can be used as a fast way to create larger pieces of handpainted text with character. This lesson will be divided into three parts:

•           Learning to how draw casual letters with pencil

•           Writing casual script using brush pens

•           Painting casual script with brushes and paint

 

Lesson 3: Drawing and painting 3D letters

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An important aspect of vintage lettering are the different types of shading that were used in the old days. Pieter have written a handy booklet with tips and tricks on how to draw 3D letters. It also contains an overview of more than 30 different shading effects that can be added and combined endlessly to give your lettering that retro look. In this session Pieter will demonstrate the following:

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•           Pieter method of drawing 3D letters

•           How to add shading to your letters

•           How to paint your own 3D lettering piece using the materials and techniques you have acquired in these lessons.

 

Lettering with 3D and other shading effects can give your signs a bold and vintage look. The right combinations and contrast will make your signs stand out from the crowd. The bolder, the better!

 

Experience in drawing, calligraphy, or sign painting to participate in this online workshop is not needed. Participants will get access to downloadable reference sheets beforehand.