First Hand Painted Signs

[oliverdesign]

Well I'm just about finished with a group of three signs. I'm still going to add a grey border on the oval sign.

I was wondering what people thought about them and if you had any ideas to improve them.

They are hand painted with 1shot on 1/2" birch plywood. The oval is 8' x 4' and the other two are 4' x 2' and a 1' x 3 ' hanging sign.

These are the first hand painted signs that I've ever done.

I learned a lot by doing them and am sure that there are things that I could have done to make it easier, save time and make them look better.

Any suggestions?

Do I need to spray these with anything to weatherproof them?

I was going to mount the two larger signs on wood posts which I've never done either. Any tips?

Thanks for looking!

 

[J Hill Designs]

well, they certainly look hand painted...

 

[OldPaint]

nice, clean & uncluttered!!!!

 

[signgal]

i'll take his word for it as i'm too busy/lazy to open the pdf LOL

 

[neato]

Looks like you used a paint mask?

 

[Rick]

Is that your design?
Is that a layout or a logo?
What was your process on getting the lettering on (pounce pattern? Stencil?, stabilo and started painting? projector)

I don't know what the old man is looking at but that layout has some issues.

It looks like you need more practice with brush strokes and/or getting your paint the right viscosity.

Do you have a mahl stick?

 

[signmeup]

Looks fine. It's shame you had to put a phone number on it.

 

[Billct2]

I only looked at one pic, it looked OK for design and good for handlettering.
Birch plywood? That wouldn't be my choice.
If they were properly primed & painted no overcoat is needed, You can (car)wax them if you want to add some protection.

 

[J Hill Designs]

If the lettering is supposed to be all wobbley, it sure does look fine

 

[Mosh]

If I was going to use old plywood I would have at least used MOD plywood. Is there a reason you painted these instead on vinyl? Not shaded or any airbrushed effects. Even hand cut vinyl would have been faster and easier than hand painting. Just an idea for future signs you do. Birch plywood? not going to last....

 

[oliverdesign]

My Process

The surfaces were brushed with primer and exterior latex house paint. I designed a new logo on the computer, printed it out at out 6" wide. I used a projector and traced the design with a drawing pencil. I taped off baselines and other straight edges with frogtape. The lettering was done with 1shot. I did make a mahl stick, but didn't really end up using it that much. I noticed that there were brush stokes in the background and that the 1shot was uneven in some areas also with brush strokes and a shiny surfaces that showed imperfections. I ordered some low temp reducer, but it didn't arrive until I was almost done. I experimented a little with that at the end. One good thing I have going is that these signs are much better than what she had. I think I did ok for my first attempt. I know that my lines and curves are a bit wobbily and I'm hoping that will improve as I gain experience. I'd put my traditional drawing skills up against anyone, but painting and lettering with a brush is an entirely different beast.

 

[J Hill Designs]

Personally, better than ok for a first attempt - I dont have photos of my first attempts, probably better not too have taken them as the camera would have broken

 

[Rick]

Have you done much practice with a brush with one shot and various reducers before doing this sign" or you jumped right in?

As far as it being better than before or you having superior skills, it's not showing through in this design and execution. But it's great to see someone picking up a brush and giving it a shot.

 

[oliverdesign]

I've never done a vinyl cut sign either. I was thinking about using some shading or a drop shadow on the "Hair Salon." No, the lettering is not supposed to be wobbily. This was my best effort and first attempt.

 

[oliverdesign]

I'm not saying that I have superior skills. What I was trying to say is that I have a lot of experience drawing with a pencil on paper. I've worked as an animator, illustrator and graphic designer for a long time. The only painting that I have done is small format watercolor and acrylic stuff. I do not have any experience painting and especially lettering on a large format like this. I was feeling like quite a beginner, but excited to be doing something challenging and learning a lot. I'm just hoping to get some tips and try to improve. This is the first time I've used this type of paint as well. I did just jump into this head first. Thanks for the constructive criticism everyone.

 

[Arlo Kalon 2.0]

I'm not saying that I have superior skills. What I was trying to say is that I have a lot of experience drawing with a pencil on paper. I've worked as an animator, illustrator and graphic designer for a long time. The only painting that I have done is small format watercolor and acrylic stuff. I do not have any experience painting and especially lettering on a large format like this. I was feeling like quite a beginner, but excited to be doing something challenging and learning a lot. I'm just hoping to get some tips and try to improve. This is the first time I've used this type of paint as well. I did just jump into this head first. Thanks for the constructive criticism everyone.

Rest assured, you did fine for a first attempt. Back in the day of hand painted signs only, if you came into my shop and presented this as your first attempt, we'd hire and train you based on this job. Stick with it, but be warned - hand lettering is highly addictive. The more you do it, the more you look forward to your next project.

 

[Rick]

Hopefully you are not getting defensive, the comments are made to improve your work. You did not introduce yourself so we have no idea who you are and what experience you have. You sound like you have work that exceeds this.

We are only critiquing this sign work, not you.

It helps to know where you are coming from in order to tell you how to improve your work.

Tips would be, practice paint strokes and working with the paint using various reducers to get the feel of how the paint flows from the brush. When I was learning how to do this I was taught by a sign painter and all I did was fill in letters or outline till I got the hang of it.

Practice with the mahl stick when freehanding it, you will get straighter edge work.

I would buy a few books on logo design. One in particular is this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Design-Matters-Essential-Primer-Competitive/dp/1592533418/ref=pd_sim_b_6

of the logolounge series (www.logolounge.com)

If this was a layout, then get "Mastering Layout" by Mike Stevens (a master sign painter)

I have a little experience and I constantly upgrade my library or re-read this stuff.
Hope this helps.

 

[Jillbeans]

It's rough but I like the retro style.
Looks a lot better/cleaner than my early attempts.
99% of my BC painted signs (before computer) were done on regular exterior plywood, primed and painted. Plywood never gets that "acne" look like MDO can when the paper coat breaks down. I have signs out there 20 years old that are still not in bad shape.
Now that I cut vynull I always try to use Alumalite.
As has been said, no clear coat is needed.
Just keep practicing.
Since you live in CA your paint probably dries a lot faster than mine does here in PA.
Love.....Jill

 

[OldPaint]

why you get so much crooked lines is your not using the QUILL the right way. i would guess your painting with the TIP of the brush, from the look of the letters.
#1. QUILLS, will pull perfectly straight lines, IF you know how to.
load up the quill with paint, there is twisted wire on the furrel, this wire tells you the FLAT of the brush. the wire tie...........needs to be parallel with the board your painting. you also need to "palette" the brush. this is tkeing the brush looking at the wire tie, and making the quill flat BY PRESSING THE HEEL.........on the palette board, plate, paper. then you will have a brush that is wider then it was when you loaded the paint.
2. NOW TO PULL A LINE............place brush tip about a 1/4" form the line you wish to make straight. NOW..........lay brush down on board, till the HEEL...........IS HITTIN THE BOARD like it was a pencil tip. now start to pull the brush down or back to you, while wathing the line you want to paint...and move brush to that line AND DONT STOP the down or back motion. when you STOP YOU
MAKE BUMPS IN THE EDGE!!!!
but you got to get used to painting from the HEEL, NOT THE TIP!!!!
i commend ya on how you did this, thats how we did it, the key to straight lines is RELAX...............the more you tense up to make a straight line the more it will look crooked. the good thing with paint, if you dont hit that line with 1st pull..........go back and pull it again!!!!!
CIRCLES & CURVES...............little more practice..........this involves ...........learning to twist the brush between you fingers as you pull the curve! one of those things that is best learned from another old brush guy.
if you was closer to me...........got no problem teachin ya....iam sure if you was in LAMIRADA, CA. sometime, si allen would also be glad to show you how to.............

 

[Pat Whatley]

Your design and execution are good...not great but damn sure not horrible either.

Two things stick out though: The first is the "it's better than what she had" attitude. I would hope so...if her other signs were okay she'd never have ordered new ones.

The second, and the one that may hurt you pretty quickly, is the birch plywood. Birch plywood is an interior plywood made with urea-formaldehyde glue which is not water resistant. As soon as any moisture makes it to the wood it will start to delaminate. The layers will also separate along the edges just from temperature change. It's subtle, but it's enough to crack the paint on the edges and let water in. Make sure when you install it you cover your screw heads with either matching vinyl tabs or caulk them and paint them. You'd be surprise how many signs I've pulled down over the years that were rotted from water seeping in around the screws.