Robert Stevenson
Traditional signwriter.
Contact
Stoke on Trent
Staffordshire
United Kingdom
ST6 1JQ
About
My methods, are the old methods, as passed on by master craftsmen of the past
I became an apprentice signwriter in 1982. For the first six months as an apprentice, with only the sketchiest of outlines as a guide on a practice board, I had to repetitiously practise painting the alphabet in Roman style, block sans serif, roundhand script and old English. When my brush techniques were satisfactory, I allowed to second coat the masters work. For an apprentice, not only is second coating a great achievement, it is an important stage to the further advancement of brush skills, whilst also learning and memorizing letter form.
Painting on the lettering
Many signwriters use fine line tape top and bottom edge of the lettering. This gives the finished work an engineered hardness of edge. Even though the edges, corners and serifs must be neatly finished, for signwriting to be genuinely traditional, edges must be also be soft in appearance.
Setting out
To learn the art and craft of signwriting the apprentice must learn how to set out what has got to be painted. On a practice board, with a stick of chalk, chalk line and a measuring ruler only, I was given setting out tasks to accomplish. Setting out is an art in itself. Initially, for those who could not master the art of setting out, the camera obscura was invented. In the 20th Century the analogue episcope was used. Twenty-five years into the 21st Century, as a drawing aid it is CAD software with the digital projector. As drawing aids affect the finished work; signwriting produced with the use of digital technology, will be digital in appearance
Genuine signwriting, must also have character, personality and proof of humanity.
Like a true type font typed letter in comparison to a handwritten letter, it is the writer’s own style, which separates genuine signwriting from typeface signwriting.
I established my signwriting business in 1989.
My services.
For those in need of genuine hand-crafted signwriting.
Mini craft gallery
