With traditional signwriting in resurgence, Sam Roberts meets those that are bringing the hand-painted touch to high streets up and down the country
Careers advisors in the early 2000s were striking signwriter off their lists of viable vocations, with vinyl letters and digital printing making the trade all but redundant. The last formal course dedicated to the craft closed its doors shortly afterwards. However, as we entered the 2010s, a resurgence of interest, and demand began to gather pace, in part a reaction to the homogeneity of our high streets and the pixel perfect digital worlds that we were increasingly inhabiting.
Fuel to the fire of this resurgence was the 2013 release of the feature-length documentary, Sign Painters, (see SignLink, April/May 2023). This showed that the trade, although smaller, was still very much alive, and offered a career path that could be followed. It inspired countless creative souls around the world to take up the brush, and the UK was no exception.
Now, up and down the country, businesses are seeking out the services of a signwriter to paint their premises, and more, with a new generation of craftspeople stepping up to do just that. Here, we hear from just a few of these signwriters and how they got to where they are today.
Since 2016 | www.signpaintingbydawn.com
Dawn Evans always had a creative streak in her but after University, and a less-than-inspiring graphic design internship, she found herself working part-time at a local cafe. There she was asked to write their chalkboards, which she both enjoyed and had a knack for. She invested in some workshops, practised in her own time, and began to take on jobs from other customers. Over the next couple of years, she had enough work to drop the last few shifts she was doing at the cafe to go full-time at signwriting.
Working across Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, with lots of clients in the Cotswolds, Evans’ bread and butter is work for pubs and shops. However, she regularly takes on private commissions that range from house signs to more unusual briefs that have included fishing rods, champagne bottles, and even the beak of a wooden duck. “It’s these little jobs that involve personalising a sentimental item for people to pass down for generations that are extra special”, she says.
Evans says that it’s the “human touch” that attracts people to signwritten work, while some surfaces necessitate it; hand-painting is the only way to get lettering onto surfaces such as cladded wood, slate, and brick. And, for those interested in pursuing a signwriting career, she emphasises the importance of practice so that “you can nail the basics before you start adding the fancy stuff”.
Since 2013 | www.jonmay.studio
Jon May first encountered traditional signwriting via the work of master craftsman David Adrian Smith. This inspired him to learn as much as he could about its history and techniques, which he did through attending workshops and collecting old books, trade signs, and ephemera. His first job came in 2013 when a friend invited him to design the logo and hand-painted signage for a tea house in Cambridgeshire, and he never looked back.
The vast majority of May’s work is for local businesses and, in addition to signwriting, he also turns his hand to graphic design, branding, packaging, and illustration. He finds that his clients decide on hand-painted signs as they “convey a quality of care and a human touch that resonates” while also “ageing gracefully”. He also points out that traditional signwriting is the best fit for firms that are operating from historic buildings conservation zones, or where businesses are similarly creative in their nature.
May advises those wanting to get into the trade to connect with others that have already trodden that path. In addition to reaching out to experienced hands via email and social media, he says that Letterheads events (see SignLink, February/March 2024) have been an invaluable part of his own professional development: “It’s only with the help of others that we progress, learn, and grow”. Some of the things he has learned in doing so are to “value yourself, stay humble, and ask for a deposit before you start work.”
Hana Sunny Whaler & Jake Tyler
Stroud, Gloucestershire
Since 2014 (Hana) | 2015 (Jake)
www.thesunnysignco.co.uk
Hana Sunny Whaler and Jake Tyler met at Falmouth University where the Sign Painters film cemented their interest in the hand-drawn and hand-painted lettering. After graduating, Sunny Whaler set up shop in Bristol before moving to London where Tyler was also running his own signwriting business. They joined forces in 2024 to form The Sunny Sign Co. and have since relocated to Stroud. There they are building up a local clientele, while continuing to serve some of their existing customers in London and further afield.
Working as a partnership allows Sunny Whaler and Tyler to bring their different skill sets to a wide range of jobs, offering what they describe as “full design services”. These skills include illustration and graphic design and, while some work has digital elements, or passes through digital formats, every project is started and finished by hand. The bulk of their work is for smaller, independent businesses, and it is briefs from pubs that they particularly relish: “From pictorial hanging signs, to gilded windows, and interior wayfinding – the history of and legacy of pubs, and the signwriting tradition within them, is a real passion for us!”
Sunny Whaler and Tyler warn against “romantic” perceptions of signwriting work, which in reality involves “battling the weather, being heckled by the public, and aching in the morning”. But, on the flip side, “the good days are often so good, you’d do it for free!” They also feel blessed to be part of a supportive community of other signwriters, and the “open, multi-generational, multi-national spaces” at Letterheads gatherings, which provide countless “opportunities to learn and refine skills”.
Bangor, North Wales
Since 2021| www.momosigns.co.uk
While his background is in youth and community work, Tomos Jones fell into the craft of signwriting after a friend asked him to paint a menu on a cafe wall. They asked: “Why aren’t you doing this for a living? You’re clearly enjoying yourself.” This made Jones consider signwriting as a future career direction. After quickly discovering the work of master craftsman, and North Wales neighbour, David Kynaston, Jones was “hooked” and “knew what I wanted to do with my life”.
Jones describes himself as a sign-maker rather than ‘just’ a signwriter, as he gets involved in much more than painting the lettering. He deploys his carpentry skills on a variety of projects and has built up a big body of mural work, including public art installations. His clients come to him looking for something unique that will set them apart, rather than “blend in with everyone else”.
When newcomers ask for his advice on getting into the craft, Jones relays the things he did when he was just starting out. These include putting in the hard hours of diligent practice – “You can’t pay someone to practice for you!” – especially the drawing of letters, which is fundamental before trying to shape them with a brush. Beyond that, studying good reference materials and seeking out experiences with other signwriters are also important: “Reach out, ask questions, study, practice, and, above all else, don’t let fear of failure get in the way of trying”.
Rachel E Millar & Hana Lindsay
Glasgow, Scotland
Since 2017 (Rachel) | 2022 (Hana)
www.bungosignco.bigcartel.com
The Bungo Sign Co. was founded in 2022 when established signwriter Rachel E Millar and her regular collaborator Hana Lindsay joined forces. The name comes from the Strathbungo area of Glasgow where the duo serve the city of Glasgow from a shop that was previously a fishmonger’s. Local businesses, particularly those in the hospitality and retail sectors, form the bulk of Bungo’s clientele.
“In Glasgow especially, we find there’s a strong culture of supporting local makers and independent businesses. It’s quite a small city and usually people opening new shops know someone who knows us and knows we’re good to work with” says the pair.
The two signwriters only work with traditional signwriting and gilding methods, with everything done by hand. They’ve enjoyed being part of the “revival of traditional, hand-crafted skills over the last ten years” which has worked in their favour as “it’s made it a trendy thing to get for your shop!” Their approach also gives them an advantage when it comes to certain environmental and regeneration projects where this way of working is a pre-requisite.
Both Bungo partners learned the signwriting craft through the guidance, support, and experience given to them by others, and they’re now reciprocating through their own teaching of workshops. They encourage newcomers in the same way that they were encouraged and are mindful of the specific challenges faced by women in the trade.
“Women in general are way less likely to shout about their achievements and what they can offer, so we remind ourselves all the time to shake off the imposter syndrome and show people what we can do!”
