Van done by hand

[John Harding]

Better than I could do freehand 😀

[Jill Marie Welsh]

It’s not bad for a beginner.
Better than a lot of my early stuff.
Letterforms could use a bit more study and they look a bit crooked.
I try not to use black too often for a drop shadow. On red, sometimes if you use maroon as a shadow, it has a nice soft effect.
You might want to go to the What the Dickens letterhead meet this September for some hands-on practice.
Love….Jill

[KevinGaffney]

Hand lettering is a difficult art to master. Many years now since I’ve used that method. Given prices companies charge for vinyl lettering vans and the ease of removal when trading in, I don’t believe there is a market anymore for hand lettering. Even after years of practice, it’s still painfully slow compared to vinyl. Companies with fleets of vans won’t want anything hand lettered. I would be wary of spending the time now learning the art that I spent on it thirty years ago. The industry, and it is that, has just moved on

[Jill Marie Welsh]

Yes and no.
I can paint a vehicle far more quickly (for me anyway but I’m fast) than I can p!ssing around with vinyl.
You can make a lot of $$ doing specialty vehicle lettering and pinstriping by hand. Unfortunately what was once a good market for me is now saturated by hacks.

[KevinGaffney]

quote Jill Marie Welsh:

Yes and no.
I can paint a vehicle far more quickly (for me anyway but I’m fast) than I can p!ssing around with vinyl.
You can make a lot of $$ doing specialty vehicle lettering and pinstriping by hand. Unfortunately what was once a good market for me is now saturated by hacks.

agreed Jill, but a painted vehicle in our market is seriously devalued whereas trading in one with vinyl already removed is worth far more

[Simon Worrall]

If they can see you doing it, they will pay $$$!
People love to see craft being done.

Fair point about vinyl being easier to remove Kevin

Simon

[Alan Drury]

I have to agree with Kevin, I had many years signwriting with a brush and although I got a great deal of satisfaction I never earned the sort of money I can now with computers/vinyl/digital and other computer related income streams. The older I got the less I enjoyed being in some unlit – unheated barn signwriting some scabby transit which took me a day or so. I cannot help but feel that brush lettering is now for a niche market such as vintage vehicles/traction enginges and or specialist applications rather than bread and butter commercial work.
I personally enjoyed it at the time but I wouldn’t want to do it now even if I could, I still have the brushes about here somewhere.
Alan D

[Tim Cowlishaw]

I agree with the hand painted work is sadly falling away I enjoy it but have never made a living at it I have just bought a vinyl cutter and plotter so learning that now