Hand Painted Signs Sign writing & gilding 

Yes! A very enjoyable and large bulk of our work involves hand painting custom graphics and typography on the floors or walls of businesses looking for unique branding. We also use hand painted signs to fulfil practical corporate functions such as wayfinding - producing welcome and navigation signs in block prints or sans serif fonts for easy reading while adding character to the space.

When you’re looking for something no one else has, a one-off commission that says we are unique, and when you want to instil some character and achieve a distinctive look and feel - which we can offer as large scale hand painting or as select bits of lettering and/or graphics. 

These have been implemented as focus walls for independent shops, floor graphics for cultural contexts such as London Zoo, wall murals for big businesses like Workspace and wayfinding for all sorts of spaces from coffee shops to multilevel offices. Whatever industry you’re in, if you’re looking to implement artisanal signs, we can make a custom solution for you. 

The very apparent benefit is the very bespoke aesthetics that can be achieved in the hands of a capable artist - you think it, we’ll create it. 

Beyond the application and the look and feel, it is having a craft story that makes every single hand painted sign unique. Custom works like hand painted logos and lettering of faux ghost signs like these tell a tale of something truly special taking place in the making of - creative thinking, workmanship, and often, joy! Whatever vibe you opt for whether it's indie or more orthodox, hand painting denotes a willingness to invest in the process - and that is a noteworthy effort for consumers that are on the lookout for quality, caring brands in a sea of sameness. 

Creative projects really excite us so we are happy to work with you on a design that you've thought of, and we're even happier to be responsible for creating a design that fits your specific needs and preferences ourselves.

It depends on the complexity of the brief - a simple design can be completed in a few hours, though generally these projects tend to be medium to large in scale taking anywhere from a day to a week or more. Branding projects often require big murals that may need to allow time for drying between layers, while wayfinding projects call for small bits of writing across multiple floors, so both can be time consuming in their own ways. With that said, we're here to help so let us know if you need to fast track.

We analyse the best way to approach our briefs with our creative team when doing a hand painted job. Some designs will require a stencil if they are a particular text font or logo, while some designs allow for more creativity and our highly skilled sign writers can do them freehand.

Please supply us with an idea of what you want to achieve no matter where you are in the design process, as well as images of the area where the hand painting is required, along with dimensions of both the artwork and the wall or floor space. 

The main considerations when ideating are the scale of your design and the texture of your canvas. This is because hand painting might not be appropriate if a job is particularly intricate or the surface doesn’t suit. If this happens, we may recommend using another material instead or changing the backdrop - whatever the case, we’ll always advise the best way forward upon seeing your brief. 

Most often, we use acrylic water based paints for interior and exterior signs thanks to their environmental friendliness and suitability to most surroundings. However, we’ll opt for an oil based paint if the area we’re working on is particularly exposed to the elements - it takes longer to dry but on the flipside, it's very hard wearing.

We can paint onto a variety of backdrops, though smooth and flat surfaces allow for the best finish. That said, our skilled sign writers can make most things work - one of our commonly requested canvases for brushwork is the exposed brick wall. Rough to the touch, it's an awkward texture yet receptive to paint, often achieving great impact - as long as you are willing to allow for some artistic licence. 

We have some lovely examples of hand painted fascia signs overlooking busy streets off the front and sides of buildings - from Ozone Coffee houses to co-working spaces powered by Workspace. Different types of paints suit different environments, and we will use the longest lasting option for your location.

Whether it’s water based or oil based, clean your hand painted sign with a gentle wipe of soapy water, and repair any damages to the finish with a touch up just as you would your walls at home.

Brush stroke signage is a decorative form of sign writing. At Glyphics, we're often putting up these signs in corporate contexts so we keep legibility at the forefront of our minds when it comes to design, though largely speaking, it involves calligraphic painting techniques to create eye-catching text and attractive graphics that suit commercial marketing methods such as window displays or A-boards.

Brush stroke signage is commonly used for window displays, A-boards, and other types of outdoor signage. It can also be used for interior signs, such as menu boards and directional signs.

This is the stuff we love to do. We are happy to work with you on a design that you've thought of and we're even happier to create a design that fits your specific needs and preferences ourselves.

The time it takes to create a brush stroke signage can vary depending on the complexity of the design and the size of the sign. A simple design can be completed in a few hours, while a more complex design may take several days, especially if time needs to be left in between to let layers dry.

Sign writing of any type can be done with a variety of materials, including paint and markers - the choice of material will depend on the intended use and location of the sign, as well as any specific requirements for the design.

Keep your brush stroke sign writing clean with mild soap and water - it's important to avoid harsh chemicals and abrasive materials, as they can damage paint.

Yes - different types of paints suit different environments, and we will use the longest lasting option for your location.

Gliding is the artisan practice of applying fine gold leaf or powder, either directly onto solid surfaces such as a wooden 3D sign, or as an additional layer above a hand painted glass or window sign. At Glyphics, we use 23 carat gold leaf for gilding our signs, though there are other varieties available, offering different tints or metals. 

Gilded signs are guaranteed to stand out amongst a mass of vinyl signs. Our gilded signs give any space a premium look and feel, injecting character. 

Gliding is undoubtedly a decorative sign making technique. Its purpose, though there are others, is mainly to add a sense of beauty to any space. Traditionally, gold leaf was synonymous with a lustrous and grand look, but combined with hand painting, it can be pretty stylistically versatile.

When used for outdoor signage and if gilded correctly, 23-carat gold leaf can be left unsealed (except on glass) and last between 20 – 30 years even in exposed conditions. In spite of its thin texture, gold leaf is very durable. It is not reactive and does not tarnish like other metals. Restoring its brilliance when it is dirty only requires a gentle wash with soapy water and a sponge.

Gilding is the process of applying gold leaf to various hard surfaces. At Glyphics, we use various methods to apply gold leaf. These include:

Sculptural sign gilding - this is when sculptural objects or ornaments such as casts are covered with a thin layer of gold leaf to protect them and give them a luxurious finish.

Relief gilding - this refers to the intricate job of applying gold leaf to letters or figures that have been carved into a flat piece of material such as wood or metal. 

Glass gilding - this is when our specialist signwriters apply gold leaf to glass that has been hand painted.  Working on the face of the glass or on the back in reverse, an outline of lettering, numbers and/or graphics is filled with gold leaf to enhance their visibility and give the overall design a sophisticated look. Take a look at how we hand painted and gold leafed our shop front sign to get a better understanding of glass gliding.

Although gilded signs are durable, if tampered with, they can be vulnerable to abrasion or scratches, so we recommend placing them out of reach, though generally glass signs can be sealed with a clear lacquer for protection. In terms of upkeep, the best thing you can do is avoid harsh chemicals when your sign needs a clean and instead give it a gentle wipe with a soft cloth

The first step in getting a gilded sign is to give us an idea of what you are trying to achieve. You can do this by providing us with the approximate size you hope for, any design artwork you've rendered, and letting us know where the sign is going - is it a freestanding letter or a window you're getting gilded?

We would then analyse your specifications to establish the technique and materials that would work best for you. Once this has been assessed and the way forward has been agreed upon, we will give you a quotation detailing the requirements and corresponding costs before creating your glided sign.

This is the stuff we love to do. We are happy to work with you on a design that you've thought of and we're even happier to create a design that fits your specific needs and preferences ourselves.