Absolute Beginners Virtual Course

Absolute Beginners Signwriting Course

This new virtual course is designed for anyone with an interest in hand painted letters whether as a hobby or a future career. You can get started with a pencil, paper and ruler and watch the vidoes back when you’re ready to start painting, or if you feel confident enough you can sketch and paint along with Joby.

New course dates coming soon!

• Week 1: Looking at letterforms : Tuesday 6 June 2023
• Week 2: Design and effects : Tuesday 13 June 2023
• Week 3: Tools and techniques : Tuesday 20 June 2023

Book now.

If these dates have sold out you can sign up to Joby’s email for priority booking when the next dates go live

Hosted by leading expert Joby Carter

With 30 years experience in signwriting, Joby Carter has extensive knowledge of this heritage skill. Rather than relying on computers and digital software or using tapes, vinyls and masking, you’ll learn the traditional ways of working that span over 100 years.

Joby will be asking you to look at letters in a way that you have never done so before, to notice and appreciate key things about letterforms. You’ll also learn some of the fundamentals of the craft including the tools of the trade, brushwork and layout.

Please note Joby’s courses are very popular. To secure your place you need to book and pay the full fee. The courses hold a maximum of 100 people, and we work on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here for our Refunds Policy.

Who is the course suitable for?

This course is suitable for anyone that has a passion for letterforms, typography or graphic design but remember that signwriting is an advanced skill and the younger you are, the harder you will find it.  Joby began his apprenticeship when he was 17 and spent many years refining his skills.

We teach signwriting using spirit-based paints which means that for our workshop courses we teach over 18s only.

If you know you love letterforms and are already keen to find out more, then Joby suggests that those aged 14 or over might enjoy aspects of this course as it will give a lot of insight into drawing letters, layout and design. You can also use non spirit-based paints to practice instead.

We recommend that your parent or guardian is aware that you are joining this course and that you join with their support. Book your place here. 

Course modules

Week 1: Looking at letterforms 

In the first session you’ll learn how to draw letters, how to scale them up from drawings. You’ll learn how to appreciate the proportions of letterforms, paying a lot of attention to the Roman alphabet which is the most important and what nearly all other alphabets have been based on. We will also cover layout and spacing between letters or ‘kerning’ as it is known in typography.

Week 2: Design and effects

This week we will look at how you design your lettering to adapt to the space you have – a true signwriting skill. We will also look at ‘fancy lettering’: how the block and the shadows can be used to create bold and eye catching lettering designs.

Week 3: Tools and techniques

In the final session we look at the tools you will need for professional results including which brushes to use and how to look after them and clean them. We’ll share techniques on how to ensure your paint flows correctly when you paint your designs. You’ll also learn how to use a mahl and palette and how to actually signwrite. While you can’t learn to be a professional signwriter in 90 minutes, you can learn the techniques to paint corners, straight lines and circles which you can then practice in your own time.

What materials do you need?

You’ll need access to Zoom on your tablet or computer, space to draw and basic drawing equipment (pencil, paper, ruler and eraser.)

Downloadable references and worksheets are sent out with your booking confirmation and should ideally be printed off, if you are able.

If you would like to buy paints, brushes, a mahl stick, a palette or pre-prepared boards, you can buy them in our signwriting supplies section in our shop.

Useful videos to watch before starting the course

We’ve created a quick guide to using Zoom for the course and in ’21st century Victorian’ you’ll hear Joby talk about the traditional art of signwriting and his apprenticeship.