Recently – NGS signs and things…
RETRO LONDON ARSENAL
… and this
The Apothecary signs in the new flagship Bluewater ‘Tedbury’ quirky themed Ted Baker clothes store
…sign writing in Blue Water Kent the fab new Ted Baker store… continuing
Watney’s – 1980s
I was very lucky meeting Ron Bennett, head architect at Watney’s Isleworth Brewery who tasked me with my first gilding job – The Windsor Arms. Cooper a really tacky type of 70’s font which I had gilded in my bedroom the next morning and back to him in the afternoon. We worked together for 4 years.
Sir Alexander Flemming – my second major sign commission to Watneys in 1981
Taylor Walker – 1980s
From there I went on to work with Will Allbrook at Taylor Walker/Oldham signs and by 1986 had wandered into the world of interiors mastering faux finishes on the way.
Below are some of the sites I remember working on over those and intervening years (if you have a project coming up feel free to email me at desight2012@yahoo.co.uk).
Firkin Pubs – 1989
The Pheonix and Firkin – the original sign we made in 1983 was up for restoration by 2001, but it was just too gone around the edges and this one was intended only as temporary but it looked kinda cool and we all agreed it should stay.
Nina Campbell wanted a nice Roman so she got it with my selection of Berling… still looking good.
RECENTLY 2011
Project start-up Bluewater
Above: November 2011 layout for Ted Baker Apothecary sign centre panel at flagship Bluewater shopping centre Kent UK. Below: the finished sign in sepia and antique gold, distressed and aged.
Chalkie
I make chalk board designs and posters… great fun and very effective PUB Cafe VM tools…
Related articles
- Handwritten Prices in Retail (fixturescloseup.com)
- Remembering the handwritten logo (holykaw.alltop.com)
- Get Personal with Handwritten Notes (shopify.com)
- For Ted Baker (nutboxsigns.wordpress.com)
ARCHITECTURAL GILDING
With this clock near the British Museum it was the case of starting from scratch with the decorators painting out what was there. Around six books of transfer leaf were used and thankfully there was a local gilding supplier as I ran out half way through the job. The clock is now more bling, bling but not ding ding as it doesn’t work.