The Lost Art Of Painting A Sign


Wander down any highway as recently as 30 years ago, and you’d be confronted by storefronts, banners and billboards that were all hand painted. Sadly, that tradition has declined — but this amazing documentary attempts to shed light on the lost art of sign painting.

As with any industry, technology brings change — but in the case of sign painting, that’s meant decline in an industry that brought a touch of individuality to any place a sign stood. Directors Faythe Levine & Sam Macon explain:

[L]ike many skilled trades, the sign industry has been overrun by the techno-fueled promise of quicker and cheaper. The resulting proliferation of computer-designed, die-cut vinyl lettering and inkjet printers has ushered a creeping sameness into our landscape. Fortunately, there is a growing trend to seek out traditional sign painters and a renaissance in the trade.

This trailer for Sign Painters promises great things for a documentary that’s set to showcase the amazing talents of those who still practise the art. Taking in two dozen painters working in cities throughout the United States, it’s a celebration of quality, craftsmanship and artistic flair. And it makes me want to pick up a paintbrush so, so badly. [Sign Painters via Boing Boing]