Rapid Lettering with Ged Palmer

Join us for a 2-day weekend workshop on Rapid Lettering with Ged Palmer, at New York Sign Museum!

The Workshop 

Renowned sign painter Ged Palmer @gedpalmer joins us at our East New York studio to teach traditional sign painting techniques that require zero drafting: just quick, lively lettering straight from the brush! You will work in an active sign shop environment surrounded by the museum’s historic collection, learning the mechanics of the brush and the expressive, single-stroke styles that defined 20th-century commercial art. 

Sign Painting is all about celebrating the handmade at a time when digital work is replacing the soul of our visual landscape. This workshop is all learning how to work quickly with your hands and packing lots of personality into your work.

Dates 

Saturday, April 25th from 10AM-4PM

Sunday, April 26th from 10AM-4PM

Learning Outcomes 

• Brush Mastery: Master essential brush control, body positioning, and "paletting" techniques.

• Alphabet Construction: Learn five distinct "Casual" styles and one "Script" style, including common variations.

• Learn to work quickly: Rapid Brush Lettering or Speed Lettering is all about quick movements and painting quickly! 

• Design Fundamentals: Explore layout, color theory, and traditional sign effects.

• Project Completion: Design and execute your own hand-painted sign from start to finish

Audience and Format 

This workshop is designed to accommodate both beginner and intermediate sign painters, although we’d prefer that you have experience painting or lettering, as this workshop is meant to go beyond the basics (how to hold a brush). If you’ve taken one of our past workshops or practiced sign painting elsewhere, this is the next step for you!

Past participants have included graphic designers, type designers, scenic artists, muralists, tattoo artists, calligraphers and more. The format is hands-on and immersive, featuring live demonstrations followed by one-on-one expert guidance as you practice.

Materials Required 

We provide a comprehensive kit for you to use and keep, including:

• Two professional-grade Mack signwriting brushes.

• High-quality Nicker Japanese gouache paint.

• A 32-page handbook containing alphabets, layout guides, and further reading.

Note: All practice paper and surfaces are included in the ticket price.

Scholarship 

We are offering 2 full scholarship seats for this workshop. We’d like to reserve these spots for those passionate about typography and signage who might not be able to attend due to financial constraints. We would also prefer to offer the spots to those who grew up in or live in our studio’s neighborhood, East New York/Brownsville. Please fill out this Google Form to let us know why you’d like to be considered for the scholarship.The deadline for entries is March 25th at 11:59PM. 

*Please note your application will be considered not eligible if you purchase a workshop ticket.

Policies 

• Minimum Enrollment Policy: This workshop has a minimum enrollment. If this minimum is not met 4 weeks before the workshop start date, the workshop will be canceled, and all payments will be fully refunded to students, subject to no fee.

• Waitlist: If the workshop is sold out, we do not offer a waitlist. Tickets will be released for sale if anyone cancels their participation. If the workshop is sold out, you can opt to get an email notification when new tickets are back in stock directly from the registration page.

• Refund Policy: Full refund up to 2 weeks in advance of first class start date, subject to $25 administrative and processing fee. Email store@nysignmuseum.org to request a refund.

• Rescheduling Policy: NYSM reserves the right to postpone or reschedule workshops to an alternate date. Should a change occur, participants will automatically have their tickets transferred to the new date. For postponed or rescheduled workshops, participants may request a full refund by emailing store@nysignmuseum.org within 5 days of the announcement.

• Cancellation Policy: NYSM reserves the right to cancel workshops. Should a cancellation occur with no rescheduled date, participants will automatically receive a full refund.

About the New York Sign Museum Mission 

The New York Sign Museum was established in 2019 with the intention to preserve the unique history of signage and businesses in New York City. The New York Sign Museum is a 501(c)(3) public charity. The NYSM is a not-for-profit educational space for all, from sign admirers to designers looking to learn the historic art of sign painting.

The NYSM collection is currently housed in a space adjacent to Noble Signs. Noble Signs Inc., a fully insured local sign company, partners with NYSM in the deinstallation of accessioned signage.