Walls

I will end this week with a few more examples of lettering and some options for getting the job done.

This library, done by Garay Artisans, features a quote around the arched window as well as scrolling poets’ names along the low chair rail.

The lettering for this job was provided by “SayWhat?” custom lettering.

The first large lettering job I had, years ago, was to stencil the names and dollar amounts contributed to this non-profit organization, on this column in their lobby. Hugh Hoeger, from Say What lettering, was just introducing his line of custom designed lettering. I never could have done this job without his help and lettering! I gave him the dimensions of the column and all of the text I needed to have included on the column. He laid it all out for me, making sure the text would wrap around the column without problems. It came shipped in a big box, all cut in sections. I had an assistant, and we applied the lettering, section by section and stenciled in gold.

A quick search on Stencilsearch.com will show you a variety of lettering stencils, both custom cut and standard designs.

When I have just a small lettering job to do, I often print out the words I need right from my computer. I use my word processing program and enlarge the letters when I print, to the size I need. I then just cut out the letters with an X-Acto® knife and use the computer paper stencil for my job. I change my fonts to “outline”, so I’m not wasting a lot of ink when I print. Since the stencil is just paper, you must use a very dry stencil brush for this method. It’s a one time use. If I think I’ll use the lettering again for another job, I tape the computer paper to the under side of a piece of glass, lay my mylar over the lettering, on the reverse side of the glass, tape down, and cut my stencil.

As Nancy Schnell mentioned earlier this week, you can also project your lettering directly onto the wall, trace and paint.

A great use of lettering done by Nancy Schnell, of FairyDust Creations for Jacobs High School in Algonquin, IL. The school fight song was stenciled onto the wall in the gymnasium.

Nancy (right) had the help of Christi Fish (left) and were lucky enough to also have the use of a motorized lift! This was a school gift from the previous year’s graduating class.

The stencils were cut by Hugh Hoeger of “Say What?”

This lettering, also done by Nancy Schnell, was done for Aspire Children’s Services, a private, not for profit agency serving the developmental, residential and vocational needs of adults with developmental disabilities. Children birth to three with disabilities, delays and at-risk conditions and their families are supported through Aspire Children’s Services. Participants come from over 50 Chicago area communities.

Here we can see the lobby (with tree and lettering). This lettering was projected onto the wall and hand painted.

Because this hallway was so long and narrow, it was difficult to get a good picture. Treatment rooms, evaluation rooms, and more are off of this hallway. Each room down this hallway was “donated”, and thus remembered at each doorway. Since this building serves the children, a storybook theme was chose. Each ‘donor’ is honored on a storybook at the entrance to a treatment room. Nancy cut stencils for the words on each book from her computer.

The next post on Lettering will explore the different options and sources for custom lettered stencils.

Stenciling quotes, phrases, names, monograms, etc. never seems to go out of style. Year after year I always find myself fitting in a fair amount of this type of work. I thought I’d spend this week showing some great examples of lettering that stencilers/decorative artists have created for their clients.

These stencils were cut and designed by Rowena Fengel of Bella! Bella! Rowena uses words, sayings and maxims in most of the clients homes and all of the Parade Homes she works in Texas & Northern California.