Reverse Lettering on Glass
Reverse sign writing including gold leaf lettering on the interior of shop windows of which was popular during Victorian and Edwardian England, again my customers typically include heritage building restorations, museums and public houses.
I can do reverse sign-writing on the glass panels that is traditional of accountants and solicitors office doors – it certainly looks better than sticky letters.
Alongside vehicle signwriting I often do reverse lettering on name glasses of Plaxtons and Duple coaches and buses including the rear illuminated glass name signs that were typical of Vintage lorries such as ERF A Series cabs.
On Glasswork &
Reverse Lettering
The master craftsman Theophilus wrote instructions on glass painting in his book called On Divers Arts, it was published in the 12th Century. In 1865 Charles Winston wrote a book called the Art of painting on glass: This book explores in depth the process of “correct” Medieval Gothic glass painting and the examples discussed can still be seen in Churches in this country. Just from these two books it is obvious that painting on glass has a long and complex history, from its origins in non-secular glasswork to the secular glasswork made popular during the Victorian era.
I came across painting on glass at the beginning of my career as coaches then had at least two name glasses that needed to be done. At Lawton I was given only twelve months to learn a trade that takes years, so after spending half of these twelve months practicing the alphabet the usual way, I was painting them in reverse on glass. “You are of no use here if you cannot paint on glass, so you need to get practising” I was also told. “And painting in reverse is good practice.”
Young, impatient and eager to do the highly decorative work I had seen; Vic said “ Forget all that elaborate nonsense, focus on painting the letters, especially Roman lettering. All that fancy stuff is of no use until you can paint on Roman letters. Paint these in reverse and you will be able to do things that many signwriters, whom to the end of their careers could not do.”
< The fine art of outlining details by free hand
During my time working at Lawton most weeks I would spend three days painting on glass. Many times I had to paint on the inside of the windscreen at the very top the companies name. Now this was difficult. I had to balance myself on the drivers seat, lean over the steering wheel and over the dash, arching my posture, my back curved and my stomach pushed forward, head tilted and upward looking, with my arms stretched out to their limit, I would be painting away. Working in these situations I soon found glass panels on a bench and the inside of a shop window easy to do.
As always, I focus on the original hand done methods and I offer this same approach for reverse lettering and painting on glass, also with oil and water gilding on glass.
< "All the work you see on my website is done by hand"
< Home is where the Heart is Preparatory Drawing
< Home is where the Heart is Preparatory Drawing Reverse Black Out
Robert E. Stevenson – The Signwriter
Traditional Signwriting for Heritage, Commercial & Vintage Projects
