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Making London beautiful.

NGS Signwriting is a London-Margate based studio specialising in bespoke lettering, custom typefaces, and hand-crafted typography. Founded by Nick Garrett, now joined by Seraina Baumgartner, the studio blends fine art and print based backgrounds with decades of traditional signwriting expertise to create inspirational, design-led letterforms.

Working by hand and rooted in conservation typographic research, NGS develops original fonts and lettering systems that give brands a unique visual voice. From heritage-inspired gilded Roman lettering to modern, trend-driven minimalist and bright-bold styles, their work combines precision, artistry, and a strong sense of core ‘Soho’ type identity — what they describe as “no ordinary type.”

With a bespoke archive of custom fonts and a focus on detail at every stage of design, NGS produces precision typography for major clients that goes beyond function — delivering character, clarity, and lasting visual impact across signage, branding, and curated media environments.

Johnston Underground font revived Font designer NGS London .

Font designer NGS London . NGS Johnston Font designer NGS London .

The world of Lettering from Caslon to NGS Typesmith Fonts

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LONDON Traditional SIGNWRITER NEAR ME, near us,

As part of our heritage type foundry NGS are developing a wide classic range of bespoke Humanist Fonts.

These include the meticulous NGS renderings of truecut original restored Edward Johnston, Baskerville, classic Soho signwriter block letters: Soho Bold, Revival Bodoni Parmese, Truecut Gill Sans and Truecut Trajan letters.

Old Blue Last Sign Restoration, NGS sign Writers London

Choosing Keeping G Letter shop sign Covent Garden london by Nick Garrett signwriter

Choosing keeping gold leaf sign Covent Garden By NGS LDN

Comparative Analysis of NGS Trajan Lettering Research and Historical Foundations Introduction The Nick Garrett Signwriters (NGS) possess extensive knowledge and craftsmanship in producing authentic Tru-Cut Trajan lettering, a style rooted deeply in classical Roman inscriptions. Their expertise is complemented by a comprehensive understanding of the historical development of the Trajan typeface, notably Trajan Pro, and the pioneering research conducted by Edward Catich. This analysis aims to compare NGS's latest research findings with these foundational elements, highlighting advancements and nuanced insights. Historical Context of Trajan Lettering Trajan lettering originates from the monumental inscriptions on Trajan’s Column in Rome, dating back to AD 113. These inscriptions exemplify the Roman mastery of stone carving, characterized by precise incised glyphs with clean edges and harmonious proportions. Over centuries, scholars like Edward Catich have meticulously studied these inscriptions, emphasizing the importance of brush and chisel techniques that influenced Roman letterforms. Edward Catich’s Contributions Edward Catich’s groundbreaking research in the mid-20th century revolutionized understanding of Roman inscription techniques. His experiments demonstrated that Roman letters were often created with a brush or stylus at an acute angle, resulting in distinctive serifs and stroke qualities. Catich’s work underscored the importance of tool angle and stroke direction in replicating authentic Trajan lettering, influencing modern typographic interpretations. Trajan Pro Typeface Evolution Trajan Pro, developed by Adobe in 1989, is a digital font inspired by the classical Roman inscriptions. While it captures the general aesthetic—serif shapes, proportions, and stroke contrast—it simplifies some nuances for digital rendering. Critics note that Trajan Pro tends to idealize the letterforms, sometimes overlooking subtle variations present in original stone carvings. NGS Latest Research Insights Recent investigations by NGS have focused on refining the authenticity of Trajan lettering through meticulous analysis of original inscriptions and advanced carving techniques. Key findings include: Tool Angle Precision: Confirming that traditional Roman carvers used an acute angle (approximately 30°) for incising glyphs, which influences the sharpness and depth of serifs. Stroke Dynamics: Demonstrating that strokes often exhibit a slight variation in width due to natural hand movement, challenging the uniformity seen in digital fonts. Material Interaction: Exploring how marble's grain and weathering affect letter clarity over time, providing insights into restoration practices. Modern Replication Techniques: Developing Tru-Cut methods that replicate ancient carving tools and angles with high fidelity, ensuring authentic appearance and durability.

Gold Leaf fanlight Restoration, Transom hand painted, NGS

Cafe sign writer of shop Fronts, London, NGS Traditional signwirters, Hand painted.

NGS Painted House numbers names Traditional sign writers of London NGS Dulwich Margate Chelsea signwriters — **NGS Johnston Highbury** font The original hand painted Johnston in St Pauls Rd Highbury.

font designer NGS Trajan Baskerville — Our Classic Trajan Roman really aims to recreate the original hand painted contours of the original piece from Rome.

NGS Johnston Highbury

Studio design restoration of Johnston Type — The truecut **NGS Johnston Highbury** font up and running in 2021.

Soho Bold

London Traditional Fonts NGS Typesmiths signwriter London Traditional signpainter — **NGS Soho bold** based on the san serif ‘block’ lettering found around Berwick and Wardour St.

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WW Ghost sign NGS

Article: NGS INSIDER

Inside the world of the Caslon Foundry, Chiswell St

By the Gentle author

22/23 Chiswell St

Chiswell St is a canyon lined with glass and steel buildings leading from Moorgate to the Barbican today, yet once this was the centre of printing in the City of London. The foundry established by William Caslon in 1737, Britain’s most celebrated type designer, stood here until 1937. For more than two centuries, Caslon was the default typeface for printing in the English language and when the Americans wanted to make their Declaration of Independence and publish their Constitution, they imported type from the Caslon Foundry in Chiswell St to do it.

These historic photographs from St Bride Printing Library, taken in 1902 upon the occasion of the opening of the new Caslon factory in Hackney Wick, record both the final decades of the unchanged work of traditional type-founding, as well as the mechanisation of the process that would eventually lead to the industry being swept away by the end of the century.