NGS sign writing Journal. We make the most beloved Roman letters.

PART 1

RESEARCH

A CULTURE OF MAGICAL LETTERS

Finding the 3 Italian ‘Families’ of ‘Filetti’ capital letters.

While living in Parma Italy (2006-2018), I was constantly surrounded and nurtured by great carved and print-based Roman letters. These included many wonderful stylish examples of both ancient and modern eras of Roman type, including Trajan, Bodoni and Jensen.

While there, other examples came back to me from own my creative and family homestead of London. The Roman letters of my hometown London remained, seeding the ideas that now populate these pages and my lettering practice.

DEDICATED TO MY GREAT GRANDFATHER, GRANDFATHER FRANCIS AND UNCLE HUGH BAKER

Alongside my, grandfather’s knee, as he carved his letters, I began to wonder at the origins of these great letters. I became driven by curiosity, constantly encouraged to explore art and to draw and paint each day.

This encouragement was essential to my growth and the work I produce today. Particularily important as I am joined now by my partner Seraina Baumgartner, who comes from an Italian Swiss heritage and shared birthplace of the great 20th century Swiss typefaces – Zurich.

PART 2

Visiting Rome in 2018

Recently, journeys have included travels to Milan, Venice, Florence and Pompeii. A constant search of artisanal grails and the earliest traditional sign writing examples.

I hope you enjoy sharing a snapshot of what we have found along the Ampian way.

Wonderful forms of the carved lettering of the Flamino Obelisc, and the Monument to Victor Emanuel II, [above] at first hand.

This series of Italian trips included many stunning examples of the original Serif and ‘Trajan’ style of Capital letters including touching the Trajan Column itself.

Touching and examining is an extremely important part of the process as it allow you to directly feel the nature of the carver and the moment theywere struck.

The earliest painted and carved forms of the Trajan Column, and the Pompeiian earliest carved and flat-brushed versions, shared near identical versions and character forms: and the later printed versions of these typographic styles of Parma, Venice and Milan inherited their vigor.

The London variant also picked up on the characteristics of high contrast and Trajan alphabets adding their own tuatness and extended dynamics out of improvisation and desire to redefine on our own terms what it mean to be a London Roman Letter.

The primary mission of NGS has been to foster the absolute original forms of Tranjan ‘Capital’ letters. However along the way we have come into contact with some extraordinary London lettering artists and undeniably ‘British’ forms, that have swung us back toward our early student interests, in a derived set of alphabets based on these great, local examples.

ABOVE: Arabic Romans by William Sharpington Lettering artist.

ABOVE: The late Richard Apps lettering: London based Journeys that profoundly infuence what we do today.

I found to my amazement, (in these local streets and in the back of my mind), a far deeper historic base of the ‘filetti’ serifed letter than I imagined.

2000 years later we continue to use these same letters today, across many of our renowned projects and growing archival restoration collections.

Roman classical lettering exemplifies lettering creativity in it’s dawning era, preserved by meticulous skills, and the balance between the near perfection of form and function.

PART 3

A TIMELESS LEGACY

The elegant proportions, their precise serifs, and enduring symmetry, reflect a deep understanding of visual harmony that has influenced lettering and modern day design for centuries.

The often raw artistry involved in creating these letters required physical chisel and hammer power, technical skill and an eye for finesse and aesthetic detail.

The result was fine examples of inscriptions that convey authority, tradition, and beauty. For a comprehensive exploration of this distinguished style, read more here.

TRAJAN ROMAN

MAP STREET VIEWS HERE

Roma: the home of ‘Eternal Classical’ Trajan Lettering.

VENETIAN

NGS PROJECT: PALL MALL, LONDON.

NGS Traditional Signwriters Restoration Gold Leaf Gilding Specialists

‘NGS Adams Font’ and ‘NGS Holbein Venetian Font’. Gold Leafed Roman Capitals by NGS.

The charmed things we create…

ABOUT NGS SIGN ARTISTS