A trip down memo lane/s – NGSigns

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sign painter, signwriter, London sign writer, Lettering artist, Brand design, Typographic designer, Font design, Gotham, House Industries, Better Letters, Mike Meyer, David Smith glass gilder, 1shot enamel, Handover, Hand painted, IOAFS, bespoke signs, Joby Carter, Seraina Baumgartner, Signwriters London, Nick Garrett Signwriting London, Painted house numbers, House numbers, Glass gold, Glass gilding, Gold leaf, Signwriters London, NGS Signwriting London, Signwriting courses London, Signwriting classes, Signwriting near me Margate Kent, Shop Signs, Shop Signs,cafe Signs, pub Signs, hand painted lettering Numerals, custom-logo,

Starting my Career in making Hand Painted Signs

OCTOBER 14, 2011

A visual overview of some work I’ve completed over the years, some stories and unsolved mysteries.

My first ever sign was for a tiny antique shop in Herne Hill, London and when my grandfather saw it, (he was a master stone mason and letter cutter) he was quite happy with my quasi home-brew Roman lettering pointing out a couple of errors that I put right – that was in 1975.  

I promptly bought my first fabled Letraset book… wow! I had entered another world.

INCLINED TOWARD DESIGN AND TYPOGRAPHY

NGS Traditional Sign writing London

Above: November 2011, with Jam and Bread, Lee High Rd., London.

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LIFE AFTER FINE ART GRADUATION

First major Brewery client: Watney‘s Brewery, Isleworth, London

After leaving art college in early 80s I was instated as academic part time lecturer at Camberwell School of Art. But I was burnt out so I knee-jerked and fled academic life.

I pretty much immediately set up a sign-writing studio, first in Streatham then went on to learn with Andy Whitmore in Wandsworth and Battersea.

I was very lucky meeting my main career mentor, head of Watney Architecture department, Ron Bennett.  

Ron took me under his wing, was head architect at Watney’s who tasked me with my first gilding job – The Windsor Arms in Camden.  The font ‘Cooper Black‘ a really tacky type of 70s font, which took home in a box, I had swiftly gilded in my bedroom, the next morning and back to him in the afternoon.

We worked together for 4 years until his retirement.

London Traditional Sign Writer NG

Above:  Sir Alexander Fleming – my second major sign commission to Watney’s in 1981

London Traditional Sign Writer NG

SECOND LARGE CLIENT WIN 1981

Taylor Walker Brewery, Benskins and Ind Coop

From Watneys I joing Mike Jacks every Monday afternoon in his design office for Taylor Walker at 11 Muswell Hill.

He directed me to his main supplier, part of Allied Breweries group, Oldham Signs.

There I went on to work with Paul lawn and then Will Allbrook at Oldham signs.

PAINT FINISHES

By 1986 I had wandered into the world of interiors mastering faux finishes on the way.  I worked on hundreds of pubs though few photos remain.  Mostly facia façade panels and pictorial signs in the gold leaf red shadow hallmark of the group.

Below are a few of the sites I remember working on over those and intervening years.

De Hems

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Worked on the De Hems amenity boards and gilded letters, during the 80s for Mike at Taylor Walker who then introduced me to my long standing friend Will Allbrook at Oldham Signs.

NGS Painted House numbers names Traditional sign writers of London NGS Dulwich Margate Chelsea signwriters

http://londonsignwriter.wordpress.com/

Get in touch if you have a project you would like me to work on, or even just for a friendly chat about this amazing craft.

Nick

nickgarrettsigns@gmail.com

Call for a chat about your sign writing project

tel:+07960113799

The Finsbury Park Tavern mystery 

An Empty space is all that remains..

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Twelve Pins, Formerly the Finsbury Park Tavern, N4 


Clues

The empty sign outside this pub on a busy junction by Finsbury Park station.

The cannon suggests it was a former Taylor Walker pub, if I’m not mistaken.

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PRIZE WINNER

Ha!! An empty space because it was one of my first great pictorial signs I made for Mike Jacks, the chief designer at Taylor Walker HO Muswell Hill in 1981. It won Best Pub Sign of the year at the Design Centre, Haymarket London, and I guess the panels are now adorning Mikes dining room!!

Above is the original sketch – an image of a park keeper sweeping leaves in ‘Autumn’, at the park gates, on one side and similar elbow on broom pose in ‘Spring’ on the other.

Another concept was a young boy with hoop.

Mike recruited me to inject fresh ideas and concept across a host of projects sharing his studio in Taylor Walker HO.  

What a great experience.

AFTER THE PUB SIGN ERA

PUBS CAFES SHOPS

ngs NGS sign painters London NGS. Borough market cafe coffee house signage NGS Knightsbridge

Pub and Cafe Chalk boarding was a lot of fun… below new poster concept for Ted Baker.

ngs NGS sign painters London NGS. Borough market cafe coffee house signage NGS Knightsbridge


KIND WORDS

Oldham signs review  William Allbrook, 

“It was great to bump into Nick again recently on Linked In. In the early eighties I was running the Pub re-signing programme for Oldham Signs in the South East. Nick was a very talented pictorial artist and had his own workshops to build fascias etc.

Nick could always be relied upon to come up with original and often stunning designs for pictorials and had a real feel for the genre. He worked hard and did a lot of work for myself and my colleagues dealing with Allied Breweries regional re-branding. His work was always outstanding. Happy memories!” October 17, 2010

Top qualities: Great Results, Personable, Creative

Linkedin  Sign Designer and Maker Recommendation

ngs NGS sign painters London NGS. Borough market cafe coffee house signage NGS Chiswick
ngs NGS sign painters London NGS. Borough market cafe coffee house signage NGS Chiswick

The Salutation, Kings Street, Hammersmith, London

The Salutation was a gild and fix contract which was one of the most challenging as I was given 3 days to complete prep and gild and had to use a 12 kilo Kango hammer drill to get through this wonderful but rock hard antique ceramic fascia…  turned out really well but had me biting my nails to the very last!  It’s what is meant by going the extra mile!

Firkin Brewery, London

ngs NGS sign painters Firkin Pubs, London NGS. Borough market cafe coffee house signage NGS Chiswick

The Pheonix and Firkin – the original sign above we made in 1983 was up for restoration by 2001, but it was just too gone around the edges and this one was intended only as temporary but it looked kinda cool and we all agreed it should stay.

The only time I fell off a ladder at the Pheonix… courtesy of a large plumber rather over sampling the fresh Dog Bolter at 10 in the morning!

Nina Campbell

ngs NGS sign painters Nina Cambell shops, London NGS. Walton St. Leadenhall market cafe coffee house signage NGS Chiswick

Nina wanted a nice Roman so she got it with my selection of Bembo… still looking good in gold.  

Walked into the upper studio where Nina was having her photo taken by Lord Snowdon who abruptly turned around to me and said in his wonderful, plummy yet intoxicated voice… “Haven’t we met before somewhere dear chap?”.

Hmmm…

Standing atop my ladder rolling up and woodbine and Ringo Star sauntered past… “You tayke it eaoisy up therr yer hear me!”

Just down the street from Nina is Dragons of Walton Street the esteemed nursery painted furniture shop and the title line choice here was Windsor bold.

sign painter, signwriter, London sign writer, Lettering artist, Brand design, Typographic designer, Font design, Gotham, House Industries, Better Letters, Mike Meyer, David Smith glass gilder, 1shot enamel, Handover, Hand painted, IOAFS, bespoke signs, Joby Carter, Seraina Baumgartner, Signwriters London, Nick Garrett Signwriting London, Painted house numbers, House numbers, Glass gold, Glass gilding, Gold leaf, Signwriters London, NGS Signwriting London, Signwriting courses London, Signwriting classes, Signwriting near me Margate Kent, Shop Signs, Shop Signs,cafe Signs, pub Signs, hand painted lettering Numerals, Signwriting Jack, custom-logo,

Chelsea Green and the Pie Man … glass writing.

sign painter, signwriter, London sign writer, Lettering artist, Brand design, Typographic designer, Font design, Gotham, House Industries, Better Letters, Mike Meyer, David Smith glass gilder, 1shot enamel, Handover, Hand painted, IOAFS, bespoke signs, Joby Carter, Seraina Baumgartner, Signwriters London, Nick Garrett Signwriting London, Painted house numbers, House numbers, Glass gold, Glass gilding, Gold leaf, Signwriters London, NGS Signwriting London, Signwriting courses London, Signwriting classes, Signwriting near me Margate Kent, Shop Signs, Shop Signs,cafe Signs, pub Signs, hand painted lettering Numerals, Signwriting Jack, custom-logo,
sign painter, signwriter, London sign writer, Lettering artist, Brand design, Typographic designer, Font design, Gotham, House Industries, Better Letters, Mike Meyer, David Smith glass gilder, 1shot enamel, Handover, Hand painted, IOAFS, bespoke signs, Joby Carter, Seraina Baumgartner, Signwriters London, Nick Garrett Signwriting London, Painted house numbers, House numbers, Glass gold, Glass gilding, Gold leaf, Signwriters London, NGS Signwriting London, Signwriting courses London, Signwriting classes, Signwriting near me Margate Kent, Shop Signs, Shop Signs,cafe Signs, pub Signs, hand painted lettering Numerals, Signwriting Jack, custom-logo,

I painted stacks of pictorial signs for Benskins, Watneys and Taylor walker breweries.

sign painter, signwriter, London sign writer, Lettering artist, Brand design, Typographic designer, Font design, Gotham, House Industries, Better Letters, Mike Meyer, David Smith glass gilder, 1shot enamel, Handover, Hand painted, IOAFS, bespoke signs, Joby Carter, Seraina Baumgartner, Signwriters London, Nick Garrett Signwriting London, Painted house numbers, House numbers, Glass gold, Glass gilding, Gold leaf, Signwriters London, NGS Signwriting London, Signwriting courses London, Signwriting classes, Signwriting near me Margate Kent, Shop Signs, Shop Signs,cafe Signs, pub Signs, hand painted lettering Numerals, Signwriting Jack, custom-logo,
sign painter, signwriter, London sign writer, Lettering artist, Brand design, Typographic designer, Font design, Gotham, House Industries, Better Letters, Mike Meyer, David Smith glass gilder, 1shot enamel, Handover, Hand painted, IOAFS, bespoke signs, Joby Carter, Seraina Baumgartner, Signwriters London, Nick Garrett Signwriting London, Painted house numbers, House numbers, Glass gold, Glass gilding, Gold leaf, Signwriters London, NGS Signwriting London, Signwriting courses London, Signwriting classes, Signwriting near me Margate Kent, Shop Signs, Shop Signs,cafe Signs, pub Signs, hand painted lettering Numerals, Signwriting Jack, custom-logo,

The Arterie E. Dulwich and Sign of the Times, Chelsea.

Ted Baker 2011

Ted Baker Traditional signwriter gilder Nick Garrett London.jpg, sign painter, signwriter, London sign writer, Lettering artist, Brand design, Typographic designer, Font design, Gotham, House Industries, Better Letters, Mike Meyer, David Smith glass gilder, 1shot enamel, Handover, Hand painted, IOAFS, bespoke signs, Joby Carter, Seraina Baumgartner, Signwriters London, Nick Garrett Signwriting London, Painted house numbers, House numbers, Glass gold, Glass gilding, Gold leaf, Signwriters London, NGS Signwriting London, Signwriting courses London, Signwriting classes, Signwriting near me Margate Kent, Shop Signs, Shop Signs,cafe Signs, pub Signs, hand painted lettering Numerals, Signwriting Jack, custom-logo,
sign painter, signwriter, London sign writer, Lettering artist, Brand design, Typographic designer, Font design, Gotham, House Industries, Better Letters, Mike Meyer, David Smith glass gilder, 1shot enamel, Handover, Hand painted, IOAFS, bespoke signs, Joby Carter, Seraina Baumgartner, Signwriters London, Nick Garrett Signwriting London, Painted house numbers, House numbers, Glass gold, Glass gilding, Gold leaf, Signwriters London, NGS Signwriting London, Signwriting courses London, Signwriting classes, Signwriting near me Margate Kent, Shop Signs, Shop Signs,cafe Signs, pub Signs, hand painted lettering Numerals, Signwriting Jack, custom-logo,
sign painter, signwriter, London sign writer, Lettering artist, Brand design, Typographic designer, Font design, Gotham, House Industries, Better Letters, Mike Meyer, David Smith glass gilder, 1shot enamel, Handover, Hand painted, IOAFS, bespoke signs, Joby Carter, Seraina Baumgartner, Signwriters London, Nick Garrett Signwriting London, Painted house numbers, House numbers, Glass gold, Glass gilding, Gold leaf, Signwriters London, NGS Signwriting London, Signwriting courses London, Signwriting classes, Signwriting near me Margate Kent, Shop Signs, Shop Signs,cafe Signs, pub Signs, hand painted lettering Numerals, Signwriting Jack, custom-logo,
sign painter, signwriter, London sign writer, Lettering artist, Brand design, Typographic designer, Font design, Gotham, House Industries, Better Letters, Mike Meyer, David Smith glass gilder, 1shot enamel, Handover, Hand painted, IOAFS, bespoke signs, Joby Carter, Seraina Baumgartner, Signwriters London, Nick Garrett Signwriting London, Painted house numbers, House numbers, Glass gold, Glass gilding, Gold leaf, Signwriters London, NGS Signwriting London, Signwriting courses London, Signwriting classes, Signwriting near me Margate Kent, Shop Signs, Shop Signs,cafe Signs, pub Signs, hand painted lettering Numerals, Signwriting Jack, custom-logo,
sign painter, signwriter, London sign writer, Lettering artist, Brand design, Typographic designer, Font design, Gotham, House Industries, Better Letters, Mike Meyer, David Smith glass gilder, 1shot enamel, Handover, Hand painted, IOAFS, bespoke signs, Joby Carter, Seraina Baumgartner, Signwriters London, Nick Garrett Signwriting London, Painted house numbers, House numbers, Glass gold, Glass gilding, Gold leaf, Signwriters London, NGS Signwriting London, Signwriting courses London, Signwriting classes, Signwriting near me Margate Kent, Shop Signs, Shop Signs,cafe Signs, pub Signs, hand painted lettering Numerals, Signwriting Jack, custom-logo,
sign painter, signwriter, London sign writer, Lettering artist, Brand design, Typographic designer, Font design, Gotham, House Industries, Better Letters, Mike Meyer, David Smith glass gilder, 1shot enamel, Handover, Hand painted, IOAFS, bespoke signs, Joby Carter, Seraina Baumgartner, Signwriters London, Nick Garrett Signwriting London, Painted house numbers, House numbers, Glass gold, Glass gilding, Gold leaf, Signwriters London, NGS Signwriting London, Signwriting courses London, Signwriting classes, Signwriting near me Margate Kent, Shop Signs, Shop Signs,cafe Signs, pub Signs, hand painted lettering Numerals, Signwriting Jack, custom-logo,
sign painter, signwriter, London sign writer, Lettering artist, Brand design, Typographic designer, Font design, Gotham, House Industries, Better Letters, Mike Meyer, David Smith glass gilder, 1shot enamel, Handover, Hand painted, IOAFS, bespoke signs, Joby Carter, Seraina Baumgartner, Signwriters London, Nick Garrett Signwriting London, Painted house numbers, House numbers, Glass gold, Glass gilding, Gold leaf, Signwriters London, NGS Signwriting London, Signwriting courses London, Signwriting classes, Signwriting near me Margate Kent, Shop Signs, Shop Signs,cafe Signs, pub Signs, hand painted lettering Numerals, Signwriting Jack, custom-logo,

November 2011, the new flagship store about to open 11 11 11 – Bluewater Kent.

Lots of wonderful signs here in this extraordinary retail design project.

Recently 2020 Surviving Lockdown

Here’s a couple of nice things made for special people recently.

Plain English furniture of London. Sign written by Nick and Seraina of NGS sign Writing painting.
ngs NGS sign painters London NGS. Borough market cafe coffee house signage NGS Chiswick
sign painters London NGS. Borough market cafe coffee house signage NGS Chiswick
Nick Garrett Fine Signwriting works of London
Nick Garrett Fine Signwriting works of London
ngs NGS sign painters London NGS. Borough market cafe coffee house signage NGS Chiswick

Hope you enjoy this website.

NGS SPECIAL PUB SIGNS

Get in touch if you have a project you would like me to work on.

Nick

nickgarrettsigns@gmail.com

Call for a chat

Nick Garrett Fine Signwriting works of London

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NGS are a dynamic Traditional Sign writing team making London beautiful, yet reaching the 4 corners. We have full lettering capability, a bespoke archive font collection and constantly create 'NO ORDINARY TYPE'. Enjoy these pages.

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