This book offers a visual tour of the dying art of hand-painted signages. It contains numerous colour photographs showcasing the vibrancy and character of an original Filipino art.
13 A Lost Art 16 Typography 18 FAQS
Signage is a term used to describe a graphic
Perhaps the most popular signage are
display that intends to communicate infor-
public commercial displays. Commercial
mation to an audience. A signage may con-
signage are everywhere in the Philippine
tain words, emblems, symbols or drawings,
cities: from the sleek lettering on the sides
and sometimes a combination these.
of modern buildings and shopping malls,
There are signage that are meant to in-
to the ubiquitous billboards lining the
form (e.g. Lunch Break from 12:00
highways, and to the shoddy tarpaulin
to 1:00); to warn (e.g. Wet Floor); or to
banner bearing the name Carinderia
give directions (e.g. Way Out).
in pixelated WordArt. 13
It used to be that storefront banners, signs and ads covering the sides of buildings were hand-painted by skilled artists called mangleletras. But all that is no more. Computers have made it possible for people to create signage at a faster rate than these skilled artists can. Digital printing, which boomed at the turn of this century, has made it easier and cheaper to produce these signages.
It is easy to see why big businesses prefer digitally-printed signage. Many copies of just one sign can be turned out in far less the time a manually painted one could be madte. Digitally-produced signage suggest precision, cleanliness and uniformity, or, in other words, a professional and perfect look.
A LOST ART
Hand painted signs have none of the precision and uniformity digital signage possess. A mangleletra may render many copies of one signage but each of these will be different, showing little imperfections in style, stroke, size or color. Every signage the artist makes is literally an extension of his hand,a canvas bearing a unique character that digital signage do not possess. These signage are vibrant and colorful, possessing a beauty that reflects the mangleletra’s personality. We now see little of these humble handpainted signage. “Art and Sign� shops are no longera common sight. They have now
been relegated to the side streets and palengkes. No longerhaving permanent shops, the mangleletras advertise their art in the streets. They perch samples of their work on the sidewalks and sit on stools, waiting for propective clients to take notice. Some of them make the rounds of the streets, carrying samples of their work for peopleto see. When we view their work, we see vestiges of a dying art. The photographs in this book document the dying art of the handpainted signage. These photographs comprise a visual record of part of our culture that is disappearing from our experience.
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One of the most unique features of Philippine hand-painted art is the typography. The signpainters come from different backgrounds, but many are self-taught, or do not have any formal training. Despite this, the typography demonstrates great creativity and ingenuity.
Freehand painting can give the artist more room for creativity. Unlike a digital designer with a selection of typefaces in his computer, a sign painter can create his own type for every sign, giving them much more personality and individuality. 17
Where can I see hand-painted signs in the Philippines?
Where can I get Hand-painted signs made?
Hand-painted signs can be found all over the Philippines. You will not find them in more “developed” (i.e. places with lots of modern shopping malls and tall buildings, or upper-class neighbourhoods), but in “older” places, such as downtown Manila. Hand-painted signage are used by small businesses and are more common in side streets than main roads and avenues. They are much more abundant in the provinces (rural areas) than in the city. The signs in this book are mostly from the cities of Metro Manila, including Quezon, Pasay and Manila City and Baguio City.
Painting shops, usually labelled “art and sign,” can be found throughout the city. Sign painters may also display their wares on the city’s sidewalks. It is a good idea to ask Jeepney drivers, who often avail of the sign painters’ services, as well as store owners. Prices of having a hand-painted signboard will vary depending on where you will get it made. More complex and detailed designs will likely be more costly. In Metro Manila, you should be able to get a good signboard for around a hundred to a few a hundred pesos.
I want to paint my own signs too. How do I learn? Many Filipino sign-painters have little or no formal training. Many are self-taught, though some have backgrounds in graphic art or typography. A good way to start is to get some plywood from your local hardware store, and use acrylic paint to copy lettering from magazines, newspapers, or even your computer. The best way to learn is from experience, as this is the way many mangleletras perfect their craft.
Apart from signboards, what more can local sign painters do? The hand-painted lettering on jeepneys and tricycles are often done by these painters. Even large billboards or movie ads used to be made by hand by them, but these are now rare. Some art and sign shops will offer other services, such as t-shirt printing. 19
Many sign-makers are also excellent artists.
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