""To info about the 2010 meet - Hosted by Dan Seddon of Signs Plus at Wagga Wagga in September.
To The Picture Gallery - Photos from the 2007 meet at Jondaryan, Qld.
To The Picture Gallery - Photos from the 2008 meet at Cowra, NSW.
To The Picture Gallery - Photos from the 2009 meet at Glenorchy, Tas.
For all earlier meets in Australia, see the Past Meets tab at left.
Letterheads ??? Letterheads-Oz ??? What are letterheads?
IN the 1980s, I read in "Signcraft" magazine about these curiously-named "letterhead meets", and decided I'd like to attend one, except that they were all in North America, not downunder in Australia. In 1994, the first aussie letterheads meeting was held at Wagga Wagga, NSW, and that was the start of them over here. In subsequent years, I maanged to find excuses not to attend: distance, travel costs, accommodation costs, clash of functions, and registration costs- I mean, come on, who's going to pay a few hunders dollars to go half way across the country and paint when you can do it at home for free...! Finally a meet came to Qld- at Hervey Bay , about four hours' drive away, and I managed to convince my wife I ought to be there, so we rolled up, all green and naive, sign kit in tow. Right there I wished I'd made the effort to go to all the former ones, and decided one day I'd like to host a meet, to help to give back to the craft what the meets have given to me. The following year (2000), I flew to Melbourne got a lift to Bendigo, then got a bus to Teesdale for that meet, and even managed to win two awards there. (best panel, fastest pinstriper, and the first 'longest stripe with one dip of the brush' informal award). Since then I've only missed one meet, and now we're taking the chance to give a bit back to the trade by hosting the 2007 Letterheads-Oz meet. Enthusiasm is already running high with registrations from NZ and USA, as well as a good few newcomers to the idea from Qld and interstate.
"Keepers of the Craft"
Letterheads
are a group of like minded signwriters and associated craftspeople and wannabe
craftspeople who get together annually to spend three days of being ‘Keepers
of the Craft’, sharing hints, tricks, ideas, workshops, friendships
and some healthy competitions too!
The letterheads movement has been going on ‘downunder’ for fourteen
years, and generally the main meet is held in a different state annually.
Don't think that it's only for those interested in the 'old' ways- some of the regular attendees have some of the foremost digital printers and CNC routers in the industry as well as having a love for the 'craft' they began with.
This year,
Ian and Joan Stewart-Koster of Traditional Signs, along with help from a number
of keen Toowoomba, Brisbane, Sydney and Fraser Coast signwriters, are hosting
the event at Jondaryan Woolshed museum complex, (www.jondaryanwoolshed.com)
just west of Toowoomba, from Friday 26th to Sunday 28th October.
It promises to be an event not to be missed, with a slightly sheepish theme,
and already considerable interest shown from New Zealand and North American
participants as well as enquiries from all states of Australia.
Workshops and activities scheduled
so far include waggon wheel pinstriping, (four wheels from an original drover's
waggon) realistic flames and portrait airbrushing, traditional scrollwork,
marbelling and faux effects in both traditional and alternative ways, glue-chip
glass work, gilding and silvering, screenprinting the weekend's polo-shirts
and teatowels, wood graining, fake antique paling signs, murals, walldogging,
slate and timber carving, calligraphy, hotrod bonnet flaming, digital flames
in photoshop, and many more.
The sharing and great spirit that ensues following the love of these traditional
crafts ensures they are always great weekends. Most signies bring photo albums
of their work, so there's a great cllection of awesome work to look at there,
too!
There is something on the programme for
everyone, and the event ensures you will always take away far
more than you bring to letterheads- new skills, new friends, a renewed sense
of enthusiasm, and a whole swag of fresh ideas.
It’s all hands-on: join in whichever aspects interest you, to learn
or to help others. All materials are provided, as well as all meals and plus
Jondaryan’s famous billy tea and damper. You need only bring your sign
kit (brushes, airbrushes or whatever you have), photos of your work, and your
enthusiasm for three days of unforgettable fun!
Very generous sponsors, including
Pitt & Co + Visualise Pty Ltd,
Multipanel, Australian Graphic Supplies,
Spandex, Alupanel
(Signsheet) ,Graphic
Art Mart and Onesteel
, York Precision Plastics , Smartatz
, Controlzone, Supply-1
, and Metal Masters are providing much of the materials needed to help us
on this great three-day weekend, as well as for prizes for the numerous assorted
competitions, and giveaways over the event.
Mack brushes from USA have generously provided a rare and unique dual-striper as a prize for one of our competitions. Read the 'programme' page for more information!
What the fee covers: all meals from Friday morning
tea to Sunday afternoon tea, materials for most projects, a comemmorative
tea-towel and polo- shirt, a metal badge, basic accommodation onsite is available
at no charge for the first forty registrants, and others are welcome to bring
a caravan or borrow a tent to pitch onsite near the old shearers’ quarters
with the old cookhouse and campfire. Further accommodation is available at
your own expense in the pub at Jondaryan, or in various motels in Oakey for
those who’d prefer a tad more luxury. Courtesy buses will be arranged.
We will also endeavour to collect participants flying in to Brisbane
airport, if we can coordinate them well.
What else happens: competitions- pinstriping racetrack,
best rendition of the logo, refrigerator raffle, best alphabet panel, panel
swapping, name that font, furthest travelled...musical jamming, and a few
surprises more!
So, registration is via the
weblink on the left , or phone Ian on 07 - 4692 8292, or or write to Traditional
Signs, Highgrove via Peranga. Qld 4352. More details are on the "Programme"
link at left. For an idea of what's happened in the past in Australia, look
in the " Past Meets" link.
Keep up to date with more on the Letterville Bullboard (sign forums) here http://www.letterville.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/forum/1.html
Keep checking back here for more updates as time progresses!
Friday 26th October- arrive whenever you like-(some will be arriving the afternoon before) (All sections start at the designated time, and continue for as long as participants require)
9.30-10.00 am Ice-breaker billy-tea and damper
10.00 start on various community projects inc. the Baartz shed gable
10.00 carving Multipanel / airbrushed quick faux marbelling panels / airbrushing starts
11.00 distressed signs (fake antiques)
12.30 Lunch. (Return to projects any time) / sign the attendees board
2.00 glass chipping (or glue-chip glass work) / screen-print the shirts for the meet
3.00 pin-striping a cart wheel / chalkboard art / start the bar fridge decoration
4.00 oil-marbelling panels (done like old-fashioned book-plates- or maybe later in the evening)
5.00 digital flames in Photoshop- a "how-to"
6.30-8.00 Dinner, also sign-for and collect your shirts
8.00 evening live music/jamming/continue with indoor panels and projects if you wish
Saturday 27th October
7-8 am Breakfast (All sections start at the designated time, and are ongoing)
8.30 start hot-rod bonnet panels / start or continue community projects / airbrushing / bar fridge
10.30 smokoh / multipanel carving / glue-chip glass
11.30 all projects ongoing/ chalkboard art
12.20 GROUP PHOTO so it can go on the comemmorative teatowel
12.30 Lunch (Return to projects any time)/ sign the attendees board if you haven't done so.
1.30 Calligraphy / faux antique signs
2.30 dual-striper pinstriping demo on cart wheel- anyone can try!
3.30 airbrushed faux marbelling
rest of afternoon- continue with projects, or taker a guided tour of the complex
6.30 Evening Dinner, presentation of goodies bags and SOME prizes and awards & decide on next year's venue
8.00 evening -continue with indoor panels and projects if you wish
Sunday 28th October
7-8 am Breakfast (All sections start at the designated time, and are ongoing)
9.00 calligraphy /community projects / airbrushing
many people will be 'doing their own thing'too- feel free to ask for help if you'd like to try it.
10 am get all panels together for voting
11.00 announce panel voting winners (best...etc) draw raffles,
12.00 Lunch,
1.30 Pinstriping Racetrack / and continue with projects, finish & pack-up at your convenience
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |