Hand-painted sign: your name, with a brush, on the facade

What does a hand-painted sign bring compared with a printed one?

Presence. Painted letters have depth, light, slight variations that catch the eye, and they age well: the old painted signs of Italian towns are a hundred years old. A painted sign says the house brought in a painter, for itself alone. In a street where every sign comes out of the same machines, it is the one people remember.

Who paints the sign?

Giulia Dal Bon, a painter trained at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan, where she also studied graphic design. She draws the lettering and paints by brush, on site, and travels all over Europe. Corriere della Sera, Domus and Sky Arte have covered her work.

On which surfaces?

Straight onto the rendered or stone facade, on the fascia above the window, on a wooden or metal board fixed afterwards, on the back wall of the shop, on the door, on a gable wall seen from afar. Outdoors Giulia paints in quartz paint and varnishes against pollution and, by the sea, against salt.

Can our logo be reproduced exactly?

Giulia also studied graphic design at the Brera Academy: she draws the lettering by hand and respects your brand guidelines. Yes, in the brand colours, at the size you want. Giulia transfers it to the wall to scale, then paints it with a brush; the result is faithful, with the texture of paint. She can also draw a hand-painted logo for a business still looking for one, or redraw the old one so it lives better at scale. Two free sketches, mounted on a photo of the facade.

Is a painted sign allowed?

A sign on a facade usually needs a declaration to the town hall, like any sign. In protected areas the heritage architect is consulted, and often welcomes a painted sign, more discreet than a light box. Giulia supplies the scale drawing for the file.

How long does a painted sign last outdoors?

Years. Quartz paint is made for facades, and an anti-pollution varnish, anti-salt by the sea, protects the lettering. A rinse with clean water once a year is enough. If you change your name one day, Giulia paints over it.

Does the business stay open during the work?

Yes. A standard sign takes a day, two with decoration, and the business stays open. For a high fascia, a small scaffold or platform is added to the quote. Indoors, odourless paint means work can go on during opening hours.

Where does Giulia work?

On the French Riviera, from Menton to Cannes; in Milan and Lombardy; in Liguria, from Ventimiglia to Genoa. Elsewhere in France and Italy on quote, travel agreed together. She speaks French, Italian, English and Spanish.