Making a Ghost Sign

In 2023 I got a call about making a ghost sign in Florence, Alabama. The client was opening up a Struts Chicken location and they wanted to do something a little different than the typical wall sign. The building was on Pine St. in Florence, Alabama. It was an amazing old building, with a curved facade, a kind of building with character that is rare these day. There was a very old sign on 1st Ave S in Birmingham, Alabama that I had seen through a fence. Classic "full block" letters with big chunky serifs. Maybe from the 1950's but still fairly readable. It was the perfect inspiration for this project. I snuck into the job site one afternoon, and got a few stares from the folks in safety vests while I took a few pictures before I could get run off.

I got some good photos and started digging into the anatomy of the letters to draw the missing letters to create the sign. I drew a few too many, and before I knew it I had most of the capitals drawn. For the sign layout I referenced the mortar lines from the site survey in my design and made sure that the tops and bottoms aligned with the mortar lines, just like they would have done it long ago, but in this case I drew it on a computer and made patterns instead of drawing it with chalk on the brick. Maybe if I keep painting signs for another 20 years I'll be as good as the old union painters.

When it came time to paint I strategically laid my resist of wallpaper paste onto the bricks where I wanted the paint so shake loose. Carefully documenting where it was placed so I knew where to scrub when it was time. A big sign like this is usually "cut in." First you lay the white paint down, then come back with black and outline the shapes, and then fill in the rest fast with a big brush.

After the black was done it was time to scrub. Hot water loosens the wallpaper paste underneath, and a stiff bristle brush sets it free. I was lucky to be able to plug in an electric kettle in the man basket and make pots of hot water to use to scrub the paint loose. It's always so satisfying to see it transform.

It really came out great. It looked like it was painted 60 years ago but was brand new. It almost feels a little magical the way it comes to life, an reveals the strokes.

I really loved the process designing and making the sign. It's really so fun to use my knowledge of the old ways to make something that looks like it's always been there.