Hot Rod Lettering

Hot Rod lettering refers to the art of hand-lettering with a brush. For me, this practice began with painting race cars in the early 1980s, and it has since expanded to include lettering for all kinds of vehicles and objects.

Beyond color, lettering is often one of the first things a person notices about an object. The eye is naturally drawn to text, which is why the lettering must perfectly suit the object it adorns. The purpose of the text is to convey information about the object, establish a specific vibe, and often reflect the owner’s personal tastes. Frequently, the lettering is accompanied by a small, complementary graphic element.

There are many essential rules to lettering—principles that must be understood to ensure a high-quality, visually appealing result. It requires genuine skill in handling a brush and a understanding of color. In short, this isn't the kind of job you should hand off to the neighbor’s kid just because they got an 'A' in art class...

I typically create a preliminary sketch of the lettering to show the client beforehand. This allows us to brainstorm the content and style, and even visualize how it will fit onto the object being painted.