The writing is on the wall - advice please

[Thunderchicken]

As part of my Victorian build project I'm thinking of painting some advertisements or other signage straight onto walls. A bit like this but much simpler:



The first one I want to do is very straightforward and will be white writing on a black backgound covering an area of about 10cm by 4cm.

I've had some thoughts on how to do it, freehand is out of the question; tried it and couldn't pull it off. I also searched the local hobby supplier (Hobbycraft) for stencils but couldn't find anything small enough or in a sensible font.

Does anyone have any other ideas how to approach this or know a source of decent small stencils? I'd imagine the lettering will be about 10mm. 

[Malamute]

Speak to Svennn

[Tsune]

Have you thought in the train modeling scenery? I remember haver seen some decals of add like this one in some catalogues in the web.

[Westfalia Chris]

Is the wall smooth or with brick detail? In the first case (including some slight roughness), dry transfers (Letraset) might work - there are some brands that are not too expensive. Applying them is a bit of a chore, though, especially for longer words.

[Centaur_Seducer]

You could always stencil it out yourself. If you have a printer that is.

[Thunderchicken]

I should have said, the writing will be on brick walls. I've used decals on some of my other buildings  but this time I wanted to use paint to make any subsequent weathering hassle free and keep the brickwork visible. Dry transfers is something to consider if it will work.

Making my own stencil is a last resort but still an option.

Malamute, I'm giving Svennn a break 

[Westfalia Chris]

You could, of course, get templates photo-etched. http://www.chempix.com in Birmingham do such services, but I don't know for certain if they also cater to private customers; otherwise, you might get one of the various model railroading magazines and check the adverts for other companies offering such services.

I don't have personal experience with these companies, but Chempix appear to be a legit business.

In that case, you would probably have to provide vector graphics of the pieces in question. Single-letter templates would be the most practical, I guess, more so than single logos or company names.

[Centaur_Seducer]

Making my own stencil is a last resort but still an option.

It doesn't take that much time to do, besides you do have the advantage of making it fit the building directly

[Dewbakuk]

Do you have a Print shop or a Staples in the area? They should have a selection of stencils in assorted sizes.

[Dewbakuk]

Would something like this work?
http://www.artdiscount.co.uk/product/helix_4_piece_stencil_set/

[Lowtardog]

Pwehaps a home made stencil with a bit of a drybrush

[JollyBob]

This piece of advertising adorns the wall next to the Police station in Cockermouth, Cumbria:



Colour version here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29959705@N08/2877167170/

It's in a very sensible font, and has probably been there for a hundred years or more. Shouldn't be too difficult to copy freehand.

Probably. 

[jamesmanto]

Perhaps print the sign out and then use decoupage to glue it down? You know, that gluey stuff you soak the paper in and mash it down with a brush so the paper conforms to the surface of the object being covered.

[Svennn]

If I'm on a break perhaps I should not reply.

I would forget simple and go with something like your first pic as it is more in keeping with the quality of the buildings.

As I am not replying I shall not say that I could make a custom water slide decal 10x4cm and you could get it to wrap the brickwork by using Microsol and weather it all after a coat of lacquer.

[OSHIROmodels]

Svenn did not say that. Svenn is not here 

 

cheers

James