Living and working in San Francisco, FontShop.com’s hometown, one is immediately aware of hand-painted signs — whether it’s the colorful Spanish-language brushwork of the Mission District or the mid-century marquees, liquor stores, and florists of the East and South Bay. There was a time when every sign was made by hand, and most of them were painted. Now, in an era of computers and vinyl, the craft is sadly rare. But even digital fonts can be a model for hand-painted letters, just as hand-painted letters inspired many digital fonts.

See also: FontCast #12 — Damon Styer of New Bohemia Signs