From $19.9
The Painted Quill is an art and stationery supply store in Austin’s vibrant South Congress neighborhood. The store caters to working artists, calligraphers, and creative professionals — so its signage needed to be a piece of art in itself.
Project Background
South Congress is known for its eclectic mix of independent shops, food trucks, and creative businesses. The Painted Quill occupies a converted bungalow painted deep navy blue with white trim. The owners, both working artists, wanted signage that would demonstrate their craft before a customer even walked through the door.
Design Concept & Branding
Rather than standard channel letters, we created a hand-painted wooden sign with gold leaf lettering — a traditional signpainting technique that immediately signals the store’s connection to analog craft. The main sign measures 48 x 10 inches and hangs above the entrance on hand-forged wrought iron brackets.
A secondary hanging blade sign extends perpendicular to the building, catching the attention of pedestrians walking along the sidewalk. The blade sign features the store’s quill icon and uses the same gold leaf finish, creating visual consistency from every viewing angle.
Material Selection & Fabrication
The main sign board is marine-grade mahogany with a weather-resistant primer and three coats of exterior-grade paint. The gold leaf is 23-karat, applied using traditional techniques and sealed for outdoor durability. The wrought iron brackets were custom-forged by a local metalsmith to match the bungalow’s Craftsman-era architecture.
Installation Process
Installation took two days due to the complexity of mounting the perpendicular blade sign. The blade sign required a reinforced bracket system to handle wind loads, with a decorative scroll bracket that adds to the handcrafted aesthetic. The main sign was mounted on the covered porch to protect it from direct weather exposure.
Results & Impact
The sign has become an Instagram-worthy photo spot on South Congress, with visitors frequently stopping to photograph the gold lettering. The owners reported that the hand-painted aesthetic immediately communicates the store’s artistic focus, attracting the exact creative clientele they hoped for.
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