Lovely to have you here!
Today, I’d love to take you behind the brush and into the story that shaped my work as a traditional signwriter and gilder. This is a glimpse into how my travels—from the elegant streets of the Netherlands to the character-filled corners of Northern Ireland—influenced my signwriting style, creative process, and love for hand-painted letters.
“I swapped my office job for brushes and paint— my smile tells you the story.”
How I Started in Traditional Signwriting and Glass Gilding
Before brushes and gold leaf became my daily tools, there was simply a fascination with lettering since I was a little girl.
Back in Colombia, when I was in primary school, my favorite subject was calligraphy. My handwriting was so clean that even teachers asked me to writer reports or papers for them. However, I took the academical path and got a degreed in International Relationships and a Master in Latin American Studies – everything far away from letters. After my studies, I embraced the corporate world and worked in it for about 5 years in the Netherlands. But it was until I faced a very complicated appendicitis that letters came back to my life, this time to change everything.
During my two months rehab, I discovered modern calligraphy and became obsessed about it. I study it for 8 months on a daily base. Eventually quit my corporate job and started working doing calligraphy for weddings! It was then that I was drawn to the beauty of hand-painted signs, how each stroke carries intention and personality. That’s when my professional journey into traditional signwriting and gilding truly began. Eventually, I did my first signwriting workshop with Pieter Snijders aka Bold Statements in Amsterdam, I participated in my first LetterHeads in Porto and did a work experience with Perry Signs in London.
“Here I was in England at Joby’s Carter’s last LetterHeads at his steam fair. Lovely weekend surounded by handpainted steam stractions and wonderfull singwriter fellows from all over the world.
“This picture is from back in the time I lived in Amsterdam. Here I was with Jasper and Miranda from the Amsterdam Signpainters and Mike Miyer after one of his workshops”
Dutch Design Influence on My Signwriting: Simplicity and Precision
After spending several years living in the Netherlands, that experience left a lasting impression on my creative approach. Dutch design is known for its clarity, structure, and minimalism. Walking through cities like Amsterdam, Utrecht, or Rotterdam was like exploring an open-air design museum, full of old typographic signage, enamel house numbers, and timeless layouts.
That period taught me the value of negative space, clean lines, and thoughtful composition, elements I still apply to my signwriting projects today.
“These are pictures of some of the hand painted signs I found cicling around Amsterdam”
How Northern Ireland Deepened My Love for Traditional Sign Painting
Moving to Northern Ireland grounded me in the heart of the tradition. Here, I discovered a rich visual culture where old pub signs, gold leaf window lettering, and historic whiskey mirror glasses still speak to passersby. Surrounded by this heritage, I began to focus more deeply on traditional sign painting techniques—from verre églomisé and glass gilding to restoring old signs by hand.
This environment brought a renewed sense of storytelling to my work. I wasn’t just painting signs—I was helping businesses tell their story through letters crafted with care.
“And these are pictures of signs from my first visit to London. Notice the contrast in style with the one from Amsterdam above”
My Signwriting Style Today: Combining Dutch Design and Irish Heritage
My style today is a combination of those two worlds. I aim for a balance between elegance and authenticity: thoughtful layout, minimal and classical design, and traditional techniques that honour the history of the craft.
Whether I’m painting bespoke house numbers, gold-leaf logos, or creating online courses, I carry those lessons with me.
“This big whiskey glass for Titanic Distillers has a lot of influence from the whiskey mirror I see around the pubs in Ireland”
“Here I am restoring one of the historical buildings of the Bank of Irenlan. This is a very classy and traditional style”
Why I’m Sharing My Journey as a Traditional Signwriter
Because I believe every hand-painted sign has a story, and so does every artist behind it.
With this blog, I want to share not just tutorials and tips, but the journey behind the brush.
I hope my story resonates with you, especially if you’re on your own creative path.
Over the years, this journey has taken me further than I ever imagined, from quietly painting in my studio to working on gilded glass signs for historic buildings like the Bank of Ireland, to teaching lettering workshops to wonderful students across Ireland and beyond. I’ve even had the honour of contributing to world-renowned music festivals, where my signs became part of the atmosphere and experience.
I share my story because I believe that craft connects us, not just to tradition, but to each other. Whether you’re a fellow sign painter, a curious creative, or someone dreaming of learning something new with your hands, I hope this blog and my work can offer a little spark of inspiration.
And if you’re looking to take your first steps into this world, I’ve created online courses that cover everything from brush control to Casual Style, designed to guide you wherever you are, at your own pace. They’re the same tools and techniques that have shaped my own path. As a token of appreciation for being here and my way to support your creative journey, here I leave you a 10% discount code for the online courses, use BLOG10 when checking out.
Thank you for being here, for reading, for supporting handmade work, and for helping keep this beautiful craft alive.
“In the first picture I am painting for Latitude Festival. In the second I am giving one of my in-person workshops in Belfast, and in the third picture I am welcoming the students from my online signpainting courses.”
🎨 Let’s Keep the Craft Alive!
If you love traditional signwriting as much as I do, let’s stay in touch:
💡 Follow me on Instagram for a peek into my studio and daily work.
📺 Check out my YouTube channel for tutorials and behind-the-scenes videos.
🤓 Learn Signwriting with me. Join Fundamentals of Brush Control if you are a newbie or Casual Style if you have some expereince… Or get both with this bundle! Get a 10% discount using this coupon code BLOG10
📩 Or get in touch to bring a custom sign or gold leaf piece to life for your business.
🌟 Let’s keep the tradition of signwriting alive together!
With lot of love,
Joha Muñe
