A Working Lexicon
Twenty-two plain terms from the sign painter's bench, covering layout, enamel, gold leaf, and scale — kept short, without the marketing gloss.
Baseline
The invisible line letters sit on. Everything else — cap height, x-height, descenders — is measured against it.
Backing Up
Painting the reverse of a design on the inside of glass, so the layers read correctly from the street once flipped.
Bracket Foot
The wider base of a hanging sign bracket, sized to resist wind load rather than for decoration.
Bulletin Enamel
A slow-drying, high-gloss enamel formulated for outdoor lettering. It stays workable long enough to correct a stroke before it sets.
Cap Height
The height of a capital letter — the single measurement most other proportions on a fascia are set against.
Cartoon
A full-scale paper drawing of a design, used to transfer the layout onto a board before any paint goes down.
Chalk Line
A taut string coated in chalk, snapped against a surface to leave a straight guide line for layout.
Chisel-Cut Letter
A letterform whose strokes taper as though cut with a chisel edge — common in gilded fascia work.
Ferrule
The metal sleeve on a brush that holds the bristles to the handle. Its shape affects how the brush releases paint along a stroke.
Gilder's Cushion
A small padded board used to cut and position loose gold leaf before it's lifted with a tip.
Gilder's Tip
A flat, wide brush with no bristled spring, used to lift a sheet of loose leaf without static or fingerprints.
Layout Line
A light pencil or chalk guide marking where a letterform will sit, erased or painted over once lettering is complete.
Mahlstick
A long stick with a padded end, braced against the board to steady a painter's hand on a long, straight stroke.
Metric Spacing
Spacing letters by identical measured units. Produces even numbers, but often uneven-looking gaps between letters.
One-Stroke Serif
A serif formed in a single brush movement rather than built up from several passes.
Optical Spacing
Spacing letters so the visual gaps between them appear equal, adjusting for the shape of each letter rather than a fixed unit.
Pounce Pattern
A paper pattern with pin-pricked outlines. Chalk dust pushed through the holes transfers the design onto the board below.
Sable Brush
A lettering brush made from sable hair, valued for holding a fine point through a long, controlled stroke.
Size (Gilding)
A slow-tack adhesive painted onto a surface before gold leaf is applied, timed so the leaf sticks without dulling.
Sword Liner
A long, thin brush used for pinstriping and for long straight or curved lines that need to stay a consistent width.
Whiting
A fine chalk filler mixed into primer to help a painted surface take and hold layout marks cleanly.
X-Height
The height of a lowercase letter's main body, excluding any ascenders or descenders.