Red List Comment Submission

Commenting on: Reverse glass sign painting

Section one - About you

Section two - Description of the craft

If you are commenting on an existing craft, please select it here and skip the next two questions

Please enter the name of the craft you would like us to add here.

If this is a new craft type please select the most suitable category

Please identify country, region, county or town

Please identify country, region, county or town

Please identify an era/century/approximate historic period.

Heritage Crafts uses a system of four categories of risk to assess the viability of heritage crafts. A heritage craft is considered to be viable if there are sufficient craftspeople to transmit the craft skills to the next generation. For more information on definitions see http://heritagecrafts.org.uk/redlist/categories-of-risk/

Section three - Current numbers of those practising the craft in the UK

People earning their main craft income from this craft (selling, commissions, conservation/ restoration and/or teaching).

People practicing this craft commercially (selling, commissions, conservation/restoration and/or teaching) but as less than half of their income.

People acquiring skills in order to become a professional in this craft, they probably have to work under supervision even if they are earning money while training.

People whose knowledge and ability is at a level of the most skilled practitioners of this craft.

People who do not intend to practice this craft professionally or at the highest level.

Section four - Issues affecting the viability of the craft

Existing content:
  • Skills issues: The craft is labour intensive which puts people off learning it. It takes dedication and a lot of time to hone your skills.
  • Raw materials: The paints aren’t as good as they used to be which is becoming an issue.
  • High costs of raw materials and labour: The high cost of the materials and labour compared to the low cost and high speed of computer designed vinyl graphics reduces the number of clients willing to commission work.
  • Training issues: Training in reverse glass sign painting can be expensive
  • Skills issues: some of the allied skills, such as mirror silvering are becoming extremely endangered. The materials used (mainly the Hydfrofluric Acid is extremely toxic and hard to source) puts off most signwriters from engaging more heavily in the skill set.
  • Skills issues: many practitioners do not undertake French Embossing or traditional embossing.  Some will undertake mica embossing which requires the least amount of set up but still produces a beautiful result.
  • Skills issues: this craft originated from very skilled, multi disciplinary business people who could tackle jobs on a commercial scale and to a commercial timetable. The craft is becoming less relevant to business consumers (as it always was) as most of the list of practitioners do not undertake enough of the skills (crucially including framing and installation) as to to be able to offer the craft to all but domestic users.
  • Market issues: there a very few craftspeople who undertake traditional commercial work vital to the survival of the traditional street scene. The vast majority of the list of craftspeople will undertake one off, small scale commissions which involve perhaps signwriting, gilding and some mica embossing, largely but not exclusively, for domestic purposes or a shop window.  Asking craftspeople to produce a 6 metre embossed and gilded fascia sign together with installation and an advertising mirror for the interior of the establishment are almost non existent.

e.g. lack of qualifications, funding for training etc.

If yes, please describe the issues below

e.g. lack of demand for products/skills etc.

If yes, please describe the issues below

Tick the box if there are difficulties with the supply of raw materials, allied materials or tools

If yes, please describe the issues below

i.e. issues around running any small business, not just crafts

If yes, please describe the issues below

Is the main workforce made up of people who are approaching retirement age?

If yes, please describe the issues below

e.g. legal restrictions on materials, health and safety etc.

If yes, please describe the issues below

e.g. Brexit, Covid-19, conflict

If yes, please describe the issues below

Please describe any other issues

Section five - Current Initiatives to preserve craft skills

Please describe any UK projects or schemes

Section six - Main players in the craft – please tell us who you know about

Please list any known practitioners of this craft — add a row item for each person or business and complete the fields to the best of your knowledge. To get started click the `Add practitioner` button below.

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Add practitioner

Section seven - Optional additional information

It may include when and where the craft developed, how it has changed over time, etc.

e.g. festivals, religious celebrations, agricultural practices, music, dance etc.

e.g. religious, ethnic, social class. Please give an overview of the techniques involved in the craft.

This may involve different materials, techniques, styles or finished products.

e.g. books, websites etc.