After serving in WWII Dean G. Stanley attended sign painting school and worked as a billboard painter for Foster & Kleiser in Portland, OR. In 1963 he set off on his own and founded Studio Signs & Pictorial Displays in SE Portland. He specialized in beautiful pictorial paintings and was well known for his landscape murals (some of which still exist today).
Many skilled sign painters worked for Stanley over the years including Harry Morgan, Norm Forsberg and Melvin Lee. In 1984 Stanley sold the business to Lee. Melvin K. Lee began his sign painting career in 1970. He worked alongside some of the old time sign painters and learned hand lettering, silkscreen printing, and gold leaf techniques. In 1984 he took over Studio Signs from Dean G. Stanley.
In the early 1980s, computers and vinyl plotters drastically changed the sign industry. Studio Signs adapted and purchased one of the first Gerber vinyl cutters in Portland yet continued to provide traditional hand crafted signs. Lee officially passed the business to his son Nick in 2018 and retired in 2020 after 50 years as a commercial signpainter.
Many skilled sign painters worked for Stanley over the years including Harry Morgan, Norm Forsberg and Melvin Lee. In 1984 Stanley sold the business to Lee. Melvin K. Lee began his sign painting career in 1970. He worked alongside some of the old time sign painters and learned hand lettering, silkscreen printing, and gold leaf techniques. In 1984 he took over Studio Signs from Dean G. Stanley.
In the early 1980s, computers and vinyl plotters drastically changed the sign industry. Studio Signs adapted and purchased one of the first Gerber vinyl cutters in Portland yet continued to provide traditional hand crafted signs. Lee officially passed the business to his son Nick in 2018 and retired in 2020 after 50 years as a commercial signpainter.
Services
Before the advent of computers, sign painters were the premier graphic designers of their day.
Trained in classical lettering and typography, the sign painter had to understand how to make letters and words work together and look appealing.
In addition to letterforms, a good sign painter would also have an understanding of color theory and pictorial painting techniques.
Years of handed down knowledge, shelves of original reference books, and computer editing programs are all at our disposal when it comes to designing your next sign project.
Trained in classical lettering and typography, the sign painter had to understand how to make letters and words work together and look appealing.
In addition to letterforms, a good sign painter would also have an understanding of color theory and pictorial painting techniques.
Years of handed down knowledge, shelves of original reference books, and computer editing programs are all at our disposal when it comes to designing your next sign project.
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